Strike blues

A friend has been planning for months to visit Paris. Now, with the start of a strike set for tomorrow, Wednesday, 14 Nov.,  the day before his arrival, he's not certain it's worth the pain. Most people would probably skip it, knowing that just the act of getting from the airport into central Paris. My friend is a curious, intelligent man who enjoys learning about the politics of places he visits. Will he find this teaser, which I sent him today, irresistible?

dear friend,

based on what we know now (that is, it's likely to be
a mess, right on schedule), i offer this sincere
counsel:

if you are prepared to "embrace" the strike, your trip
might still be pleasurable. the strike is a robust
demonstration of the vigor of democracy here, and it
will be a time of great interest, in terms of
political economy and society, i think. the students
are getting in on the act, and no one knows quite
where it will go. if you made this a study trip,
seeking opinions from people who will no doubt be
eager to share them, following the papers, etc., you
might be able to laugh when we have to hop through
hoops, walk to or from cdg to paris, or whatever dumb
adventures befall us. i would most certainly recommend
traveling light.

otherwise, knowing your reluctance, i think it will be
more pain than you want to deal with.

in any case, we hope to see you soon.

ton ami,
"marichaux"