The first of my Paris post’s.
We travelled all over Paris from one side to the other and then flipped it over and did it again. Like any city its full of little India’s, little China’s, little Africa, then Paris where it’s still very much little France. I loved little France as I did all the other little’s but little France I loved her the most. I will forever remember walking her narrow cobbled streets, cold with sore feet being blissfully happy as I followed the love of my life with the Eiffel Tower in our sights.
So Paris what I loved and what I didn’t.
1. They love their city and are proud of their country. Patriotically proud I wish Australia could be more so. France is solely concerned for its people not about keeping everyone else happy. They are arrogant about it and so they should be. They get mighty pissed off when you dont attempt the language and rightly so- but the language was my biggest problem. I knew what I wanted to say however as soon as they spoke I went to jelly and lost all confidence of my question and ability to converse. Husband however was a gun but thats the man he has become. I did however learn to read it without an issue. So with husband being able to speak my meek greetings and my being able to read we were rather a good team. Most French know English its taught in schools but if you cant attempt the language they wont help you- at all. Its part of their culture of being French or european. The buildings are beautiful and I loved everything about it. With its large greens scapes, wide avenues and boulevards she is beautiful. As a city she is stunning and no city or country will compare.
2. They have the life balance thing right. Most start work at 10am finish at 6pm. They get five weeks a year of holidays with a 35 hour week. They have 90 minutes for lunch and yet their work productivity is amongst the highest in the world. When we travelled to the outskirts shops and offices closed for lunch. They have a four-day school system. School hours run from 845am-430pm with a 90 minute lunch break. School lunches are provided and sound better than what I eat at home. They outsource rather than run themselves ragged. Child care whether it be a nanny or a crèche is government-funded and if you aren’t able to get a nanny and need to go private almost always the expenses are tax-deductible.
3. The idea of food. Was it the best? I’m not sure but it was the whole lifestyle and thought associated with food and so what we had we enjoyed even more. They do believe in fresh is best. Pop markets are everywhere and supermarkets don’t fit right and are vaguely filled. If you want make up you got to a pharmacies, if you want bread a Boulanger,a piece of steak a butcher. Supermarkets are small and seemed awkward.
We saw just a two KFC and three Mc Donalds in our time in Paris and when we went in the restaurants promoted the baguette and salad over the burger and fries. The preferred franchise where places such as Nude which sold soups, salads and sandwiches. And sandwich shops are as plentiful as pastry shops. I didn’t see any ‘fat’ people in France- its true and if they where larger it was men. Cafes were and are everywhere because they make time to sit and eat. Its true when they say they enjoy their food and coffee because they do they have the time to. Portion size is also something we noticed. Husband and I went to the market ordered a kilo of handmade pasta husband is a big man in sense of height and energy levels. The marketeers asked how many we were feeding we said two..none none he said..and handed us 400 grams. That is plenty for you he said. Which meant we could then go buy two mille-feuille .
4. They take pride in their appearance. Clothing is high-end. I saw no Ali or Valley girl equivalent. Monoprix was the only thing close to Target but even then the quality was really good. They buy to last which why being a boot maker or tailor is still a profitable business as is being a shoe shiner.
5. They have manners use them its part of keeping up their appearances. Children held open doors, stood for the elderly on trains. Men stood for women on trains. They helped those with pram’s, luggage and children.They said pardon (excuse me) when needing to get by, bon-jour when ever you entered a store and au revoir when you left-every single time.
6. The people accept themselves for who they are but I will write more about that later because it AMAZED me and excited me.
However.
What I didn’t like about France.
1. They smoke. This is the part that blew me out of the water. They live so well eat well, have their balance right and yet they smoke like chimneys.Husband and I don’t smoke never have. We avoided the cafe experience because they were little smoke houses. The only place we didn’t encounter the smoke was the metro.
2. The amount of professional beggars. They have their dogs, cats’s and sometimes kids. I don’t doubt some of them are genuine but for those that aren’t it makes it harder for the ones who are. I don’t give money on any occasion. On our last night we came across a soup kitchen. The line of men stretched for miles and these men were the homeless and mentally ill of Paris. Meanwhile we watched as a women who had been sitting across the road with her three children begging on a suitcase was collected by her husband. He helped her fold up the blankets put them in the suitcase, hugged the children and waddled their way home I assume. I am however not naive their home could have been down the next sewer cap which we saw lots of men coming and going from.
3. The city smells of pee. It’s not as bad as what I remember of Rome when we went but its close to. Paris wasn’t built with public toilets in mind. Business owners do their best.
4. The scammers. They are everywhere and range from finding lost rings and wanting a token of appreciation for finding it, to collecting for the deaf dumb and mute. They target tourists and whilst they are skill full they are also a pain in the arse because they can be rather insistent. Stand your ground.
5. And if I am to be honest as a tourist I didn’t feel safe there but the language barrier had a lot to do with that. Many a night I watched sole women walk home at 2 in the morning passing large groups of men as they went. So I think it was the language barrier mixed with feeling that a scammer or pickpocketter (which would occur in any city) is just around spying me because the police and military presence is everywhere. The French aren’t afraid of showing a machine gun or two on their cobbled streets I just wish some of the boys holding these weapons didn’t looks as prepubescent as my eight year old but then anyone under twenty-five is a child to me these days.
So Paris is just like any other big city but it’s not. There is something captivating about it. Romantic? For me no beautiful yes. Over whelming in its beauty, that and they have this living thing down pact. Oh and they also have the best butter in the world big statement but true.
xx Deb
