French child rearing

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I ate with a friend in the Closerie des Lilas which, much to my surprise, is a real pick-up place. Next to us was an obviously divorced man with his 10 year old son. At the table next to him was a man I at first mistook for a woman, and at the adjoining table were two young woman clearly looking for some action. This man completely ignored his son while flirting alternatively with the man and the two women. The poor child, who should never have been there in the first place was totally bored, completely ignored. I am still choking from the smoke of last night. How selfish and thoughtless can a parent be?

I wanted to chastise that man (my reaction is in fact alot more violent than that, I'd rather choke him), but instead spent a few moments talking to his son, Florent, who is sweet now, is a fan of Andy Roddick (yea!) and will find it hard to grow up and not be an angry rebel. There will be retribution when the son is old enough. I'd like to whisk Florent away to a school that practices the KPM Approach to Children, where he would feel cherished, unique and not like an extra piece of baggage to be lugged around and dumped when inconvenient.

Not being French, I can't say it, but since my friend does-it is a case of incredible egoism. It's incomprehensible-each and all out for their own personal satisfaction, not thinking of other's needs or welfare. The children suffer the most and then grow up to be just like their parents, their role models. Parents: WAKE UP.

Is this taught in schools? It's pretty hard to be this selfish left to your own devices.

Gay Pride Parade

Much to my chagrin, the Gay Pride Parade will start at the Bastille and finish at Montparnasse-not far from my apartment. I thought it was starting here and was relieved that I would be able to go out later. Now I feel trapped for the day.
I have only witnessed the parade in New York, but once was more than enough. I hate crowds!

The Grand Départ

School vacation does not officially start until July 4th, but the roads are already classified as orange-certainly on the Autoroute du Soleil, adding an extra hour to the leg between Lyon and Orange.
I can't understand leaving with everyone else although I do understand wanting to escape the cold unseasonable drizzle of northern France. I may be one of the few to enjoy this weather- appreciated after the heat of India, and also because I find all cities too stifling when the mercury rises. Prefer jacket weather -the heat absorbing buildings which absorb the heat and traffic congestion becomes that much more intense in the heat.

The French Welcome

I am listening to a blurb on France Info about how terribly the French are viewed when abroad as well as the frosty welcome they serve to foreigners in their country.

The last 30 years, politicians have exhorted, at least those in contact with tourists, to be more helpful, certainly smile a bit more. All to no effect. France, especially Paris, has effortlessly managed to keep its surly reputation intact.

Thierry _ _ _ _ _, I didn't get his last name, reproaches Parisians for acting as if tourists are a nuisance and begs them to be a bit more helpful. He is outraged at how announcements in the metro of a change of quai are announced only in French, and compares to Nordic countries, where they also announce in English to help the maximum amount of people.

How can it change? I dined with one of my few French friends at the legendary Closerie des Lilas last night. Even she says she has practically no French friends!

I can't say it but am, only because I am quoting my friend! It is egoism - never think of anyone else, just your own personal satisfaction.

Perhaps rudeness fines should be in place, fines have certainly worked on the roads. Everyone is driving the speed limit now that the speed limit is being ruthlessly enforced with radar, hefty fines, and confiscated driving licenses.

Strikes and the great departure

Strike today - heard this morning on the news, but I have yet to find it in any of the papers, even with my new mac dashboard widget which aggregates the headlines of the Nouvelle Obs, the Figaro, Le Monde, l'Equipe, le Parisien, and 20 Minutes.

I believe I heard that the walk-out this afternoon will include all of the personnel in contact with the public on the new TGV line Paris - Strasbourg. I am not sure what they are asking for, presumably more money, but in France, maybe not.

This is sure to cause great perturbation as the first 'grand départ'. The summer vacation starts today-even though it is not official until the fourth. A million people commence the Exode this week-end -in Ile de France, la vallée de la Rhône, and the Mediterranean.

Far from feeling left behind, I am grateful that 1) the holidays are staggered to alleviate the gridlock, and 2), that Paris will be empyting out, although the tourists do a pretty good job of repopulating the city in the meantime.

However, tomorrow is Gay Pride Parade, so gridlock, of that we can be sure.

Technorati Profile

Why am I not surprised? Putin lays claim to the North Pole

Russian leader Vladimir Putin has made an astonishing bid to grab a vast chunk of the Arctic, giving himself claim to its vast potential oil, gas and mineral wealth.

His audacious argument that an underwater Russian ridge is linked to the North Pole is likely to lead to an international outcry.

Some commentators have already observed it is further evidence of growing Russian assertiveness under its authoritarian president.

The Russian media trumpeted the findings of a Moscow scientific mission to the region which boasts "sensational" geological discoveries enabling the Kremlin to make the territorial claim.

