Nothing really changes

I'm currently hanging out down at my parents place on Österlen in the south of Sweden. It's snowing, windy like hell and ice cold, which makes indoor activities very much preferable. One such activity is going trough my fathers old LP records, another to go through his library. There is always something new to be discovered when doing so. Just now the library became my centre of attention. Among many interesting books that I found were my grandfather's aunt; Getrude Corin's, travel guides from the 20's.

Since I've lived in Paris and visited many times before and after that, the travel guide "Paris in 8 days" sparked my curiosity most of all of them.

What I found most fascinating is that nothing really changes. The book has a friendly approachable and conversational tonality, much like the travel guides/blogs of today. It is set up in a manner that is very close to how these type of guides are constructed in current issues.

What is even more note worthy is that if you were to follow the hints, tips and directions of this guide from 1928 during eight days in Paris in 2012, you'd actually be in quite good hands. And even if most (not all actually)  restaurants, clubs and bars might have come and gone since then, chances are that whatever address you're guided to, there probably is something great in its place.

Further more and on a broader scale it really shows how things really don't change (besides technology) all that much. Essentially it's just the people acting in the play we call life that come and go, but the stage remains the same. Next time you're at your favorite restaurant or bar, take time to reflect how timeless that experience is. What's on the menu, how the staff is, how the table is set, the guests, what they are wearing and the way they act. Try to imagine the hopes, dreams and intentions of the people in your surrounding. Chances are you'll conclude that most probably not all that much is different from how it may have been 80 years ago, or how it will be in 80 years from now.

Short snappy title

Published in 1928. So 84 years ago Gertrude held
this book in her hands as she was wandering the same streets
as I would 74 years later.

Approachable, conversational and friendly
tonality in the foreword

Day to day planning...

This text is really worth reading to give you an idea
of how timeless this guide is. Apologies to the roughly 30%
of you who don't read swedish though.

An ad by Lanvin of course...

...and NK on the back cover