I visited a new country with my 78-year-old dad. It made me realize I didn't know him nearly as well as I thought.

When I traveled to Paris with my 78-year-old father, he showed me a completely new side to himself.

Eryn Gordon My sister and I flew to Paris to meet up with our 78-year-old dad, who visits the city every year.

I couldn't believe how different he seemed, from wearing linen clothing to speaking fluent French.

This trip showed me new facets of his interests and how a place can truly transform a person.

My 78-year-old dad has had a 15-year love affair with Paris.

Every summer like clockwork, he and my stepmom escape their New England home and make their annual pilgrimage to the French capital.

Even though my older sister and I have done our fair share of our own adventures, we had still never been to Paris.

That was my dad's thing, not ours.

However, that all changed in 2023, when my sister and I flew into Charles de Gaulle to see what all the fuss was about.

The morning we arrived, we planned to meet our dad in the lobby of our hotel.

It had been a few weeks since I saw him, and I almost didn't recognize him when he walked through the door.

He had a breezy linen shirt, leather sandals, and a scruffy 5 o'clock shadow.

For a man who wouldn't dare leave his New England house without a clean shave, my immediate thought was that something had gone wrong.

He probably lost power, misplaced his razor, or found his way into a Montmartre absinthe bar.