Read on

Just in from my sister in Crozet, VA

Nothing to do with Paris but I couldn't resist! From my sis:

I was sitting at my computer when I spotted him loping through the

trees...(on phone with customer support at nTelos - she said a real
live bear outside your window?! I said I'll call you back later...).

I ran to get camera, and went outside. I was standing on our path,
near the bunny hutch, the bear was nearly in the neighbor's yard, just
at the edge of the woods. When he saw me, he took several galloping
strides towards me (to get a better look?) I quickly retreated to
just outside the basement door & took this picture. I think this is
the closest sighting yet.This is the only photo that isnt blurry...my
hand was a bit shaky at that point...

PS The dogs slept through the entire encounter. Lucky is out there
now barking - trying to make up for sleeping on the job? Or is bear
back? Must go check.

HRH King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud in Paris

If you woke up wondering where the King of Saudi Arabia was today, I can report that HRH has safely arrived in Paris with an escort of 30 cars carrying various courtiers and security. HRH arrived near Montparnasse at the most inconvenient time of 19:00, when most Parisians are frantically trying to end their grueling 35 hour work-week. (Although the buzz is that Sarko wants to extend to 38 hours, which, in reality, only means that he wants to allow employers to boost overtime pay by 25 percent, making the extra hours exempt from taxes and social charges.

I just happened to be out for a walk and saw the King in his coupe. He was 'welcomed' with a cacophony of furious parisians blaring horns from the gridlock of too many cars blocked in too many narrow streets. And the poor circulation police were just trying to do their job...

Windows

A friend the other day was talking about a class she had recently finished discussing views seen through windows -perhaps it was an art class. I turned to her and asked 'but what about Mac, they didn't discuss Mac at all?"'
She gave me a funny look and replied, "No, I meant real windows" and pointed to the windows looking out on the Fontaine de Mars.
It is time to take a long computer break.

Why am I not surprised? Chirac linked to £30m secret bank account

Chirac linked to £30m secret bank account
By Henry Samuel in Paris Last Updated: 2:32am BST 24/05/2007

French investigating magistrates have acquired "explosive" documents suggesting that "large sums of money" were funnelled into a secret Japanese bank account in the name of Jacques Chirac, it was claimed yesterday.

	Mr Chirac stands to lose his presidential immunity in weeks

The judges have bank statements and more than a hundred notes written by a former French intelligence chief, Gen Philippe Rondot, on the subject, but were unable to consult them until Mr Chirac stepped down as president last week.

According to the satirical weekly Le Canard Enchaîné, one of the dossiers bears the title "Japanese Affair," with two others called "Affair of PR1" and "Affair of PR2" - PR meaning president.

Such was the nature of the judges' findings that they held an emergency meeting on Monday and Tuesday and hauled in Gen Rondot for questioning on the alleged bank account, the magazine said.

The existence of such an account, into which £30 million had been paid over a number of years, was first mooted last May by Gen Rondot during questioning over a separate spy scandal.

Gen Rondot told judges that French intelligence agents had stumbled on the accounts at the Tokyo Sowa Bank in 1996 when investigating the financial credentials of a Japanese businessman and friend of Mr Chirac who wanted to invest in France.

Mr Chirac took the exceptional step of denying that he had a secret bank account.

Final outcome of the French Elections 2007

Went to a get-together last night to watch the final outcome of the last round of the elections.

It turns out that the left unexpectedly came back in strong numbers. However, the consensus at this staunchly right party was positive - that the left will now be able to express itself in the Senate.

This is hugely important, for had the left lost out, they were threatening huge social movements and unrest, which no one doubts for a moment they would have carried through.

However, in a democracy with correct voting and counting procedures in place, how can a disgruntled few justify bringing the country to a standstill with demonstrations? Isn't that just the definition of a poor sport?

Skinny food

I was invited to a cocktail/dinatoire on Thursday. It was intelligently planned, for the couple live in a strategic location in the heart of St. German des Pres, near rue du Bac. It was la Soirée de la Mode so they could escape the usual fines that would ensue by placing tables outside to allow guests to spill to out onto the street.

There are strict and severely enforced laws to that effect. One is allowed to use the sidewalks for walking and window shopping and I suppose, a bit of loitering. But one is not allowed to use the sidewalk in front of one's house to place a table, not even for one exceptional night.

Still it was your typical Parisan soiree. Although the hosts are friendly and obviously love to entertain, they made no effort to introduce strangers and encourage more commingling. The whole downstairs is organized for maximum traffic flow, with a huge open kitchen for cooking for large numbers. They must entertain alot, so clearly it does not seem to be part of French custom to welcome strangers openly.

