Today was our first full day in Paris. After yesterday's exhaustion I didn't even bother setting the alarm and woke up around 10-ish. We decided today we'd stay close to home and just walk
around the Champs-Elysées. We walked up to the Arc de Triomphe then walked up and down the street going in and out of stores. I got to go to FNAC! I have an obsession with FNAC. Don't know why but I have to buy at least one thing from there when I am in Paris. So I bought a CD--Mademoiselle K.
Then we went into Virgin Megastore. This Virgin Megastore has a complete bookstore in it, all subjects and books in English. They even sell art supplies--paints, canvases, sketch pads and pencils. They have a great comic collection. And a lot of the comics (Bande Desinee) are for adults. It's one of those times when there are almost too many options. I bought three comics there, including an Asterix comic. One of the authors of Asterix was going to be there signing later, but there was already a bit of line when we were leaving and there were still 2 hours to the signing and he was only signing the first 100.
And in the comic section was a book by a guy named David Heatley, who I went to high school with. That was kind of crazy to see. I know that his comic has been published in the states in some Best of American comics books, but to see it as a stand alone book and translated into French. I honestly don't think it's that it's that good, but that was still pretty amazing to see. Gus of course nearly had a conniption fit. And has vowed that if David can do it, so can he...So keep an eye out for Gus' graphic novel, coming soon to a French bookshop near you.
There is a phenomenon in Paris (although I guess it probably happens other places too, but I haven't seen it so prevalently in New York or London) with scams from people trying to get money. One is a woman who looks like a gypsy. I don't know if she really is. And there is usually a group of four or five working together and they go up to people with cameras, or speaking foreign languages, or in a long line waiting for something and then ask them if they speak English. If they say yes, they hold up a sign with a message about how they are from Eastern Europe or somewhere and need money to eat. I guess I find it strange that they ask people if they speak English, since they are in France, but I guess English is still a language that a lot of people learn even a little bit of. But also, I would imagine that people are less inclined to give money if they see it's a pack of women just going up to anyone. It seems like it would diminish the sympathy factor if there are a lot of people doing the same thing and asking the same people over and over. It, to me, makes it seem much more like a business or some sort of fishy operation, than some legitimately in need. I could be wrong though. The other thing that a lot of the gypsy women do is lay down on the ground, almost like they are praying, with a cup out. There's no sign asking for money, they don't make eye contact with people passing by. I wonder how often that works.
The really big scam though is someone who "finds" your jewelry. So same kind of person is targeted--tourist looking. A person walks past you, bends down and "finds" a gold ring on the ground next to you. Then they put their hand out and if you put your hand out and take the ring they ask you for money. If you try to give it back because you realize what they want, they don't want to take it back. They want you to keep it and give them money. And I've even seen, when someone gives them money, they ask for more. I watched this guy today walk up the Champs-Elysées, bend down, and "find" the same ring 3 times.
Gus and I walked to the Parc Monceau and I had a couple of interesting observations about stereotypes.
First, we saw lots of joggers in the park. And maybe it's just me, but I had always heard the stereotype that French people don't really like to work out and especially sneer at running in the parks. But there were a lot of people in shorts, with their ipods, huffing and puffing all of the cigarette smoke out of their lungs. And I wondered how true that stereotype really is. Not at all apparently, although it could be a recent cultural shifts...see that's why I need to live here, to discover these things. Enquiring minds want to know...
The other stereotype that still seems to have some truth to it is white children with black nannies. I know that's not exclusive to France, I see it in the states all the time, but I wonder why. Is it a wages thing, like hiring illegal workers because they are cheaper? Is it just a long standing cultural anachronism? There is a word I want to use but can't think of right now, that's used for people who are born with a bit of extra bone in their coccyx like a vestigial monkey's tail. Maybe the word is vestigial, but I don't think so. Anyway, it's an interesting bit of culture, especially in light of the riots that took place a year or two ago in the banlieues where a lot of the French immigrants live.
Anyway, tomorrow's plan is the Louvre.
Some stats for today...
Steps taken according to my pedometer 15753
Glasses of wine 5
Number of comics purchased 3
Number of joggers in full make up and reeking of perfume 1
Number of boots apparently left in flat in London 1
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