What Paris did you go to?

Several people said all sorts of negative things when my mom and I told them we were going to Paris.  It’s crowded in August.  Everything is closed in August because Parisians go on holiday to get away from the tourists.  Paris is a smelly city because people don’t bathe.  The people are rude.  No restaurants will accommodate your food allergies.  People know English, but will not talk to you in English.  People don’t wear jeans or tennis shoes.  I don’t know what Paris you all went to, but I am not at that place. 

None of our meal portions have been small; I have not left a restaurant hungry.  All of the Parisians I’ve met have been very pleasant.  I have not been pick-pocketed.  I have only walked by two people that needed to bathe and they were also tourists.  I have not had an allergy attack in Paris yet and all the restaurants are very accommodating when I give the server my little piece of paper that tells them, in French, about my allergies.  Most people we have talked to respond in English. 

Just about the only myths that I have encountered as true are that people have better table manners here and do not drink as much water.  I was intimated into eating bacon with a knife and fork and getting up four times to pour a glass of water from the breakfast buffet this morning.  

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2 comments:

Erica said...

I don't know who told you those things about restaurants, but Chris and I always had great restaurant experiences there! I'm glad you're experiencing the food; Chris and I bought groceries and made a lot of our own meals because we were on a budget. But the meals that we DID experience at restaurants were AMAZING! -And that's coming from someone who was vegan at the time! I still stick by my comments about long lines, though. :-)

August 16, 2010 7:44 AM 

Stokat said...

Yeah, you were right about the lines. We have managed to avoid them with our Museum passport everywhere except Versailles and the Louvre. And when we went to Notre Dame today, there was a long line, which we were about to stand in until we realized that neither of us wanted to actually go inside. Another line avoided. And I think I am actually pretty good at cutting.

August 16, 2010 7:53 AM