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Published: June 16th 2006
Salut, mes amis:
Things are getting better and better for us here. The weather cooled off considerably yesterday due to some cloud cover...most welcomed! 28oC seemed so much more tolerable, and along with that, the humidity dropped. We had a simple petite dejeuner a' notre hotel. Here's what's on the menu here: Croissant with jam, a piece of Emmental cheese, a hunk of very crusty bread to eat with butter and cream cheese (Judy is "dying"for some plain white bread--I think the bread has character!), yoguort with apple sauce, and tea with lemon (keeps my happy so I won't hit the fire alarm again--woe!). We definitely aren't starving.
I have been speaking French quite successfully. I even had a deli server give me a compliment about my French being "quite good." I hedge my bets by wearing my "Proud to be Canadian" pin where they can easily see it. That way, if I end up in a muddle, I have an excuse. But I'm enjoying communicating with people in their own language. My speech may be a little slower than the native talking speed but I'm doing great on hearing and understanding what their saying. Tres magnifique (pardonnez, I don't know how to type the accents on an "American" keyboard).
One sweet memory, though: on our second evening in Paris I spent some time in our hotel lobby while Judy rested. When the night clerk came in, he greeted me in French and I tried to answer him as best I could (I was very rusty and quite self-conscious about it). I didn't get very far when he said, "Anglaise, n'est-ce pas?" In English, I answered him, "Yes! Merci!" (the French say "Merci" a lot). Then he switched to English. My first reaction was to assume that my French was so bad that he was probably bailing me out so I checked it out with him (a lesson learned from Dr. Bhopal). "No," he said, "My English is better than my French." We both laughed. You see, he was new to Paris via Poland. It's a small world. We had a wonderful chat about what it is like to live in Paris through his "new" eyes. He filled me in on such things as housing and food costs, major differences that he'd experienced compared to his homeland, food, where the nearest Internet cafe was (he didn't know--two days later, I finally found this one within about 5 blocks of our hotel). He was very interested in learning about Canada and I was happy to oblige.
A continual observation since arrival is that the attitude of the French in Paris isn't anything like I remember it. We have had the greatest luck with people being not only friendly and helpful but actually going out of their way to help when we needed it (
did we look desperate?/i). I've talk with people all over the place. Two days ago while Judy and I were on our way back to our hotel via "Le Tube," this woman on the subway offered to take a picture of both of us. I commented to her that I hadn't heard any accent in her English when she spoke to me. You'll never guess--she was from Kansas City, Missouri! Si heureuse--So funny!
Our neighbourhood is so beautiful. I think that's what makes a difference in how one perceives Paris. You have to know where to have your home base. Le Marais, c'est si gentile/so nice! Judy and I have actually begun speaking French to each other before we realise what we've done. It's so funny. We have been laughing at ourselves a lot.
Well, that's my update. The comments that I've received are an added twist that I hadn't expected. Really neat, guys!
Salut, tous!
~Linda.
Hey, check out this link--so cool: http://www.travelblog.org/gmaps/map_1oo.html
~L.
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Mado
non-member comment
Glad you're happy and having a great trip!
Keep the exclamation marks coming. They're great. Now, I almost expect you to come back with a Polish boyfriend. LOL!!! Cool!!