After so long waiting for this, here I am and it's not everything I thought it would be!
I've heard so many stories about being ripped off, robbed and lost that I am totally suspicious of everyone around me.
I am in a hostel quite a way out, in the 18th district, and I got here from Switzerland at about 8pm. The Metro rail system is super-easy to use, which was a relief.
I got here and suddenly felt very alone, so to quell my beating heart, I decided to get out amongst it!
I caught three trains to the Eiffel Tower and took lots of photos with a billion other tourists. I was tempted to buy waffles or crepes but the fear of not being able to speak decent French was too much.
The stereotypes surrounding Paris are actually quite true:
- One lady asked a man at the Metro ticket booth, "do you speak English?", to which he responded, "parlez vous en Francais?" and she stumbled her way through asking for her tickets in French.
- French men tend to make their opinion of women well known. It has been a very long time since a man on the street made a comment of the positive variety regarding my appearance... five minutes down the street from the hostel I had to employ that "don't fuck with me" stare that I haven't had to use for a long time.
- Tourists are targeted for everything... tacky Eiffel Tower souvenirs, caricature drawings, "mademoiselle, you are so beautiful, let me draw your face!"... er, no thank you...
On the last train back I experienced two very different things... 1. A man dropped his dacks and exposed himself to four teenage girls, who promptly ignored him, and I stared at him in that nasty way I have rediscovered... thank God he got off the train at the stop before me. 2. Two men got on the train and began playing an accordian and a violin... then swore at us when we didn't give them any money!!
So I have made it through one evening unscathed, except for an unpleasant lasting memory of the flasher... ho hum, such is life in Paris...
I've heard so many stories about being ripped off, robbed and lost that I am totally suspicious of everyone around me.
I am in a hostel quite a way out, in the 18th district, and I got here from Switzerland at about 8pm. The Metro rail system is super-easy to use, which was a relief.
I got here and suddenly felt very alone, so to quell my beating heart, I decided to get out amongst it!
I caught three trains to the Eiffel Tower and took lots of photos with a billion other tourists. I was tempted to buy waffles or crepes but the fear of not being able to speak decent French was too much.
The stereotypes surrounding Paris are actually quite true:
- One lady asked a man at the Metro ticket booth, "do you speak English?", to which he responded, "parlez vous en Francais?" and she stumbled her way through asking for her tickets in French.
- French men tend to make their opinion of women well known. It has been a very long time since a man on the street made a comment of the positive variety regarding my appearance... five minutes down the street from the hostel I had to employ that "don't fuck with me" stare that I haven't had to use for a long time.
- Tourists are targeted for everything... tacky Eiffel Tower souvenirs, caricature drawings, "mademoiselle, you are so beautiful, let me draw your face!"... er, no thank you...
On the last train back I experienced two very different things... 1. A man dropped his dacks and exposed himself to four teenage girls, who promptly ignored him, and I stared at him in that nasty way I have rediscovered... thank God he got off the train at the stop before me. 2. Two men got on the train and began playing an accordian and a violin... then swore at us when we didn't give them any money!!
So I have made it through one evening unscathed, except for an unpleasant lasting memory of the flasher... ho hum, such is life in Paris...
1 comment:
well that certainly was an experience to remember....and poo to the french men and their opinions of women...i thought french were meant to be all romantic like!!!
happy traveling
bec
xo
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