A reminder to update you: My BFF and I just arrived in Paris, France.
We get to the hostel and it is crowded with people from all over the world. Side note: public nudity is NOT frowned up on Europe. There was more than one instance where I had a, "My eyes!" situation, but I digress. So as we are checking out the scene, we meet this guy from Eastern Europe. He is talking with us when we notice what looks like a bunch of duct or masking tape stuck to the back of his jean jacket. We get a closer look and realize that the "tape" is actually the dried skin from an actual iguana! Eeesh. He wore that jacket everyday that we were there. Weird.
We then meet these two guys from Algeria who were VERY interested in the fact that we were American girls. They wore the traditional garb, which we could only describe as "Jesus dresses" because that is exactly what they looked like. These guys decided one night to invite us to their "jam session" which took place in a mini-ampitheater. They were playing American songs on the guitar, and their grand finale was "Hotel Cawifonia." It was sweet, really. They were hoping we would be wooed by this. They also had a personal space distance of: too close! They would get really all up to our faces to talk and we were like, "get back!" We had to push them away several times. Oh, and as a farewell present and one last attempt to impress us, they gave us these handmade wool pillowcases and then said we must now give them something in return! So, being the classy gals that we were, we gave them some T-shirts we got at the London airport.
OK, so we get hungry whilst milling about Paris so we go into this cafe. Everything is cool, we try to order even though we don't speak any French and apparently the French DO NOT speak English. So it's time to order drinks and we order two cokes. You would have thought we ordered a cup of gerbil milk with the reaction we got from EVERYONE in the cafe! It became dead silent and everyone stared at us! WTH? We asked to everyone, "What???" Some patron leaned over and said to us, "We know you are Americans because only Americans order soda with their meals." Ok? so? That was just weird, and kind of an overdramatic reaction from the crowd I must say.
This was the summer of 1988, or in Paris, "The Summer to be extremely rude to Americans!"
No matter where we went the people refused to help us or even be courteous. This happened as we tried to navigate the metro system, stores, even the people who worked at the youth hostel! We renamed it Hostile.
The Hostile had a "chow hall" if you will, where we got "breakfast" every morning, in line with a tray. Our meal consisted of half a baguette and a bowl of warm chocolate milk for dipping in. All served by a very frazzled and cranky chef? Server? Not sure. We called him "Google" because of his eyes. Let me tell you, I went from, "Oooh, I love baguettes!" To, "If I see another piece of french bread I am going to be sick." Yes, it does get old when you eat one with every single meal!
Oh, and we did see all the major attractions, including the Eiffel tower where my BFF and some irritated Italian lady almost got into it getting into the elevator back down! Crazy...
The city is amazing and we didn't let the rudeness of the French folk taint our visit! But this is Freak Magnet Friday, so I had to post all the weird stuff! Happy Friday! Thanks for reading!
10 comments:
If given the chance, I would go to Paris, but it's definitely not in my top 5 places to go.
I want to go on a trip with you...All we would need is a baguette and a drink and just watch people ALL DAY LONG!!! BTW, the dried skin thing kinda creeps me out.
Oh how I remember that Hostel Food bag for lunch and the hot chocolate for breakfast! But I must say somethings have changed so much, I guess because the World is getting smaller, Now everyone drinks soda with lunch! Haha... and nudity is on a major decline!
We plan to go next year! Ha I guess I can try speaking the french I learned in high school, will they get upset because I will obviously have an accent? So what do they drink? Lattes? It's weird because being a turistic city they should have been used to the idea that americans drink cokes. Or maybe I'll just speak spanish and act like a fresa there!
You are a freak magnet. But... your in good company.
I was in Paris in April 1989 and honestly I had such a different experience. I told this one man how nice everyone was being to me and he replied, "It's because you look like the girl from Santa Barbara". Apparently the soap was really taking off there and he seemed to think people thought I looked like "Kelly" from the American Soap...better known as Robin Wright Penn.
The Princess Bride.....I THINK NOT!!
I was there in the 60's (yep, I was a teenager waaaaay back then) and it was just as bad!
Ya had to ASK for ice with your coke - and they made sure to bill you plenty for it, too!
I am so sorry people were so rude. My father was there many,many years ago and says the same thing.
Ah, the Parisian version of Freak Magnet Friday. Another super entertaining read, to say the least. I have sometimes found Paris to be similar to what you described. However, I'll take the good with the bad. It truly is amazingly beautiful.
-Francesca
I read ALL your freak magnet fridays! In fact. I can't WAIT for fridays because of them! My favorite was when you worked at the leather store when you were younger. I don't know why I forgot to comment. Sometimes I have comments in my head and I think I wrote them and then I didn't.
I am obsessed with France. I would live there. I almost did. I've had nothing but nice people when I've gone. But the 80's were a hard time for the world in general. Maybe your next visit will be pleasant! And I highly suggest banana nutella crepes EVERY SINGLE DAY. maybe That's why I thought everyone was so nice. I was on a constant sugar high!
:)
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