Ok, I seriously do not mean to just keep throwing the dirt on France here, it is a pretty open goal and my feelings are pretty well known by now you would think. But I need to hunker down for one more night and the country is again getting to me... In this crappy hotel that once upon a time probably used to be reasonably nice but now is desperately trying to keep a luxury aura while falling apart and the best it can offer in entertainment in a real language is a broken sound airing of German MTV and the "New Paris Hilton BFF" show. Yesterday I had the following exchange with the hotel clerk, around 8pm Sunday evening:
Mr. Salaryman: Pardon, is there a convenience store or so nearby open now?
Clerk 1: (without a moment of hestitation) No
Clerk 2: Well, there is one over here (brings out a huge-ass map and starts marking out a place way too far off to by any standards be called a "convenience store")
Just one more day...
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10 comments:
Hey there !
I was glad to follow your blog until i found out you hate France :D
no, i'm kidding but I am French myself and would like to get back on some issues you seem having...
First thing is about shops being closed on sundays... I think the culture here is to spend some time relaxing, making something of your day that doesn't necessarily means consuming. While some would argue that they need to buy stuff on sundays, I would rather have everyone stop working and having some time away from our money-centered society.
And, haha, about your hotel, i'm sorry you had to stay at a crappy one :D, but that doesn't speak for all the places you can stay at of course! All i can say is that downtown hotels are generally not chains, but more of a family business, leaving the appreciation of comfort to their owner, good or bad !
And I remember living in the US, having to take a Bus to get a convenience store open.. I'm not sure what city you're staying at, but it obviously isn't big so you can't really blame it on the country, can you ? :D
Love your blog ;)
Nico.
Hang in there and always pack a tiny bottle of rum or something in your suitcase, you can always find a coke machine for rum & cokes!
Haha, well Nico, apparently you haven't read my previous "in Paris" posts which have a section of it's own here on the blog.
But, in any case, it should be mentioned that there are cultural differences that I have with France but I do acknowledge that there can be good (but rare) French people out there (that I haven't yet met). Officially here on the blog I won't admit any things I actually do like about France (you would have to send me an e-mail for that and I would require full deniability for that).
In any case, I'm out of the country now and can relax in good old Germany where I feel more at home!
Oh I should also say to Ms. Nor-Cal Nikkei that as much as I like the sauce, rum and coke is not my thing.
Straight up whiskey is what I require! I never realized the joys of rum and to even mention JackD and coke is plain offensive! And hey, for a straight whiskey I don't need any coke machines!
haha! i'd love to read about that !
I'm sure you love France and French people but obviously have a need for denying it in claiming it out loud :D .. something must have happened to you, i can't see any other reason : )
.. drink WINE damn it ;) ..
Well if I had my way I would pack my blender and margarita salt but I would be afraid of getting sent to prison. Actually, I'm a Bailey's gal myself, rum is just fast and easy...unlike myself.
After travel I just want to lay there and get smashed, you know the feeling?
I'm a small time airplane alcoholic so by the time I arrive I'm more in the mood to go to bed and sober up... ;)
Traveling and hang-overs get harder with age. Ahhh the good ole days...
Glad you made it home safely sm
Hi there mr salaryman. Why do you hate France and French soooo much?
My Tokyo-born wife decided to stop smoking cold turkey the first time we went to France meet my family.
2 days in the trip comes Xmas day, which is when she decided she absolutely needs some cigarettes.
Anybody that knows about France understand the nightmare it was to find a place to buy some in the afternoon of the 25th of December.
But I wouldn't have it any other way !
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