Some random musings about Paris...
Still haven't seen a poodle - french or otherwise, but DID finally see a French Bulldog. Dogs aren't nearly the big deal here that they are in SF.
WAY more smoking here than California...
Lots of motorcycles and scooters, which makes sense in this very crowded city. Strangest thing is, we estimate one in four scooters on the road here are Piaggio MP3 - the model with the two wheels in the front that Jeff and I owned for several years (and happily donated to KQED last year when it died on the 280 Fwy).
Parisiens will do anything to dine or drink outside. We've had no real downpours since we've been here, and it's not wet enough to warrant using an umbrella (it never does in Seattle, but never mind that for now...). But everything in the city is wet from mist and fog and..,. winter. Yet still Parisiens sit outdoors in protected spots sipping their coffees or cocktails or having one of their famous 3-hour lunches.
Since arriving, we've started seeing more homeless as we've explored the city, and learned it's a massive problem here - far larger than San Francisco (we have 7,000, Paris has 30,000 - an increase of 84% in the last 11 years). Same thing is driving the problem there as in the US - high housing costs and neglecting to build housing over the years. Also wages aren't keeping up... many of the same societal structural problems we have, including income inequality.
I usually don't like musicians performing in subways, but yesterday there was a small stringed orchestra playing an absolutely beautiful rendition of Pachabel's Canon in D in one of the stations; later we heard a solo saxaphone playing in the car in front of us - he was REALLY good, playing a Jazz standard from the 50s. PERFECT.
Heard our first piped-in Christmas Carol yesterday. The French approach Christmas with far more restraint and common sense than Americans.
French women are gorgeous.
More later!
Still haven't seen a poodle - french or otherwise, but DID finally see a French Bulldog. Dogs aren't nearly the big deal here that they are in SF.
WAY more smoking here than California...
Lots of motorcycles and scooters, which makes sense in this very crowded city. Strangest thing is, we estimate one in four scooters on the road here are Piaggio MP3 - the model with the two wheels in the front that Jeff and I owned for several years (and happily donated to KQED last year when it died on the 280 Fwy).
Parisiens will do anything to dine or drink outside. We've had no real downpours since we've been here, and it's not wet enough to warrant using an umbrella (it never does in Seattle, but never mind that for now...). But everything in the city is wet from mist and fog and..,. winter. Yet still Parisiens sit outdoors in protected spots sipping their coffees or cocktails or having one of their famous 3-hour lunches.
Since arriving, we've started seeing more homeless as we've explored the city, and learned it's a massive problem here - far larger than San Francisco (we have 7,000, Paris has 30,000 - an increase of 84% in the last 11 years). Same thing is driving the problem there as in the US - high housing costs and neglecting to build housing over the years. Also wages aren't keeping up... many of the same societal structural problems we have, including income inequality.
I usually don't like musicians performing in subways, but yesterday there was a small stringed orchestra playing an absolutely beautiful rendition of Pachabel's Canon in D in one of the stations; later we heard a solo saxaphone playing in the car in front of us - he was REALLY good, playing a Jazz standard from the 50s. PERFECT.
Heard our first piped-in Christmas Carol yesterday. The French approach Christmas with far more restraint and common sense than Americans.
French women are gorgeous.
More later!
I'm enjoying your travelogue. Happy anniversary (yesterday) and happy Christmas Eve morning! One reason people might be eating/drinking outdoors despite the weather is so they can smoke. As you noted, there's much more smoking in Paris than on the West Coast. I was there in springtime and would have enjoyed sidewalk dining, but it means having smokers nearby. But speaking of weather, it looks like today (Sunday by you) will be absolutely lovely there. High of 50F! Enjoy!
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