Off the Map

City of Romance

Before I get into to much detail, I need to dispel a myth about the French. Contrary to popular opinion in Germany and America, the French are not rude, Arschlocken or unpleasant. I know this may come as a shock to many of you, and I'm sorry if its shattered your world, but its true. Although I spent several days in Paris as an American living in Germany who doesn't speak French (should be a terrible combo, right?), I did not encounter one bad look, one snide remark, or one brush off. Quite the opposite, actually: We had more locals go out of their way to help us and make us feel comfortable than anywhere else in our travels.

We found that if you try to use a couple basic terms like hello, please, thanks, yes, no and the numbers 1-10 [In French, which takes all of 20 min to learn] you can get around pretty well w/out using English, and as a result show that you don't assume they speak English and that you respect their culture. A sincere smile and a smattering of patience go a long way too.

Now that we've straightened that out I'd like to talk about how wonderful Paris is :-).

Paris was clean (this is my perspective coming directly from Rome), had a distinct architectural theme (white stone walls, blue-grey roofs), is alive with out being too hurried (contrast with Naples, which feels as though it will spin out of control any moment and explode, launching thousands of street vendors and scooterists into the Mediterranean), has a plethora of sights to see and things to do, is home to stylish and tasteful people, takes pride in its identity and history (as opposed to Berlin, where the past feels almost taboo), and has some of the tastiest food around.

Charm abounds: Step on the metro and you might be greeted by a fiddle and accordion duo; step into the restaurant district near the Notre Dame and watch vivacious doorboys compete for your business; climb the steps of the Sacre Coeur and enjoy the street performers; snag a Nutella Crepes from a hole in the wall stand and take a walk down the Seine as the sun sets; people watch a diverse crowd from a cafe window whilst enjoying a fresh-baked baguette; take in Paris from the lighted Eiffel Tower by night; spend hours perusing the treasures of the Louvre - or watching the art students make their sketches; get lost in the vast gardens at Versailles...

This was my Paris.

posted by Jason @ 3:04 pm