Paris: Final Thoughts

A few final reflections...
First, about the people...
Several friends and family members asked me if the French rude reputation held true. Based on my experience, I didn't find them rude at all. I definitely do not speak French although I attempted to be polite and use courtesy words like "Bonjour", "S'il vous plait", and "Merci". I believe that helped. Some people were friendly beyond our expectations. I distinctly remember two waitresses translating entire menus for our benefit. One man let me cut the long line at the grocery store when I was only buying a package of plastic knives for our picnic.



There wasn't much of a language barrier, being a large city, most everyone we interacted with spoke English. I asked "Parlez-vous anglais?" many, many times. One funny language thing did occur. I am so programed to say "si" or "yes" in Italian that I said "si" instead of "oui" over and over again, even commenting aloud "Ah! I'm still speaking Italian!" Of course, by the time I was replying correctly with "oui" it was time to leave and switch back to "si".



Next, the transportation....
The metro system is the most efficient and fastest public transportation I have ever used. There was an electronic notice board which posted the number of minutes until the next train. During peak times, trains were never more than 5 minutes apart! We hoped from one side of central Paris to the other, countless times, without much cost or effort.

Finally, values, leisure, and living the good life...
To us, Parisians seem to value self-expression, being outside, food, wine, art, music, and history. They like to eat, drink, and socialize. I think we would fit right in! We also noticed a reoccurring theme through the art and historical sites we visited. And that is this - the French have a revolutionary spirit and attitude. If you don’t like something, do your best to change it or do something different. We like that.





We also like to picnic and so do Parisians! I felt right at home spreading out our blanket and enjoying our packed lunch or dinner among locals doing the exact same thing. There was plenty of green space and breathtaking, world-famous scenery to choose from for the backdrop.



We had a full itinerary! It was slightly museum heavy, but we were determined to utilize our museum passes fully. Even though our days were packed, we left plenty to discover. We loved Paris and can’t wait to return! It’s beautiful. It’s romantic. Believe what everyone tells you, it’s true! Even though it is one expensive place, we have decided that it’s our new favorite city.