lexie

Hi parisnow!!GREAT stories--you really have come full circle--and given me a much needed giggle! These are perfect examples of innocent mishaps that can color a persons immpressions. In every instance, you certainly could have given them the "rude French" lable, but you saw the whole picture as I wish so many others would.

francophile03

Parisnow, that's a great book you wrote!

parisnow

Footnote-Since you liked the other chapters, I will include Chapter seven. Had a very busy day resulting in a LATE dinner with the friend. Did the American thing and closed the Brasserie. Had wine with dinner but by no means was I staggering. The stereotypical young French waiter with dark wavy hair, dark brown bedroom eyes, and flawless face unlocked the door for us so we could leave. He cautioned us (in English) not to trip over the metal bar on the ground outside the door. He stood outside and politely held the door open. Friend exits first and steps over the bar. I exit and somehow trip and fall right into the arms of the waiter. Now picture this. Cartoon bubble over waiters head saying "Stupid American Tourist!" while I'm gazing into his eyes. I politely excuse myself and begin to walk with friend in silence. After a few moments my friend states "You don't fool me, I know you did that on purpose!"

lexie

Liking that chapter too parisnow ! Keep em coming.

parisnow

Lexie- paging through my travel journal and found the entry that ALMOST reduced me to tears. Important note- my passions in life are traveling, dogs, and watching sex and the city.
Chapter Nine: Walking down the Champs. Two women and a man walking towards me having a disagreement. The very proper well dressed MODEL looking female was holding a tiny dog. Unable to make out the breed (and I know dog breeds),I blurt out how adorable as we pass each other. Before I could inquire about the breed, I get this UGLY/NASTY @#$ chewing in French by the female. I proceed to walk away in the opposite direction as the man now yells something at me. Since I don't speak French, can't tell you what was said.
Chapter fifteen: Having lunch at an outdoor Cafe. Stray dog on the sidewalk looking up at me with those sad French eyes. Midway into lunch the store owner from the shop next door walks up to my table. I immediately realize that the French con-artist perched on the chair next to me lapping up French onion soup from a plastic cup was not a mangy stray but the store owner's pet. I tensed recalling chapter nine. The store owner just smiled and scolded the dog as they walked back into the store.
East Coast Money/West Coast Stars help out the friendly Mid-western dog lover. What did I do in Chapter nine that was so terrible? Educate me on this obvious society no no! As my golden retriever/sharpee (don't ask)is dragging me down the sidewalk, I always feel a tug behind me as someone scoops up my 6 lb. Bolognese and screams how cute. No one ever ask me before they scoop and squeal. Is this a midwest thing? Was I impolite (I didn't touch the pup)? Or do I keep the entry in my journal as "Miss Who's Who of France's People magazine, upset that I found her dog more interesting than her!"?

PatrickLondon

parisnow - Perhaps the couple didn't understand that you were referring to the dog, and thought you were passing comment on their having a disagreement in public. Or perhaps they thought it was the lady that you found adorable! Even if they did understand that you meant the dog, they might have thought your comment intrusive given that they were already in a conversation of their own.

ira

Hey Paris,

Never interfere in a marital spat.

I once asked a couple who were having a fight in a parking lot if they would mind moving out of the space they were standing in.

They both came at me with glaring eyes.

Fortunately, there was space to back up.

lexie

Hi parisnow! Yet two more great travel stories for me--ever think of publishing them?! I agree with PatrickLondon and Ira-- I think it may have had something to do with the spat and the fact that she was already worked up. I think she just took her anger out on you--just a matter of bad timing I think!

lexie

Parisnow, just remembered a little "French -doggie" story and this one almost reduced ME to tears.On our first trip tp Paris , my husband and I are sitting on the tour bus rolling through Paris listening to the tour guide drone on and on about how the French LOVE their dogs, how they're accepted everywhere, etc. She ended on this note, "yes , the French truly do love their dogs!" Suddenly,the people on the right side of the bus began to gasp , let out weird squeals-- what the hecks going on? Those of us on the left side lean over just in time to see a very nasty man screaming at his cringing brown dog and kicking him squarely in the shins.Talk about bad timing and rude French! A deeply embaressed tour guide went on to apologise for that sickening bit of French scenery.[Just ironic.]

