Category: 
August 30, 2007Having returned this evening from Paris, I’ve been busy uploading to flickr the pictures I took of my trip abroad. Some obervations from my few days in France:
- Paris is both culturally and historically one of the most impressive cities on earth. I was swept away with the sheer brilliance of the city. The people were both kind and friendly and always willing to assist us with directions
- Visually: stunning. I can only sum it up in such a way. Even our great capital, London. doesn’t have monuments to compare to either the Eiffel Tower or the Arc de Triomphe.
- The police force appears quite ‘out-dated’. Their cars have a singe blue light or simple roll-bar, and their siren is monotone. It’s really disconcerting seeing this when in the UK we come to expect a whole variety of emergency vehicles all lit up by their livering and flashing assortment of lights. France simply does not have this - i am sure it is through choice
- There is no surveillance. Seriously. Even the Eiffel Tower only has a few CCTV cameras. The roads were completely free of cash-cameras and speed limits in no way appear to be enforced. Cameras were hardly present, even at Paris’ most famous and prestigious locations. The ‘lack’ of cameras just highlighted further to me how deeply the UK has sunk into a surveillance society, bordering on police state. Did I feel any less safe? No.
- The French are excellent drivers. Always using the over-taking lane only when over-taking. Their roads are both well maintained and quite plentiful. Though, the presence of toll-roads is an unwelcome sight.
In short - Paris is one of the most beautiful and historic places I have ever visited. I was truly impressed.
Horaayy..there are 4 comment(s) for me so far ;)
Did you go to the same Paris I did? It was grimy, depressing, unfriendly and dirty. The Louvre was surrounded by pickpockets, gangs of (mostly Algerian) youths loitered everywhere (with a good smattering of police, too.) The Seine was almost (but not quite) as disgusting as the Cam. The pavements were filled with rubbish, dog excrement and drunks.
Notre Dame was fantastic, the top of the Eiffel tower, above the rain clouds, was impressive. They had even brought the beach there last time I visited. Quite odd.
As for its cultural and historic significance, I can’t argue with that, although the definition of ’significance’ doesn’t necessarily equate to positiveness.
Of course, being the great socialist republic, you were bound to like it…
We clearly went to different cities. Paris was exceptionally clean, very friendly and not remotely depressing.
Further, there were no ‘drunks’ or anything untoward to see - a complete contrast to London.
Regarding the great socialist republic, readers would probably be advised to know that Stray is right of extreme right-wing, which means even myself (center-right) is a ’socialist’. Very strange…
Now now. You know as well as I do I amn’t ‘extreme right wing’, and the connotations the popular press have placed upon that. The axis don’t work like that.
Genghis *was* a good bloke, all the same… ;)
Pity France has 50% more road deaths than Britain.