I'd seen this Paris syndrome thing a number of times before visiting over the past year. It set my expectations low enough that it paradoxically helped make my

I'd seen this Paris syndrome thing a number of times before visiting over the past year. It set my expectations low enough that it paradoxically helped make my visit a delight. People were delightful. Streets were clean enough. The subway system was older but functional and fine. It felt like any large city that wasn't built in the past 20 years (e.g. Shanghai) and has history and a broad demographic. It had the gritty underside of any large, bustling city, and many of the faults I could equally apply to London, NYC, and other major cities. Loved it. Plan on going again. I never felt unsafe or uncomfortable, and was always in awe of the beauty and history.