Being a foreigner and knowing no one, I was pretty much ignored all night. Perhaps the guests all knew each other and so didn't notice the stranger amongst them. The attempts I made to introduce myself just petered out. All french are not unfriendly, but it is a pretty safe bet that attendance to many a native Frenchman's soirée will leave you with as many acquaintances at the end as you came with.

Maybe they are just shy. I'll never understand what appears to be the lack of curiosity and openness to include others.

Meanwhile, the mode for food has become downright unfriendly and inedible! French cuisine has always been reputed for healthy small portions, which I applaud. Nouvelle cuisine taken up a notch: hors d'oeuvres passed around in esthetically pleasing perhaps, but impossible to eat from, dishware.

Most of the food could be labeled highly 'creative', taking the "what-on-earth-am-I-eating dilemna" to new question marks. Impossibly long and narrow glasses for some version of gazpacho-the glass too narrow to drink from nor scoop with a spoon. Deep spoons held some kind of unidentifiable creamy mixture. The first bite was manageable but the only way to finish it was to stick a tongue deep into the spoon to scoop-very awkward.

Even the waiters found it hard to describe the menu when pressed. Frothy mousses, hot pink rondelles and other unsavory shapes and colors. it all looked pretty enough if you were the adventurous gourmand. It just didn't look like anything you would want to eat, especially considering there were no instructions on how to negotiate the utensils.

I hope this mode passes quickly. I have never liked to see cheese and crackers at a cocktail party as Americans do, but it might have made me happy on Thursday.

All in all, it made for an interesting sociologically ruminative evening, but one that I don't care to repeat for quite some time.

Citizen Unrest

There was a manifestation (demonstration) from Gare Montparnasse down Rue de Rennes on Thursday, June 13th but I have yet to find someone who knew what it was about. Stay posted.

Someone thought it was the nurses, and this is an ongoing issue:
There was a strike in May which i mentioned in an earlier blogand April: May 07

Student nurses went on strike in September 2006:
Sept 06

And so on.

Paris Strike Watch- les grèves éternels

June 14th 2007 - I arrive a bit early to trendy Hotel Costes for a 6 p.m. meeting, thinking to catch up on the press. Only to be told that there has been a strike of newsprinters- even international papers have not been printed.

There were also some general airport strikes today, but I am not sure what the precise issues were.

Paris: City of Love -rooftops

Every city has far too many pigeons, which makes them common and unwanted for the unsanitary mess they leave, but for the occasional bird enthusiast who feeds them. I couldn't agree more with those who call them flying rats.

However, last night I was enchanted by the pigeon courtship I witnessed on a Parisian rooftop. in this instance, a TV antenna served as the wall where suitors awaited their turn to dance for the Princess. The first suitor was immense, showing endless stamina as he gracefully bowed forward in a low swoop, throwing his tail to the sky, and then puffed his pecs at her, his breast enhanced by a little ruff of feathers that stood out as he arched back. This sequence was repeated about eight times as she stood and casually watched, not one to betray any emotion or favoritism.

The second suitor was Popeye to the previous Brutus. He was puny, maybe just young and inexperienced, his first run ever perhaps? He quickly threw off 2 half-hearted bows, with no chest flailing, and beat a hasty retreat.

There were two more in line, but I was already late and the courtship rituals had only just begun.

Paris-most convivial

Now that spring is well on its way to summer, every neighborhood in Paris seems to host its version of what we know as block parties. Festive neighbors lay out tables and linen and line them with mash-ups of food and drink- bottles of wine in assorted colors, soft drinks, evian and enough food to think about skipping dinner. From cocktail snacks to home-made quiches and tourtes, ham slices, cheese through to desserts-the occasional American brownie and fruit tarts.

Neighborhood galleries and shops host their versions with free-flowing champagne, sometimes on concurrent nights, making it impossible to see everything in one go. Not that it is ever possible to take in all the art on display, but some try. I gave up long ago.

Shopping in Paris

Making a purchase in France is different than anywhere else. You are bounced between the following two experiences:

In the first scenario, when you have no bills but alot of change, the cashier frequently refuses to take it. When you insist that you have nothing else, they make such a scene with much huffing and puffing, slicing glances and pouting, that you feel you should be grateful.

In the second scenario, cashiers refuse to take anything over 10 Euros, claiming they have no change.

Question: If they had been willing to accept the change in the first scenario, wouldn't they have plenty of change to dole out in the second scenario?

Conclusion 1: Commerce is indeed frowned upon in France, everything should just be given away.


Conclusion 2: The customer is NOT 'always right'.

Conclusion 2: Use a credit card, or even more popular, write a check. Whaaat? Yes, checkwriting is still a very popular way to pay, and more surprisingly still, for incredibly small amounts.