Cue the accordion music.
Yes it's cliche, but when is Paris represented without the strains
of a lone
accordion in the soundtrack? And when do you see an establishing
shot
that does not include the Eiffel Tower?
It may be cliche, but it is also true: Because of the height restrictions
in Paris, one can
see the Eiffel Tower from most anywhere. And Jane assures me that she
has heard an
accordion every day of her stay here. (I haven't, but I was working
- having a strolling
squeezebox player in a technical training center would be inappropriate,
even for Paris.)
The French do things a little differently, part un
Now, why on earth would I take a picture of a keyboard? Well, look at this one:
No, I mean take a close look.
Especially the locations of the A, Q W, Z and M keys.
And the fact that you have to hold down shift to type a number.
And don't even get me started on special characters...
Getting around: the Paris Metro.
A a very artsy (and somewhat sinister) arch over the entrance to the
Metro.
A sign placard in a Metro car. It says, "Anyone caught wearing
a rabbit costume in the Metro will be permanently barred".
Among the British, "Frog" is a derogatory term for the French.
Among the French, "Rosbif" (Roast Beef) is a derogatory term for an Englishman.
There's a pub in Paris that's called, no kidding, the Frog
and Rosbif. I had several
British students in my class, and here in the city of gastronomic excellence,
the home
of the Cordon Bleu, where do they make plans to go? -- to the
pub to take in a
football (soccer) match.
(Actually, Jane and I went there one evening for dinner. And I
can vouch that it is
not an authentic British pub. Sure, it has the intimate
feel and atmosphere of England.
And they speak English, and are open and friendly. But ... the
food was far too good
to be English!)
Jane and I took the same flight out, only on different days. The
in-flight movie for
both of us was, oddly enough, "The DaVinci Code" - with Tom Hanks.
So, it was
natural that on our weekend, we would want to explore the Louvre.
Old and new: The courtyard of the Louvre, with the entrance pyramid.
The requisite "Hi Mom" shot.
Remember the last scenes of "The DaVinci Code"? Well...
(Oh by the way I did not see any murderous albinos, crooked cops,
or deranged Englishmen obsessed with the Grail...)