The Long-lost French Monarchy

If the French think that they managed to free themselves from their traditional monarchy way back during their rather bloody revolution, I am disappointed to have to tell them they were wrong. Besides the slight backtrack that the Napoleanic period gave France, the French monarchy has remained, as I imagine, alive and well. They are often seen browsing the streets of Paris, sitting sweetly at sidewalk cafes, and otherwise enjoying the high life. 

The dogs of France are well treated indeed. Perhaps better than their human incarnations ever were. Sometime after the beheading of Marie Antoinette, and before the fall of the Emperor Napoleon, the remaining French royals must have decided that reincarnation as the dogs of France would be a much better alternative to the guillotine or to exile, and they have managed to live happy lives ever since. They are allowed in any store, no matter how expensive; they dine regularly at the finest restaurants in France; they have people who wash, care for, and walk them everyday. Unless, of course, they get tired, then there is always a fantastic little Louis V waiting to whisk them home. They even get to leave little presents in the streets for all of the common folk to enjoy; they are far more magnanimous than their human ancestors. 

Naturally, I jest, but the truth is, if I had any choice on the way to live, I would choose to be one of the dogs of France. If its good enough for what was once the greatest monarchy in Europe, its good enough for me. 

Le Retour

The past 12 days have happily found me outside of France, traveling for the vacances de toussaint. While I will be writing more on these locales later, I just want to express the wonderful feeling I felt upon my return to France this morning. The French are familiar to me, I have already learned of their quirks and oddities, I have accepted them. (See pink toilet paper, iceless water, etc.)  I have learned their language, their history. Such is not the case for Eastern/ Middle Europe. The Eastern Europeans are different from their more westernized cousins, its like the difference between visiting the south and new england, one is going to feel a little more like home, depending on what home is to you. 

Here are the French habits I have most missed:

1) Free bread.

2) Free (tap) water. 

3) Tip-included bills.

4) Relatively simple public transport, with intelligible announcements. 

5) Salads on every menu... and cheese that isn't deep-fried. 

6) Small dogs... they poop less than their bigger, eastern european relatives. (Though no one bothers to pick up after either of them)

7) Fewer cobblestone streets, those things get painful after lots of walking. 

8) Legible language... and pronounceable words. 

9) Currency that doesn't require higher math skills... spending 10000 forints is surprisingly confusing... especially after a couple 258 forint beers. 

10) French dance music: good house, eurotrance and american remixes all in one night... not just a steady stream of the same trance-y songs. 

11) Pain au chocolat. Need I say more?

Things I am already missing about Eastern Europe:

1) Paprika- the national spice of Hungary.

2) Czech beer.

3) Mulled wine.

4) American style coffee, none of the baby-sized espressos popular in France.

5) Viennese cafes... they have outdone even the cafe-crazy French. 

6) How cheap beer and food is. ( the important things)

Of Deodorant and Visas

As I have prepared for my departure to France over the course of the last couple of weeks, I have discovered that two things have consistently occupied my mind, my visa and the purchase of enough deodorant to last a year.

 

On the subject of deodorant, apparently they do not have the same types of deodorant in France that they do here. They have the sweet little spray kind, like axe, for both men and women, with nary a stick or gel in sight. As for this being true or not, I have only heard rumors, but I am determined to be prepared in any case. I would hate to be caught without my sweat-resisting, white residuing, amrican deodorant. Thus, I am bringing some. (and by that, I mean a lot)

 

As for the visa, there is a much more important lesson to be learned here, plan ahead. I did not. I had to rush to LA to hurry my visa process and still am ending up departing two days late for my program. So, a cautionary word to everyone, worry less about the deodorant, more about the visa 

Leaving Soon on a Jet Plane

As I sat looking at my Moleskine calendar this morning, I realized the horrible truth; I leave for France in less than three weeks! Oh dear. In a frantic panic I attempted to make a list of all of the things I need to bring to France. It goes vaguely like this:

sweaters

a jacket

shoes

shirts

And so on.

I have no idea what kinds of things to bring. Being an overachiever of sorts, I decided to research French street style online. What I discovered: wear lots of layers, mainly in neutral colors, look fabulous. Simple. Yeah, right... What is it about the French? They manage, when they try the least, to completely blow the rest of the world away. (When they try, thats another matter.) They are the undoubted kings and queens of the fashion world, leaving the rest of us with nothing to do but to marvel at their greatness. Above are a few wonderful photos of French style. Ah, to be French...