VIVE LA DIFFERENCE!

Among the many things that I am noticing on my wanderings around my neighbourhood are the signs that still remain from the war: things like bullet damage to buildings, plaques to various fallen heroes, official notices from de Gaulle. I’m sure we don’t have such things in London from Winston Churchill.

Another thing - they really love their mothers and children here, there is even a seat on the bus especially reserved for ‘mothers who look like they need to have a sit down’! One day, I even saw a special paediatric ambulance called ‘le nounours bleu’ (the blue teddy bear) dedicated purely to picking up poorly children!

And what’s astonishing in a place that’s legendary for its rudeness is that almost everyone is quite polite here: you are absolutely obliged to say good morning/afternoon/evening to everyone with whom you are involved in a transaction, at the end of which, you then have to wish the other person a nice day/ afternoon/ evening/rest of the week/week-end.

And surprisingly some kind chappie even helped me TWICE up the stairs with my HEAVY suitcase when I returned from holiday the other day. It’s surprising when you’re used to London etiquette!

I secretly have to admit that these little things make me feel that Paris is going to be blog heaven!