Cultural Clichés

Yesterday, I finally ventured into the bar across the road with my tandem partner (language exchange partner for anyone not fluent in Erasmus-speak). We ended up talking about one of my favourite things - cultural cliches. This is such a winner as a conversation starter - so if you're panicking in a conversation with someone you've met abroad I guarantee this will get everyone giggling and break the ice. Here are some of the things I've gathered from my very scientific research with French friends...here goes!

1) "English people like to take a very long time to say what they mean"

I can fully vouch for this one! I find it impossible to start a letter without writing: "Just a little note to say blah blah", and emails without typing something along the lines of: "I was just wondering if I could ask you a question about so & so". I've heard this cliche from two different sources, so who knows...it's probably true!

2) "England invented the rain"

To which I retorted, - "No, Scotland did!" Judging by the rain pattering down on my window at this very moment, I have a hard time stomaching this cruel cliche about Great Britannia! 

3) "English people eat their dinner too early"

Not so much a cliche as something that the French find bizarre. I'm told that the frogs eat their main meal at midday, so perhaps that's why they find 6.30pm an extremely premature dining hour!

4) "England just love to be different from everyone else"

I can't deny this one, as we drive on the left-hand side of the road and use Pound Sterling instead of the Euro. Maybe our kookiness comes from the fact that we're out on a limb on a tiny little island. Who knows!

5) "English people all love, watch, and speak like the people from Downtown Abbey"

I haven't watched it, so maybe that will help to stall this idea. Onto the next cliche, tally-ho!

6) "English girls dress very scantily on nights out"

100% true. Sadly!

True or untrue, these certainly made me laugh! Let me know if you come across with any other ones :)

À Bientôt !

x

Versailles

On Saturday, I went to visit a friend from home who is studying in Versailles. Luckily, on a Saturday in Paris, a ticket on the Metro will take you anywhere within the first five zones of the city. Not sure about Sundays so check at the ticket booth before you embark on any adventures, but my "Navigo pass" which only covers Zones 1-2 was happily waved through by the security guard and I was on my way!

The journey was only about a half an hour, and I couldn't help snapping a few photos on my walk over the patch of dirt towards "Les Invalides" stations which my brother likes to call "The Scree". It's quite pretty really: 

Despite the gorgeous weather over in Paris, as the train track lengthened away in front of me, rain began pattering away on the window. 

By the time I'd arrived it was absolutely freezing! Luckily whilst I waited for my friend in Versailles station, there was a free upright piano with a sign inviting anyone to come up and play. I was serenaded by a cute toddler pummelling her fists on the keys, and an amazing teenager who knew by heart loads of music by Ludovico Einaudi and also the Amelie soundtrack. Amazing!

Before long, my friend arrived and we walked from Versailles Chantiers to The Chateau de Versailles. I hadn't known this - but if there's no special event going on, there's no need to buy a ticket - just walk straight into the gardens!

Versailles in the Autumn was beautiful - but cold! I didn't manage to take many photos because my hands did not in any way want to leave my pockets. We headed towards town and warmed up in an amazing creperie. I didn't get the name which is a shame because my cappuccino was the best coffee I've had in France! 

The main town is lovely, & I'm sure I'll be heading back before too long!

À Bientôt !

x

Signs and Wonders

Rounding off my Mum's fun but all too swift stay, we decided to eat out on the final night. During a scout out of Trip Advisor reviews, I came across a gem of a restaurant called '1000 et 1 signes'. The name didn't mean much to me, until I read about the restaurant's concept. 

