France in Review

France is one of those countries I have dreamed of visiting despite all the bad press about it in the USA. Even though I am not as good with my French after 4 years of education in high school, I was still able to understand and communicate better than in other lands where English was not the dominant language. At least, David was impressed with me… France can be seen as a great world power with loads of sophistication and style in much of what they do. Whether it food, clothing, or lifestyle, France does it well and enjoyably so. Me, being some sort of purist and lover of the entire art of food and drink, France is very appealing to me!

Time Spent in Country: 7 days

# of cities visited: 3

Most used phrase(s) heard/used: Bonjour(Good morning/Hello). …S’il vous plait…(please)

English Speaking Locals?: Yes, many do know enough to get through basic communication issues. But it is best to start by using some basic French phrases and then asking if the person speaks English. Using the word “please” is always helpful.

Shopping: Yes, fashion is great here! No doubt that things here in Europe is still rather pricey.

Food: Where do I begin? If you are not the least bit adventurous beyond french fries and hamburgers… I can’t help you. But, again, baked goods(esp. breads) are wonderful. Therefore, you can get good sandwiches in the least! Sauces are wonderful! And yes, Escargots are good!

Drink: Wine, coffee, and sparkling water was my major staple fluid. And Wine is can be found reasonably priced. Of course you can find the pricier types. And remember, if you want to fly out with your bottles… pack them well and DO NOT CARRY-ON! We made a pricey mistake with that!

Funniest/Most Interesting thing: Honestly, nothing really happened that was really funny. I guess the most interesting thing was that we stumbled upon was that the French were rarely rude and snobby.

David and I really took our time going through France and had no burning desire to see ALL the famous sites. We wanted to get the feel of living there. As we gently went through France, we saw all good things there. Good people, good food, good places to hang out, and just a good life. Now all this comes with a price as things are up there in price. Again, I am in Western Europe so I expect it. Though, it does not mean that we could not find a reasonable stay and meals. The funny thing is that I am to enter France again on my way to the UK at the last leg of my trip. So I have time to plan whatever last minute visits and pieces of France I want to take in before I end my European tour!