May 26 - Paris

Paris is a city of smokers.  In my very subjective and totally unscientific census, I suspect that the percentage of people in Paris who smoke is 300% more than you would find in Ontario.  The cafes reserve their patios for smokers.

The Paris fashions that you see on the street are very retro.  Miniskirts and hot pants are very much in vogue for females.  For men it appears big belt buckles and large wide scarves that are tied around the neck are in fashion.  It makes Howard from the Big Bang Theory look stylish. Also everyone has a phone attached to their ear.

Just like in Rome there are lots of Africans who sell cheap trinkets at all the major tourist sites.  Of course it is totally illegal and it is actually very funny to see these vendors sprint away at Olympic speed with their goods when the police arrive.

Vincent, who owns the apartment where we are staying, told us about the problems caused by the Gypsies. These criminals make their living stealing off unsuspecting victims. He told us of their tricks, such as asking you to sign a petition and then picking you pocket when you are distracted, or acting like they have found a valuable ring on the ground and then picking you pocket when you are examining this useless piece of junk. During our short stay in Paris, we have encountered both of these scams.

Our apartment is very comfortable.  For an European apartment it is normal but by North American standards it would be the size of a bachelor apartment.  Still it is enough space for anyone who is only using the room to sleep in.  

For lunch we went to Angelina’s.   This is a very famous tearoom near the Louvre.  It is famous for its pastries and hot chocolate.  It is has been operational at the same site for 110 years.

Angelina’s Tea Room

Afterwards we went for a walk in the Tuileries Garden.  The gardener of King Louis XIV landscaped the gardens in 1664 to give them their current French formal garden style. The gardens, which separate the Louvre from the Place de la Concorde, are a cultural walking place for Parisians and tourists.  In the Second World War it was the scene of vicious fighting from the retreating Germanys and the Free French forces.

Tuileries Garden

Tuileries Garden

It is amazing how the French idealize General de Gaulle.  True he was in charge of the French forces in the liberation of France during WW2 but it was a minor role in comparison to the British, Canadian and American forces.  He also was responsible for a messy African war that involved France and their colony Algeria.  As a Canadian it is also hard to forget his support for  the Quebec independence movement during 1967.  In the late sixties France was on the verge of a civil war because of his policies.  Still, there many monuments with his name attached in Paris.

For dinner we went to a small local restaurant call Le Gavroche.  It was an authentic French provincial restaurant, where the hams and sausages are hung from the ceiling and there is no tourist translation of the menu.  There were maybe 15 tables and the place was full by 9:00pm.  The food was delicious and we would highly recommend it.