PREMIÈRE PERSONNE SOURDE À OUVRIR UN RESTAURANT - CAFÉ PHILO BILINGUE (FRANÇAIS /LANGUE DES SIGNES) DE SPÉCIALITÉS MAROCAINES BIO OU AVEC DES PRODUITS DU MARCHÉ. Pour une clientèle d'entendants et de sourds, de personnes qui travaillent et se restaurent dans le quartier du 9ème arrondissement 
de Paris, 1000 &1 signes est un espace chaleureux et convivial, de restauration marocaine biologique, servie dans un décor Pop'art Made in Bled: 

• Où bien manger, même en peu de temps, est possible et accessible; 
• Où créer des liens ne passe pas forcément par la parole orale; 
• Où l'on peut, le temps d'un repas: vivre une expérience gourmande, s'ouvrir à la Langue des signes, favoriser l'activité économique de citoyens sourds, loin des clichés sur le "handicap" (cuisiniers et serveurs sourds), valoriser le commerce responsable et l'échange entre les cultures Sourde et Entendante.

Apart from serving delicious and generous portions of moroccan food, this tiny place in the 9th arrondissement is pretty special, as according to their website, it is the first restaurant to be opened by a Deaf person. It is a bilingual cafe-philo and aims to create links between Deaf and hearing people, showing that communication is always possible, even if not strictly through words. The restaurant also want to do away with tired old prejudices against 'disabled' people: the talented waiters and cooks are all Deaf and provide a brilliant service, with a dash of humour and exuding warmth and charm at the same time. For once, you are the clumsy, well-meaning fish out of water - whilst the waiter dances perfectly at ease between the tables, making himself clear with a swish and a flick of some pretty snappy fingers. I think a role reversal like this is only too important, as you begin to realise just how difficult Deaf people have it in a world that cares nothing for promoting or supporting such a beautiful language. I didn't get many pictures as the lighting was quite dimmed - so you'll just have to go and visit yourself!

The next day, Mum & I wound our way around the 7th arrondissement's finest sites:

Rue de Cler with its cute shopping & then a stroll towards the base of the Eiffel Tower.

       

On the way home, we stumbled across an open air photography exhibition put on by The Musee du quai Branly. Paris is great for these sudden, unexpected treasures which you stumble upon by chance. There's nothing better than wandering along by the river, taking your time not to rush for once, and to really open your eyes and see.

 My favourite work by Rony Zakaria: 

Just one thing I might have changed on our little adventure: next time - look after your macarons. This €10 mush is definitely not as pretty as the pastel coloured shiny topped rounds which Mum might have hoped to bring home. Perhaps the box would have been a good investment after all...! I'll bet it still tastes as good though :)

À Bientôt !

x

Palais Garnier

If Thursday was the perfect autumn day, Friday brought rain, grey skies and an excuse to go for a decadent warm drink at Angelina's. I promise that soon I will expand my 'salon de the' repertoire, but for now the promise of the richest hot chocolate in town is enough to keep tempting me back. It's hard to beat the elegance of everyone who dines at Angelina's, especially the dapper gentlemen in their retirement still treating their fabulously stylish silver-haired lady friends to lunch.  I had the 'Paris-New York' pastry, and I think it was definitely a good choice to give my tastebuds a break from a cocoa overload! Mum went for the equally yummy 'Choc Africain'.

In the morning our plans to go to the Mona Bismarck Centre had been foiled (Closed for the jour ferie for Toussaint, 1 Nov) and also to visit the Louvre (queues from here to Timbuktu). Instead we headed to the Palais Garnier which was thankfully still open for business. Known particularly at the setting for Gaston Leroux's 'The Phantom of the Opera' (or perhaps Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical, eh!), the building designed by young architect Charles Garnier is an absolute masterpiece!

The central staircase is looming and impressive: I genuinely gasped as I climbed the steps and took in the magnitude of the Opera house. But I hadn't seen anything yet: the upstairs rooms, designed for the enjoyment of the theatre-goers during interval breaks were even more awe-inspiring:

Entry was €10 for my Mum, and €6.00 for me with a student card, making it a little more pricey than some of Paris' other cultural attractions, but I think it was well worth the price. There were no queues, and as we didn't investigate the 1 1/2 hour guided tour we were free to marvel at the Opera's cavernous, gilded insides at our own pace. I hadn't realised that the Opera is now mainly used for ballet, so seeing some of the prima ballerina costumes was an unexpected treat.

