Greetings From France - Supplement

There are some odds and ends about our trip that I have neglected to include in my daily journaling and therefore offer them here.

Betsy's Quest for Chocolates

I don't know if this have ever happened to you, but inevitably when we have traveled in the past, there is always an article about our destination in a magazine or newspaper immediately after we return. Since we planned this trip so far in advance, however, we have been able to keep our eyes peeled for articles of interest for this trip. For instance, the NY Times ran a brief blurb in the Sunday travel section a few months ago about the neo-Impressionism exhibit at the Musee D'Orsay.

That being said, Betsy has been scouring not only traditional news sources, but of particular interest to her were articles that appeared in food and travel magazines such as Bon Appetit and Gourmet. Consequently, she came armed not only with names of restaurants, but also very high-end chocolate shops.

We have been on a chocolate hunt and although I have not yet seen the film "Sideways", I suspect that we have had a similar experience but with chocolate instead of wine. We have visited many shops and to be honest, although I have always been satisfied with a Hershey bar, I have a new appreciation for the finer points and subtleties of very fine chocolate. We have spent much time in these shops, discussing with the staff the varieties and flavors. It has often taken us 15 minutes to choose 6 pieces, and another 15 minutes to sample them and discuss them (at roughly a dollar for each very small piece, it's a good thing that we only sampled 6 at a time). I never thought that I could have such discussions over chocolate, but the flavor blends that have been achieved by these master craftsmen is truly amazing.


Things That Have Changed In Paris

It has been 12 years since my first visit to Paris and 9 years since the last time that Betsy and I were here together. We have noticed the following changes:

More Casual

Paris has become more casual . It is still the fashion capital of Europe (and some would argue, the world), but people seem to be dressing more casually. Part of this appears to be the adoption of American styles of dress, including more youthful fashions and the American Business casual uniform of kakhis and an oxford shirt. Not good or bad - just different, but it does make it harder to pick out the American tourists as some of the French now blend in with them.

Less Smoking

It used to be that one would notice a restaurant because it did NOT smell of smoke, and there was nary a "No Smoking" sign to be seen anywhere. Now, the reverse is true. Restaurants have separate smoking and non-smoking sections, and most people are not smoking. It is to the point that one notices when someone is smoking in a restaurant instead of an often pervasive haze. Everywhere else, there are "No Smoking" signs present and fewer people in general smoking.

Quicker Pace

Not that Paris was ever slow, but life seems to be moving faster, mirroring simiar changes in America. This is particularly evident in the number of foods available "A Emporter" ("To Go") and the number of people eating sandwiches as they walk at lunchtime. Even at Fauchon, the bastion of fine food, the wares were originally food that you would take home and cook. They have now converted virtually all of their sales space to prepared foods and meals that you can simply heat up at home or office.

Even Smaller Cars

Cars have always been smaller in Europe, and particularly France, due to the narrow size of the streets. Add to this the exceptionally high cost of gas (about $7/gallon) and the premium for parking, and the need for even smaller cars has gotten greater. When I was here 4 years ago, Renault's "Twingo" was very popular. It is a 4-seater that is roughly the size of a Volkswagon Beetle. Now, the popular small car is the "Smartcar" - a two seater that is shorter than a motorcycle. Imagine the front of a minivan, with the driver and passenger sitting high, but cut off immediately behind the seats and no trunk. For city driving and parking, it is especially convenient. To give you an idea of how prevalent small cars are here, I saw a Mini Cooper and it looked HUGE.

Improved Hygienic Technology

I don't know if it is a sad statement that I have noticed two improvements in the bathrooms of France. First of all, many newer toilets offer two different types of flushes - a low volume flush and a high volume flush. Presumably, this is an effort to conserve water based on what it is one is flushing. The other improvement - one that is near and dear to my heart - is that the technology to produce softer toilet paper has apparently started to catch on in France. It still ain't Charmin, but it isn't sandpaper anymore either.

That's all for now. More braindroppings as they occur.