What's Not to Love?

Love these giant posters in the metro with their elegant frames. Love watching these fellows put them up. Love the fact that the name of this movie is "The Reader" (and the fine print says "d'après le best-seller 'Le Liseur'"). Love that it's finally coming out in France, some seven months after it debuted in the U.S.

Those White Athletic Shoes

It's the height of tourist season and Paris is thick with visitors -- long lines at the Eiffel Tower and Louvre, confused people on the subway, and land office business for the souvenir sellers. France is after all the world's number one tourist destination. The global financial crisis may have put a dent in Americans' travel plans but air fares these days are looking pretty good. And with Bush no longer in the White House, it's a particularly good time to be an American in Paris.

A lot of the folks who dish out advice to American tourists keep coming back to the same old admonition: leave the white athletic shoes at home; they're a dead give away that you're American.

Frankly, I don't get it. While it's true that you won't find the French (or the Germans or Italians for that matter) seeing the sights in white sneakers, I'm not really sure what difference it makes. First of all, for standard sightseeing, comfortable shoes are absolutely essential and if you already have the white tennies, there's no need to go out and buy a different pair for your trip. And second, and more importantly, Parisians will know you're American without even looking at your shoes. You can dress in black, wrap a scarf around your neck, and not say a word and they still know. My husband, who is over 6 feet, towers above most Frenchmen. No wonder people never think he's one of them.

Honestly, being taken for a native may be a compliment but it shouldn't be the goal of your vacation. In fact, the best advice for American tourists is simply to remember that you are a guest here and to respect the golden rule. And that means that you should:

Be polite: Learn to say "bonjour, madame," "bonjour, monsieur," "s'il vous plait," "merci," and "parlez vous anglais?" Treat waiters, bus drivers, ticket sellers, hotel clerks, and shop owners with respect.

Don't call attention to yourself: Keep your voice down in public spaces, including the bus and the metro. Leave your team jerseys and ball caps at home although trust me, you will see the French in shirts from the Gap, Abercrombie, and even occasionally an NBA jersey.

Be aware of your surroundings and your personal property: Keep your money in your pocket (preferably your front pocket) and your camera and other valuables tucked out of sight. And fanny packs? Yeah, they look dorky but the real reason you shouldn't wear one is that they are easy pickings for pickpockets. A shoulder bag with a strap that crosses your body or a backpack held securely under your arm when in crowded places is far more secure.

Carrying a water bottle, opening up a map, and wearing jeans are not crimes. Wearing shorts when it's hot outside is fine; just be sure to change into a pair of slacks or a skirt for dinner or the theater.

And finally, don't assume that just because you don't hear people speaking English a lot that no one can understand your "private" conversations or complaints. Many Europeans speak English and who knows? You may find yourself sitting on the metro next to a quiet expat, like me.

Vehicles of Paris: Part 8

I knew my "Vehicles of Paris" series would not be complete without a fire truck but did not count on getting a shot right outside my front door. Sorry girls, no pictures of the pompiers (firemen) who were busy tending to the maintenance man for our building who was hit by a car and apparently broke his leg. He seemed in good enough spirits and fortunately the man responsible for the injury stayed on the scene and was cooperating with the police.

You'll note from the graphic on the side of the truck that the French equivalent of "911" is "18." Dialing "15" will summon SAMU, the more sophisticated medical response team. I'm told that SAMU and the pompiers are well coordinated however so it's always best to dial "18" first.

Can I Call 'Em or What?

Last week (Thursday to be exact), I wrote: I wouldn't be surprised if it's gray, wet and 65 degrees next week. Better not put those sweaters too far out of reach.

Here it is just Tuesday and the weather this afternoon? Gray, wet, and at 4:30 in the afternoon, 63 degrees. For the record, I did not wear a sweater but I did pull my short leather boots out of the back of the closet.

Vehicles of Paris: Part 7

Why is it that when I'm on the lookout for something generic, it always seems as if my eye gets drawn to the out of the ordinary? While these two vehicles are by no means typical, I still found them interesting.


A pink limo cruising the streets of the upscale 16th arrondissement.


Art or transportation? You be the judge.


And a closer look at the hood ornament.

Metro Ticket Origami

Back when I was in scouts, we learned how to make a sit upon, tie a bow hitch, and make a campfire. The scouts in Paris are focused on urban survival skills such as how to fold a Metro ticket into a jumping frog. With the help of a guest blogger, we provide instructions on this all-important bit of city know-how.

1. Start with a used Metro ticket.



2. Make a diagonal fold by folding the top right hand corner flush with the left side. Crease and unfold.


3. Make a similar diagonal fold by folding the top left hand corner flush with the right side. Crease and unfold.


4. Using the crease lines you've just made, pinch in the sides and press down the top, creating a triangle.


5. Fold up the bottom right of the triangle to meet the top.


6. Repeat fold on opposite side.


7. Fold in the side so it meets the magnetic strip along the length of the ticket.


8. Repeat on other side.


9. Fold the ticket in half longways.


10. Fold back the top so it doubles back on itself.


11. Voila! You have a frog.


12. Make your frog jump by pushing down on its backside.


We used to have about a hundred of these frogs in our apartment until I convinced said scout that they should go in the recycling bin.

Vehicles of Paris: Part 6

Perhaps a Vespa to match your new summer bag? In addition to pink, these babies come in all sorts of colors: red, yellow, orange, green, navy, and cream to name a few.