Paris - the quirks.

Ok, I thought I'd add a post in here about the little oddities of Paris that I've noticed so far. Alex is helping me on this one - there are so many little things.

Before I get into it I wanted to add these photos... some of the girls from my class went to the Champ de Mars for a picnic lunch the other day. It was so warm and the food from the boulangerie was amazing! I actually got a little sunburned and I now have a petit parisian tan!

Ok...

• Parisians walk their cats on a leash. Hmm... can't imagine buddy enjoying this at all.
• Watch those wet patches on the footpath - its not water. Little doggies love to leave their mark.
• Pedestrian crossings are for show only. Although if you take a step out and act like its your right of way ALL traffic (except bicycles), will stop. Cyclists will hurl abuse at you.
  
• The proportion of pregnant women is extremely high. Not sure what happened 7 months ago...
• Layering of clothes in the wierdest ways is the norm. As long as the colours don't clash, it was meant to be. Oh yeah and women don't wear heals - its ballet flats only.
• Parisians walk at an annoying rate (too slow, but too fast to pass) and they meander all over the road. Nothing here happens in a hurry. Alex has been here for a month and still has no key for her mail box.
  
• At the slightest mention of the word 'rain', out come the trench coats. Everyone has them. I feel left out...
• They drive on the wrong side of the road - but I realise that is an Australian and Brit quirk. I can't tell you how many times I've gone to step off the footpath and suddenly realised the traffic is on my left.
  
• Sliced bread is sliced so thinly you can almost see through it. Although the bagette is a much better option.
  
• On bagettes - I now understand why the french buy them every day - they only last for about 12 hours before they go stale. And they are so good that you don't let that thing sit around for more than that anyway. They are eaten in excess!
• 2 hour lunch breaks - all the parks and cafes fill up around 12.30 and are full until about 2.30. I don't understand how they get any work done when they start at 10?!
• All the dogs look like their owners - seriously.
• The french are so well behaved in public. There are vast areas of grass and most have signs that say not to walk or sit on it. So they don't. They line up neatly around the outside so as to enjoy it, yet keep it pristine.
  
• They are also extremely patient with tourists. So polite in general.
  

That's all for now. I know I've missed so many things - but this will do for a start.

I'll try for one more post before I leave Paris on Saturday.

A Bientot!