One evening we watched the sunset at the Terrazza del Pincio with cheap wine in plastic cups, toasting as the sky turned coral over Piazza del Popolo and its Egyptian obelisk. Later, we bought Neapolitan-style pizza and ate it at midnight in front of marble gods at the Trevi Fountain. We talked often about how crazy it was to be in Rome without crowds.
Another day, another coronavirus-related restriction. President Macron announced last night that a curfew will go into effect in certain cities in France— including my Lyon adorée— from Saturday until at least the next 4-6 weeks.
Yesterday I arrived back to Lyon after 41 straight days traveling. I am left wonderstruck by a trip that was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: to see Europe without tourists. It was absolutely wild. I mean, I saw the Roman Colosseum with just a couple of other people in the arena for company. Rome itself was empty compared to normal summers. I can’t emphasize enough how unique this was. Of course, there were other travelers, but they were mostly from fellow European…
The Facts When I imagined my year abroad in France, I never once pictured experiencing a level 3 nation-wide quarantine. But c’est la vie, I guess. It is day two of the official coronavirus quarantine in France, and life feels unreal. All schools, restaurants, bars, cafés, cinemas, etc. are closed— even parks. Only essentials are open: supermarkets and pharmacies (and the occasional boulangerie because it’s France and bakeries are vital). Everyone who can work from home is doing so. If…