With visa in hand, a friend landed in PARIS this week after booking 10 days off work, getting excellent deals on plane tickets and accommodation, and flying for 24 hours from Hong Kong to Charles de Gaulle Airport. How could he foresee that the City of Light would be soaking wet with museum and metro closures, neighbourhood evacuations and walks along the Seine out of the question.

Never having been in PARIS before, QIANG took in some regimental colour, the Conciergerie & the rising Seine <PHOTOS ABOVE> on his way to Tour Montparnasse, the 56-storey skyscraper in the old city, to get the lay of the land.

“It’s cold here. Only 11 degrees when I arrived. I am so tired even if it’s only 9am. I really need to go to bed.” Early check-in? “Ce n’est pas possible.”

<PHOTO ABOVE – a drenched Paris under leaden skies, Qiang Miao>