Reality Sets In
Can I go back to Paris now?
Actually, things have gone well since I returned. I arrived home Monday afternoon and settled in nicely. I stayed up as late as I could (that would be 9:30PM) and then slept for nearly 12 hours. Unlike the last time I went to Europe, I’m not suffering from jetlag this time. I must have done something right (or, the fact that there’s more daylight in July than there is in October may play a factor).
On July 4th, I visited a friend and laid out on his roof deck (before the clouds and showers). That night, I got together with my friends Marin and Roger to watch the fireworks. We went out for pizza then came back to my place to hang out. After Roger got distracted by all of my knick-knacks (particularly my 1950’s Victrola 45 player) we only had 5 minutes to get to the fireworks. We watched them from the Charlestown Bridge but they were partially obstructed by haze and the smoke from the fireworks. Roger had never been to this area so we brought him over the Charles River locks before calling it a night around 11:45PM.
My first day back to work was yesterday and it went rather well. Despite forgetting to change my voicemail greeting to indicate that I was on vacation for 2.5 weeks, I didn’t have an overwhelming amount of messages. I can’t say the same for the 1,600+ emails (mostly deletable spam, fortunately).
Now I’m back at work for the second day and I’ve had a chance to reflect upon my trip to Europe. Here are some biased observations:
1 – France’s public bathrooms are barbaric. Not a single public restroom I used (and I used a lot) had hot running water. They all only offered cold water (and no knobs to even get hot water). In addition, I finally got to use my first turkish toilet. Calling this a toilet is a stretch: it’s a porcelain hole in the floor with grooved spots to put your feet. You can face the hole and pee (as most people appear to do…missing the hole completely and splattering the floor) or you can turn around, face the opposite direction, squat and take a dump (also potentially missing the hole). Lovely. In addition, half of the bathrooms that actually did have toilets didn’t have toilet seats. I just don’t understand.
2 – France’s public bathrooms are not barabaric. I know, this is a contradiction – but hear me out. Despite their primitive bathroom plumbing fixtures, public rest rooms in France all have nearly full height doors for the stall partitions. This surprises me since everything else associated with their restrooms is so primitive. Plus, with their tolerance of nudity (compared to the U.S of A.) I’m surprised they’d have more privacy compared to our flimsy partial height partitions and doors.
3 – French people don’t eat vegetables. It’s nearly impossible to get a side of green veggies in that country. You can get a salad, but I had trouble with decent side dishes. This became really noticeable when we got to London and nearly every meal came with a side. Yet, despite this, they’re much more fit than us.
4 – The United Kingdom needs to get over itself. First they don’t consider themselves part of Europe (they refer to the rest of Europe as “the continent”). They drive on the wrong side of the street despite the fact that people nearly die on a daily basis (myself included). I mean, if you have to write on the street in paint at every single intersection to warn people which direction they need to look, then something’s seriously wrong. Plus, despite the rest of the European Union using the Euro, the U.K. maintains the pound? Why? Couldn’t they convert to the Euro and just make things cost more to offset the fact that their currency is more valuable? Also, we traveled freely throughout France, Belgium and the Netherlands without the need to go through customs. But not the United Kingdom. To visit them, you need to wait in long lines to present your passport.
5 – London has the best cabs in the world. They all look like they’re from the 1920’s, but they’re modern and comfy and have huge spacious seating areas (comfortable for 4 people).
6 – Europeans have SERIOUS issues with climate control. Despite the fact that they seem to get heatwaves every summer and despite the fact that they have humidity, they refuse to air-condition their public transit systems. Now, especially with this whole global warming thing (and after that horrific heatwave they had a few summers ago where thousands died), don’t you think they might at least consider including air-conditioning as they replace their old subway cars? NOPE! The subways are unbearable. Even the locals agreed (and sweat profusely). In fact, one of the cab drivers in London told us that they shut down the subway sometimes because it’s too hot and people pass out. Gee, do you think that might be a sign to invest in cars with cooling systems? The same goes for retail shops and restaurants who think a single oscilating fan provides the cooling you need to dine or shop comfortably.
7 – The French highway system sucks (as I blogged about earlier). Beglium and the Netherlands were a breeze. And, from what I could tell as a passenger (and not a driver) in the U.K, signage there is good as well. But France is horrible.
8 – Despite all of my gripes, I’d go back in a heartbeat.
8 Comments
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Actually, the London Underground has been vexed for years by the lack of AC not because of indifference, but because of the construction of the old lines such as the Circle Line. There isn’t enough room in the tunnels to install any HVAC system on the trains without having to do major rebuilds of the tunnels. Why do you think those trains are so narrow?
Hmm. Isn’t that interesting. When driving in France, I thought it was fine and had no trouble at all. Maybe it’s just the way I drive. 🙂
god, you sound like a spoilt american brat! only a citizen of one of the wealthiest countries in the world could express opinions like these! kidding! kidding!
Well but wait a sec here – Denmark and Sweden both still use Kroner. And Switzerland – or is it Germany – still use Francs. So let us not get all huffy with our friends the Brits. As was mentioned, everything is ancient and tiny and cramped and there may not always be allowances for hvac systems. I agree that the stores could probably do better than one oscillating fan… so next time go in the autumn or in spring. Britain holds a special place in my heart – be gentle to it.
Hey, Karyn…why so defensive about the Brits? My ancestry is English so I obviously don’t have “that” much against them. I’m not full of self-hatred, dammit.
Now, now, Karl, be nice. What were we just talking about with language? And I didn’t hear you whispering…
BTW it’s the Swiss that use francs, and they don’t have a choice, since they’re not part of Europe; the Germans switched at the same time as the rest of the euro-11.
And Brad – I’m with you. I think the problems Mike and Karl had with the signage in France was user error… but maybe I’m just use to it now!
Vive la France!!!! Woo hoo!!!! Last night was a blast – can’t wait ’til Sunday!!!!
Snickity!
The English are famed for their sense of independence from the rest of Europe–it’s what gave them the strength to survive the airborn Nazi destruction in WWII.
Actually, it really isn’t the wrong side of the road. Until most other countries switched, it was THE side of the road.
I’m with you–I miss France and would love to go back. My father’s Mother was French and I grew up knowing the culture and the c=ountry long before I ever got there myself.