Post by aquaduct on Jan 16, 2007 16:05:41 GMT -5
As a service to the wounded pride of Americans that are always told the Europe is so much better than the USA, I figured I'd post the following comparison of France and the States based on extensive research provided by 2 days in a French hotel.
French negatives:
- It costs a friggin' buck to use the public toilets in the airport.
- They have something called bidets here. It occupies the traditional place of the American toilet. It looks like an odd, oblong, seatless toilet with a sink faucet and drain plug in it. I now vaguely understand that it is meant to have something to do with washing your butt. I'm not taking any chances.
- After approximately 3 hours of wondering how to get a turd past the drain in the bidet, I finally became desparate enough to ask someone. Turns out they hide the real toilet in a closet next to the bathroom.
- It almost seems like everyone here is talking in some kind of foriegn language. Or maybe they're just mumbling politely.
- The TGV train sucks. I don't care how fast it goes. It's designed to carry about 150 people per car with enough luggage capacity to handle about 3 pieces of standard US carry on baggage. Sat in the stair well for the 2 hour trip from Paris to Lyon because I couldn't get past the bags in the aisle to get to my empty seat.
- The walk from the train station to the hotel reminded me of Detroit, only France appears to have been rundown for the better part of a millenia.
French positives:
- The Paris Degaulle airport has to be one of the largest and most complex land masses in the world. Texas doesn't even have anything that big.
- It appears that French public-access cable includes the 24-hour Porn network.
- The park across the street from the hotel has elephants.
- Even though it resembles Detroit, I never felt worried about drive-by shootings while I walked.
- Did I mention the porn channel?
French negatives:
- It costs a friggin' buck to use the public toilets in the airport.
- They have something called bidets here. It occupies the traditional place of the American toilet. It looks like an odd, oblong, seatless toilet with a sink faucet and drain plug in it. I now vaguely understand that it is meant to have something to do with washing your butt. I'm not taking any chances.
- After approximately 3 hours of wondering how to get a turd past the drain in the bidet, I finally became desparate enough to ask someone. Turns out they hide the real toilet in a closet next to the bathroom.
- It almost seems like everyone here is talking in some kind of foriegn language. Or maybe they're just mumbling politely.
- The TGV train sucks. I don't care how fast it goes. It's designed to carry about 150 people per car with enough luggage capacity to handle about 3 pieces of standard US carry on baggage. Sat in the stair well for the 2 hour trip from Paris to Lyon because I couldn't get past the bags in the aisle to get to my empty seat.
- The walk from the train station to the hotel reminded me of Detroit, only France appears to have been rundown for the better part of a millenia.
French positives:
- The Paris Degaulle airport has to be one of the largest and most complex land masses in the world. Texas doesn't even have anything that big.
- It appears that French public-access cable includes the 24-hour Porn network.
- The park across the street from the hotel has elephants.
- Even though it resembles Detroit, I never felt worried about drive-by shootings while I walked.
- Did I mention the porn channel?