What I Learned From the French

Two days. Two women. Paris, France. A 50th birthday. It was the whirlwind I'd expected. The City of Lights did not disappoint me. Saturday night it was dinner at a small cafe on the Champs de Elysees, next weekend I'll be helping out at the Spaghetti dinner at my daughter's school.

"M" and I made it to the top of the Eiffel Tower, we marveled at the Arc de Triomphe. We blasted through the Louvre with two goals; to see the Mona Lisa and the statue of Aphrodite. We accomphlished both and then ran to catch the train to Versailles. Marie A's Palace was over the top, lots of gold and decadence. M and I agreed the peasants had every right to revolt!

Contrary to what some of my American friends believe, the French were not rude. They were lovely, polite and more than happy to help a language-challenged U.S. citizen.

 When it comes to food and fashion, the French adhere to the "less is more" policy.

I've learned that you can't go wrong with black and a beautiful scarf. The women may not all have been beauties but they all possessed a simple,elegent style.

The French also understand the concept of portion size when it comes to their meals. A serving of pasta arrives at your table in a small bowl. It's not swimming in sauce.The Boeuf (beef) Bourguignan contained just a few chunks of tender red meat in a delicate wine sauce, accompanied by small pieces of potatoes and carrots. And of course, one has to have a glass of wine. Please notice that I said glass, as in one glass, maybe two. I have a feeling that for the majority of the French, wine is simply another part of the meal, not a reason to keep drinking until you can no longer stand. Of course, I could be wrong.  People sit and talk and enjoy the company of their friends, with a bite of food being consumed at a slow, leisurely pace. I'm willing to bet they don't suffer the gastrointestinal troubles we do in the states.

They also smoke...alot. But they walk everyday and everywhere.

Delicious food. Good Wine. Great art. Forty-eight hours isn't nearly long enough to fully grasp a new culture, but I sure can appreciate it.