Our last full day in Paris was spent wandering around and checking out some shops in the Champs Elysees and around the Denfert Rochereau area where we are staying. Jacky bought shoes and I found some CDs that I've been looking for for ages (see the music blog for details).
Being our last day I thought I'd entertain you with my thoughts of the French. Short version - they are a bizarre lot. They are fixated on the past - Marilyn Monroe, JFK, French icons like Bardot, old copies of Paris Match and so on.
There must be a by-law in the city saying that it is mandatory to sit at cafes and smoke and drink for part of every day; it is also mandatory to blow smoke into the faces of non-smokers at least twice a day.
Compared to London, Paris is dirty and crowded with cafes (see the by-law above) that spill into walk ways. Clearly no one in Paris who owns a dog (also a by-law) is able to buy puppy poop bags because every tree has a selection of faeces on display.
The metro system is poorly signposted and difficult to negotiate compared to the underground. It is also in a poor state of repair.
The homeless population is also large here. Each street and side street we went down had at least one man and a dog with a little cup (for money I think, and not for collecting dog pee coz that appears to be everywhere, intermingled with the human urine). Gypsies annoy tourists around major intersections. They also board metro trains and beg for money.
The Louvre is a vast place with some superb art work. We loved the statues and Flemish masters in particular but it is such a hard place to get around in. Again, poorly signposted and very crowded.
Okay so I am not a great fan. The pluses are the great buildings, The Seine, and the fact that I found two CDs I could not find in the UK. Score draw!
Love and peace - Wozza
No comments:
Post a Comment