As we enter the festive season, it still feels like springtime in Paris. Actually, I just received an e-mail from Eurostar  reminding me it has been six months since I traveled with them. That is so much better than the usual reminders we receive in our inbox. This last trip to Paris felt special. It had been 10 years since the last and while it was equally as thrilling, it was meaningful. A benefit to being an older solo traveler, is that you don't worry so much about things going wrong, or even right for that matter. I didn't meticulously plan my day and actually, didn't have a plan at all. I started at St Pancras , which in itself was a highlight, evoking the familiar pull of international travel and wanderlust. While my last trip to Paris had many boxes to check, this day would surprise me. Basing myself in the fifth arrondissement, I began in search of an award-winning bakery, which I never did find. A lesson: sometimes you will not find what you are looking for, and ...