Just Some "Stuff"

We just finished our walk that started along the canal and took us to our favorite bakery and market. Europeans live a much different life than we do in the U.S. Here in Paris:

• Almost all shops are closed on Sunday because the country wants to promote time with the family and not shopping
• At night many people sit by the canal and river with a tablecloth, food and wine and they have a picnic
• Even wealthy people who live in apartments only have about 800 square feet with a toilet room and a separate shower room, 2 bedrooms, kitchen and living room plus a front entry
  
• Many streets are closed on Sunday to encourage people to walk in the streets
• Many words in English are the same as in French but they most often have a different meaning. When we left we asked Afran if she needed anything from the Marche and she asked for raisins but she said that she didn't want the ones that were stuffed. I asked Roger to clarify this in Persian and we discovered that she wanted grapes with no seeds.
• The radio stations play Elton John, The Beatles, Elvis Presley and other American rock and roll in between French music.
• Many workers have a two hour lunch (and they take that long to eat) but they work later into the evening
• The train in Paris travels at 200 mph so it only takes one hour to go to Brussels
• At a dinner party, cocktail hour begins at 8:30 to 9:00 p.m. and dinner is served closer to midnight
• Pastries (or desserts) are a snack that is served with cafe in the afternoon - instead of eating sweets after dinner, either fresh fruit or cheese and salad are served (with baguette or some other variety of fabulous bread)
• Everyone that I have met speaks two to six different languages fluently, yet I often encounter people who do not speak English. It's not uncommon for young people to live and go to school in a different country for two years at a time to learn a specific language