         

One of my favourite things was the library, where you could peek in at old mises-en-scene for theatrical spectacles of bygone eras. I have never seen such detailed stage decorations: each show must have been absolutely breath-taking. Apparently audiences were known to clap for ten minutes when the curtain was pulled up to reveal these incredible scenes, and set designers could make a name for themselves in a way that isn't appreciated today.

 One of my most favourite things done in Paris so far, with one of my most favourite people :)

À Bientôt !

x

Kilo Shop

It was after the luxury and splendour of Paris' finest boutiques that Mum and I thankfully came across the cheerful "The Kilo Store" thrift shop. Although on the top level you can find vintage clothes that are marked at normal retail prices, it's in the 'pay per weight' section that the real bargains are to be found. I got a raspberry coloured polka dot top from the 80s for about €5 and my Mum found a Laura Ashley skirt for 4 or so euros. Even if you don't find something to buy, it's fun to rifle through the bomber jackets, cravats and tea dresses, and guess the price before throwing your finds onto the scales. If I remember rightly, green tagged items retail at €20 a kilo and red tags mean €30 a kilo. Scarfs, light silk tops and hats are your cheapest bets.

Sorry for the selfies! Compared to the Marche aux Puces de St Ouen where a silk top seemed to cost about €40, and other thrift stores in Le Marais which made for quite a stressful, hot, crowded trip, 'The Kilo Shop' seemed to be more organised and tidy. We visited the Saint Germain store, but they also have an outlet in Le Marais.

               

After a quick detour via The Sorbonne and St. Sulpice, Mum and I took a late afternoon stroll in my new favourite hangout, Les Jardins du Luxembourg.

Rounding off a brilliant day, we cooked an evening meal in my little chambre de bonne and watched "Once" on DVD. If you haven't seen it, I would highly recommend. The musical is magical too and was a snip of the price of some of the more established shows like 'The Lion King 'or 'Les Mis' when I saw it in the summer!

We got an early night, as the morning promised sweet treats, a dash of culture and a bilingual dining adventure!

À Bientôt !

x

Cute Shop Crawl

On Thursday, my Mum arrived in Paris to spend a few days with me. As I walked round to the station to fetch her, the clear blue skies, rustling trees and crunch of leaves underfoot promised that it would be a perfect autumn day. Once home, we set about making a restorative cup of tea and throwing together some brunch: fresh fruits, mini French pastries and marmalade toast to add a zing of Britishness to affairs!

Please excuse the messy room!

Next on my agenda was a "cute shop crawl". A few weeks ago, I discovered the adorable Rue du Bac, lined with enticing window displays and culminating in the "Harrods" of Paris, "Le Bon Marche". This is a secret to be jealously guarded, but when Mum came to stay I happily let her in on it. We spent a contented hour or so discovering cute gifts or knick-knacks and then tutting at the extortionate prices. As a rule, multiply the price you think it's worth by 4 and you'll be nearing Parisian prices!

Inside Le Bon Marché with its iconic staircases

Getting festive in the Christmas department

Le Bon Marche is an oasis of calm and wealth - too expensive to shop at, but the Papeterie department and delicatessen are worth a visit, and Mum and I did stretch the bank balance to accommodate 4 little macarons in chocolate, peanut, coffee and praline which we nibbled on a bench in the park outside.

The park at Sevres-Babylone

Hear about the rest of our trip tomorrow - including a visit to St. Sulpice, a stroll in the Luxembourg gardens and the amazing discovery of an affordable vintage store (finally!)

À Bientôt ! 

x

Radio Silence

Bonsoir à toutes et à tous ! Sorry for the radio silence over the past few days...I've been having a lovely time with my Mum in Paris. I'll update you with our adventures over the next few days, as I've got a commentaire to write which I keep eyeing guiltily over my laptop screen. But for now, I'll leave you with a couple of sneak peeks to keep you going until tomorrow...

À Bientôt !

x