Let's go back 32 years into the past, to July 14th, 1984.

Lil Polt was 16 years old.  He was also nearing the end of his 30 day school trip through Europe.

This particular day, 32 years ago, our group was in Paris France.  We would be there for three days total, but I don't recall which day of the three this was.

At any rate, that evening, a group of us went to the Eiffel Tower and joined in the celebrations.  See, July 14th is Bastille Day, France's Independence Day.  So there was music, vendors, large crowds and eventually, fireworks.

Two of things in this world I dislike the most are heights and fireworks.  Deathly afraid of the former, just never got into the latter.

But here we were in Paris, on it's Independence Day AT the Eiffel Tower.  As a group, we decided to go up into the Eiffel Tower.  As I'm afraid of heights, I only went to the first platform, the largest one.  One of our chaperones stayed there with me, and I think one of the girls on the trip stayed with us as well.  Everyone else went on up to the second platform, and few continued on to the very top, even though ti was VERY crowded up there they said.

It was crowded on the platform.  And it was high (for me) but because of the crowds, I couldn't get near the edge anyway.  And then the fireworks started.  And the view from the platform was amazing!  Even though I don't like heights or fireworks, I really enjoyed myself.  I'm certain I did the obligatory Ooooh and Aaaaah-ing.

Afterwards though, the three of us couldn't find the rest of the group in the crowd, and so we took the Metro back to our hotel ourselves.  And those cars were SO FREAKING PACKED, it was almost scary.  I'm not claustrophobic, but being stuffed into that subway car like that almost MADE me so.  I could hold onto the bar up top, but the girl with me was short and she couldn't reach it.  Nor any other handhold.  And it didn't matter.  For the next two stops, she didn't move at all even when the car jerked, because she was so tightly crammed in around people.  I did, however, keep hold of her hand, and keep our chaperone in my eyesight the entire time, so we all got off on the correct stop.

Anyway, that was my experience with Bastille Day, heights, fireworks and crowded subways from 32 years ago!

POLT