Ryan

This thread is a perfect example of a point made in a Wall Street Journal article today, that people who have a preconceived notion that something is true, will often continue to regard a fact as true - even when they are presented with evidence that it isn't. People will "remember" it to be true, regardless of later proof it wasn't.

People have heard the French are rude (especially the Parisians) and they'll remember that. Even if they had ZERO personal experience with a rude Frenchman.

For those interested, the article illustrated the point by saying that one-third of a group in a study on the subject continued to believe a news story was true, even after being shown retractions of the original story.

Anton

My wife and I were in Paris 3 or 4 years ago. We must have miscommunicated where we were to meet after she had done some shopping on the Rue Rivoli and I had taken some pictures of the high water under the bridges.

After waiting an hour for her by the bridge and looking around for her I decided to return to the hotel. As I walked in the door of the Muguet there was a phone call for me at the front desk. It was my wife.

A shop keeper had phoned the hotel for her from his shop. I explained how to take the Metro and waited for her. She told me after she arrived at the hotel that the shop keeper had offered to close his shop and walk her to the metro and had even offered her money for the fare.

We will always have pleasant memories of how she was treated with such kindness.

lexie

Ryan, right on the nose!!The reason I started this thread was because I'd wanted to see if anyone else had the experiances I had with the French--99% good [except for the dog story I just posted!]or if the bad experiances were something quite like you explained ordid they just in fact meet a rude PERSON? Funny, some of my friends who continually diss the French have never been to France. Just proves your point!

parisnow

Thanks for the Lightbulb Ira. Wouldn't know how that marital stuff works since I prefer men who leave in the morning. I will repeat that for PatrickLondon, I prefer Mennnn...Thanks for the vote of confidence Lexie but 90% of my writing is in the form of reports for court. And the first draft usually goes something like this: Boss standing over that paper machine chewing up my reports with him saying "Ahhhhaaa, now write it right!" The other 10% of my writing is in the form of checks.
Anyways back to the topic of discussion. I will leave you with a Japanese Proverb that if you think long and hard you can relate to this thread "The Reverse Side Also Has A Reverse Side".

parisnow

Ryan-people in my line of work have known and stated that thought for years. That reporter from the Wall Street Journal must have been finally listening to us.

ira

>"The Reverse Side Also Has A Reverse Side".

Ah, so, but is the reverse true, "The Obverse Side Also has an Obverse Side"?

Powell

The day after 9/11 flowers arrived from our hotel proprietors in St. Remy, our friends, asking as to our well being. They did not even know that our daughter was in the WTC (she escaped by minutes).

As St. Cirq noted there are klucks everywhere. My experiences over 15 years with the French have been marvelous.

Lexie, it isn't you. The claque about the French is ridiculous.

Anthony

Bitter

Not all French are polite or friendly, nor are they all rude. Same goes for Americans, Germans, British ...

CarainCali

I've never had a bad experience in France. Everyone I encountered has been nice and helpful.

One wierd thing (not bad, just strange) was when I was sitting in a cafe and a women a little younger than I walked over, picked up my hand and looked at my nails for about half a minute. When she was done, she smiled, thanked me and walked off.

cigalechanta

I think you will find rudeness mostly in Paris but it is because of cultural misunderstanding. Americans are not accustomed to saying hello (Bonjour)
and goodbye(au revoir) And when we women shop we like to pick up the garment and touch it. That is considered rude in France; you ask what you would like to see. We have made friends across the country and will visit them again this year.

crefloors

People make too much over this stuff. I hit a couple of ...hmmm..less than pleasant and helpful people while in Paris. A waiter and a sales clerk at Gallerie Lafayette...so..it was no big deal. I just figured it was a very Franch experience if one were to take to heart all the negative stuff you hear about Parisians. Actually, it was quite entertaining and gave us something to talk about. We met wonderful, kind, helpful people so why are a couple of cranky ones going to affect me? I don't know them, will never know them, will never see them again, will NOT invite them to dinner etc. The OP was talking about friends or relatives being reduced to tears? I wonder if they cry when someone in their home town ignors them or is rude to them? When the sales clerk was "mean" I just wanted to go "well, excuuuuuuuzeeeeeeeee moi!" a la Steve Martin.