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I suppose that I seem to only meet the polite people in Paris, and every Parisian I encountered was really friendly and interested that I was vacationing there and wanted to know what I thought of France and their nation's capital.

Paris has still got to be the world's most magnificent city. I can't wait to return. Only one world city astonished me at every turn like Paris did, and that's New York City. Until you see the landmarks of Paris with your own eyes, no photographs can do them justice. I also admired how no Frenchwoman would dare go out in public for any reason without dressing to look her best.

I did whisper to my wife several times in the Metropolitain subway that I was taller than everyone on the train. Walking through Paris I noticed that I seemed to be taller than almost everyone except other tourists and Africans.

RE: your height, and I’m going WAY off topic now. Here is some trivia.

Rumor has it that France was near the top of nations for average height until massive number of tall men were killed off in the Napoleonic wars. Who knows? Now France ranks 32nd among nations for average height of men.

http://www.interbasket.net/news/4385/2009/09/average-height-by-country-males-20-years/

The USA used to be #1 for average height of males, mostly due to our superior nutrition being a wealthy nation. Now we rank 17th.

Some blame fast food and poor nutrition. I think when you flood the US with immigrants from Central America and Asia, you are going to see reduced average heights. But that is just my own theory. Who knows?

I have to admit that nutrition plays a huge role.

When I was younger, the bay area had a lot of FOB Asian immigrants who were short, low to mid 5-foot range. Now you see their daughters growing to be 5’-8” because they now have good nutrition instead of the lack of nutrition stunting their leg growth in Asia.

So I could be wrong. It could all be nutrition. I don’t know. I still buy the theory that tall French men were mowed down in great numbers in the Napoleonic wars, although in the closing years, I’m sure a lot of short guys were as well.