For reasons I have difficulties in explaining, I once again find myself in the country of the frogs. From reading this blog, you might get the impression that I have a "love-hate" relationship with the country of France. This would be completely wrong. There is probably no country on the world that I dislike as much as France, among the world's developed nations France is in the bottom of the barrel as far as I am concerned. So I find myself in a mid- large city (not Paris this time) and am thinking that I can at least stock up on some European goods and do some shopping to at least kill the Sunday here in France when I am not tied up in work. I leave the aging and crappy hotel (that probably used to be high class 10 years ago but still thinks that it's hi-tech and fancy) to go out and do a little shopping only to find that ALL shops are closed due to it being a Sunday, nevermind that there is a substantial number of tourists around that would gladly part way with their money for a few crappy French trinkets, the needs of the market has to give to the laziness of the French.
Well, in any case, any visit to France that doesn't result in giving me severe stomach sickness should be considered a success!
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12 comments:
I've experienced this in Japan over New Years, Golden Week, and Obon.
Spent some time in Montpelier and really enjoyed myself (the people were nice, too). Paris kind of sucked, but I was able to amuse myself in other ways.
I found out the hard way last year in Japan Town in San Francisco to get my Mochi on Saturday because “we no open on Sunday” the rude shop owner exclaimed.
There were THOUSANDS of people on the final day of the Cherry Blossom festival and he surely would have made a fine profit.
Are shop owners that lazy or just stupid?
Masochism for mochi, it was worth being berated for the heavenly sweet strawberry bliss.
I have to say, perception is everything. I see your word "France" and my mind sees "Japan". Just say Monday.
you are very happy not to be in Israel.
Yeah, Japan is becoming better now gradually but the new year's vacation turns Tokyo into a ghost town! Don't come here by then if you want to do any shopping!
But seriously, in the middle of Europe, keeping EVERYTHING closed on a Sunday? Something is seriously wrong here...
How is Sweden in that respect, one enquires respectfully? In Germany (or at least Berlin) they've loosened up over the past few years, to the point where maybe a sixth of Sundays in a year are designated "shopping Sundays" (with limited hours, usually 1pm - 6pm). Outside of that, you're pretty much left with a trip to a petrol station or railway station, both of which are allowed to sell "travel-related supplies" at any time, and Deutsche Bahn, bless their soul, decided long ago that basically anything a supermarket sells is a "travel-related supply".
Well Penguin, don't think I realize your smugness in your "respectful" question. But have it your way, I'll answer your stupid question and be an asshole about it:
As Sweden desperately wants to be a fashionable European country, it now actually has most stores open at least from 11:00-17:00 on Sundays and actually open 'til pretty late on Saturdays. A real Metropol!
So yeah, that shut you up pretty good, didn't it?
Thankyou for taking the trouble to be an asshole, much appreciated! I was in Copenhagen late on a Saturday afternoon trying to dispose of some of the Danish money things I had mistakenly changed too many of at the airport and was bemused to find all the shops closing at 5:30 or 6pm. As it is my understanding these Scandinavian countries are all pretty much the same (expensive and full of suicidal alcoholics) I naturally assumed Sweden would be just like this.
OK, lets play fair, it was as close as the 70's that stores in the US were not allowed to open on Sundays and even more recent that they were not allowed to open before 10 on Sundays. So I think we can allow Europe to be behind the times (as they always have been) and Japan to continue in its comfortable feudal ways.
People bitch and moan about everything now and days.
Hi,
Thanks for showing how open-minded you are when it comes to other cultures.
I'm French, and at least we don't have to go to crappy government owned stores to buy ridiculously overpriced booze when we want it. Fuck Sweden, the meatballs, the fat girls with died hair wearing miniskirts (when they really shouldn't), crappy DIY furniture and the 2% alcohol beer.
Volvos are Ok, though.
People will never work on Sundays in France. Thats it. We are lazy and god damn proud of it. No matter how much money this would bring, sundays are for family and friends.
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