Posted on 07/26/2012 7:43:45 PM PDT by DogByte6RER
That’s because us British are well aware of what our press is and take no notice of it!
It’s not dissimilar to being an Englishman on Freerepublic - their are a multitude of anti-British contributors on here who can’t wait for a negative story about the UK so they can post hilarious and highly original lines like: “Great Britain ain’t great anymore.” Laugh? I nearly started! However, like Brits reading bad things about the US, I know that these types are the minority so I take no notice. :)
I’m with you! I visit Paris and find that if you try to use some French, they will be very accommodating to you. And if you show some appreciation for Paris - they’ll shake your hand and, as happened to me, kiss your cheek.
Once when I couldn’t get through the Metro turnstyles, a French woman grabbed me and shoved me through on her own card!
Of course, I’m a NYer, so perhaps I am used to city-like behavior.
#1 - these are great - thanks for posting!
I visited Paris in 1976/77...my sister and her at the time peignoir(sp) husband (French Algerian) spoke French fluently, luckily. It was not quite as friendly then as you say. But, I’ll bet it’s on a case by case basis, kind of like could happen here in America.
Thanks. Interesting note on tourism. Some of us seek to get away from boredom. So they visit large cities in New York, Florida, California, etc. Others, like me, seek boredom, peace and quiet. ;-)
As for international ridicule, maybe that has something to do—at least in part—with international economics and military agreements.
I’ve heard that most Parisians have cleaned up their act since the 70s. The younger generation is not as formal as their elders and many have visited the USA.
I have a friend who visited Paris in the 60s and 70s and thought the French were terrible. My experience (I first visited in the 90s) was very different.
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