On the Metro … part un

While in Paris I had the opportunity to ride the subway through the city. Being vehicle-free on a regular basis, I was quite interested to see what this other subway system would be like. The metro was like a fortress of security. Instead of tokens they have these high-tech tickets with magnetic strips that get scanned and stamped by a machine that then unlocks the turnstile. But it is not just one turnstile; it is a turnstile and a narrow door that get unlocked. To get out of the metro you often have to keep your ticket and scan it to unlock the turnstile/door combo to get out. No cheating permitted there! Of course the very first time I put my ticket into the scanner something went wrong and the turnstile did not unlock for me. While trying to figure out what I did wrong (how hard can it be to put a ticket into a scanner) I got many strange looks from the metro employees. One time I discarded my ticket before getting out of the metro and I had to jump the turnstile/door barrier that I think amused the security guards more than concerned them – so in conclusion, while I was riding the metro, the metro employees could always have something funny to observe. I aim to entertain.