National Geographic: The Paris Catacombs

[foolish_m0rtal]

God, but National Geographic has some great pieces. I think we could learn a lot studying how they write, because they are phenomenal.

Under Paris

Getting There: It involves manholes and endless ladders.
What to Wear: Miner's helmets are good.
What to do: Work, party, paint—or just explore the dark web of tunnels.

By Neil Shea

Photograph by Stephen Alvarez

The cab glides through Saturday morning. The great avenues are quiet, the shops closed. From a bakery comes the scent of fresh bread. At a stoplight a blur of movement draws my attention. A man in blue coveralls is emerging from a hole in the sidewalk. His hair falls in dreadlocks, and there is a lamp on his head. Now a young woman emerges, holding a lantern. She has long, slender legs and wears very short shorts. Both wear rubber boots, both are smeared with beige mud, like a tribal decoration. The man shoves the iron cover back over the hole and takes the woman's hand, and together they run grinning down the street.

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