1. No matter what the occasion, Parisiens are ‘always’ impeccably dressed. This is irrespective of social stature. The concept of ‘jhallas’ in non-existent here.
2. Everyone loves boots and scarves in Paris. Period.
3. Parisiens live and swear by bread. Main course or dessert, they eat bread for ‘every’ meal. One out of every 5 stores on any street in Paris is a boulangerie/ pâtisserie. Every Parisien who walks back home in the evening, rich or poor, walks home with sticks of baguette. Everyone eats the same bread. Bread is their great leveller. Bread is the Parisien’s Rajnikant. I’m surprised there’s no Musée dedicated to bread (there’s one dedicated to handfans!?!?!)
4. Unhappy with your salary hike? Feel fortunate! As a norm, working Parisien’s get an annual raise varying from 2-3%, and that is ‘if’ they get an Annual raise that year.
5. An Indian woman traveling alone, and especially one who does not look like a Tamilian (90% of the Indian population here are Tamilians), commuting on local transport, draws her share of attention. People are constantly trying to read your features and attire, trying to figure which part of the world you are from. Most times, their curiosity gets the better of them, and they end up striking a conversation, only to find that out. Mostly that results in being asked out for coffee.
6. No, contrary to popular belief, you do not see couples snogging at every other street corner in Paris.
7. Which brings us to Paris being the most romantic city on the planet and possibly why. It is not so because of notions addressed in Point #6. Perhaps it is so because Parisiens believe in expressing whatever they are feeling, when they feeling it without inhibition. They do not run behind trees or pillars. Very few of them resist to act or fester on their emotions.
8. Perhaps why the city is also so romantic could be on account of how it puts you so much at ease. It makes the traveler believe that the city truly belongs to him, and nurtures him at least while he is here. There is something vintage or Gothic in the romance of it’s old stones, of eras past, of the love and fervour with which the city was built over the years and how it is still maintained and upheld, with pride. While you are in Paris and Paris belongs to everyone, a part of it also belongs to you and you alone. And the memory of those moments will linger with you and simmer within you. Forever.
9. Second to only bread, Parisiens live and swear by the Météo or the met forecast. 99% of Parisiens check the met forecast the night before to make plans for their day and their wardrobe. The met forecast here is most alarmingly accurate. The rare occasion of a light 20 minute rain shower (in autumn, which is now) that was not forecasted, really, really upsets Parisiens and throws a spanner in the works. They’d all huddle under the nearest cover, going ‘Merde!’ over the rain. As usual being unable to contain their emotion, they would strike up a conversation to express their personal angst with whoever happens to be around, get curious about where you are from and invitations to coffee are likely to follow.
10. Which brings us to the fact that one of every 7 stores in Paris is a Café/ Bistrot. Their staple meal-on-the-move here are slender 6 inch Subway-like sandwiches with jambon (ham)-cheese, poulet-rôti (roast chicken) or thon (tuna) made with a baguette. They are true ‘gourmands’ of food and there’s always time for un café. Among world cuisines, Greek and Lebanese are most popular. There are quite a few Japanese restaurants as well which are simple outstanding!
11. The degree of how warm and helpful a Parisien will be to you if you reach out for any assistance, depends on how much French you speak and whether or not you do. Not that they are snooty or anything, they are only ‘extremely’ passionate (with a very strong sense of belonging) about their language, heritage and culture.
12. Besides, if you are especially in Paris by yourself, knowing the language really, really helps you be independent, interact, read and navigate the maps and directions better and understand plaques and other informational literature so rampantly available all across public utilities and museums, churches and monuments across Paris.
13. You think Paris is a terribly expensive city? Well, here’s news. Italy is even more expensive. A ride up the Parisien pride, la Tour Eiffel would cost you under Euro 20 and you can spend hours there. An hour on a Venetian gondola puts you back by Euro 400!
14. You have to be extra wary while on your touristy jaunts at Paris of elderly people. Even the slightest accidental nudge and you would have to dodge a tirade of angst on how they have been offended. Steer clear of the elderly here and they will smile at you warmly from afar.
15. Speaking of touristy things, nothing epitomizes the very of soul of Paris, musically, as does Edith Piaf’s version of ‘La vie en rose’. Much to the chagrin of local souvenir shop owners, ‘La vie en rose’ happens to be the fastest (and mostly) selling song in all the tiny little wind-up music boxes they have on sale. I too seem to have fallen for that singular song (rendered by Mireille Mathieu) among all others, when I posted a song on Facebook the day before I left for Paris.
16. If you are smart about it, it is very, very possible to be on a budget in Paris. But who the hell wants to be on a Budget in Paris? The chunk of the cost for travelers is the local stay which is expensive. The premium on prices of stay options depends on how central or conveniently located to public utilities a particular place is. ‘Paris Visite’ and Museum Passes makes traveling and sightseeing quite cost-effective. The next relatively big chunk of cost is food (because wine is cheap). But then again, you can be smart about this too. But why be so smart? Because whether you have a little or a lot, the better you can manage the basics, the more you have to shop!
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