Fresh Flowers at every corner in Paris.
Yes, the Baccarat store. We still need to go to the museum as I'm dying to see the bathroom, it's supposed to be all in crystals.
This is a Japonese pastry shop. Very neat.
Fresh foie gras and pates!!
Different types of mustard.
Different types of mustard.
Bought some fresh mustard with dry white wine!!
The wonderful pastries at Laduree-pain au pistachio and the eclairs are amazing!!
This is where you can find the best macaroons as well as hot chocolat!!
div>2. Being greeted walking into shops - 'Madame' said with no sense of sarcasm or irony (Mrs. just doesn't cut it, does it?)
div>4. Smokers in restaurants
There is always a story that fits our lives.
This is where you can find the best macaroons as well as hot chocolat!!
The mustard store! Yes, this is the best mustard and I buy it for everyone when I come home.
The wonderful cafes--lots of people watching!!
We love living in France for the past three years and we know that there will be a point in time that we will have to depart here as we are having the time of our lives in Paris. So, what it is like when we leave France (guess I really mean Paris in particular)? Is it really hard to let go of all the wonderful things about France and the beauty of it? Does one ever get over not having a boulangerie that sells amazing fresh bread and pastries next door to your house or 50 metres away? Can pasteurized cheese really be any good? Can you ever find a more beautiful city? We hate the thought of living in a little French microcosmos in a different country, but we feel that’s would happen if we ever left. Basically, can one get over (or let go of) Paris?
So, what will we miss here?
1. 35 hour work weeks and all that vacation
div>2. Being greeted walking into shops - 'Madame' said with no sense of sarcasm or irony (Mrs. just doesn't cut it, does it?)
3. Being able to order a glass or bottle of champagne in a bar or restaurant without having to invent a special occasion to justify it
4. The incomparable baguettes (“tradi”) & cheese and patisseries
5. The beauty & elegance of the cityscape
6. PICARD!!! This is where we buy some frozen foods and you can even find foie gras sauce, salmon, and so many more.
7. Date-stamped eggs
8. The proximity to so many amazing countries
9. Children's clothing and the shopping here in Paris
10. Paris Night Scenes (Tour Eiffel, Opera, Concorde, etc)
11. ALL the parks (Tuileries, Luxembourg,etc)
12. WALKING!!!!!
12. Public Transportation(even with all the "pousettes" and baby issues and strike time)
13. Message activities!!!! (BIG TIME)
14. Street Markets (getting fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, and fish)
15. Halte-Garderie and Maternelle-Yes, it's great kids can go to school at age .
16. Appero
17. Macaroons from Laduree and chocolates from Jeff de Brugges!!!
18. Great food, great wine (we can't drink some American wine -- they seem so heavy on oak compared with flavorful and delicate French wines!), laid-back cafe culture...
19. Fresh flowers
20. Ah, even speaking French!! Yep, even Han will miss speaking it, especially saying Bonjour to everyone in the elevator, at the stores, halte garderie.
Of course, there are things we will not miss as well.
1. Dodging piles of dog poop on the sidewalks
2. The super-dry air and rainy weather
3. The &*%#@! motorcyclists who think they own the road
div>4. Smokers in restaurants
5. The inexistent pedestrian rights at street crossings
6. Grocery shopping & doing laundry every other day
7. The challenges of apartment living with children
8. Parking
9. Traffic
10. French unservice in everything from "La Poste" to the restaurant
11. Really tiny elevators and steep stairs
12. Waiting in line for everything including Monoprix, La Poste, etc..
13. The taxi drivers who give us a hard time having too many suitcases when we fly anywhere which will ruin their leather seats!!
14. Now, this is the best one...French women telling me how to raise our children!!
There is always a story that fits our lives.
The Fisherman
One day a fisherman was lying on a beautiful beach, with his fishing pole propped up in the sand and his solitary line cast out into the sparkling blue surf. He was enjoying the warmth of the afternoon sun and the hope of catching a fish.
About that time, a businessman came walking down the beach trying to relieve some of the stress of his workday. He noticed the fisherman sitting on the beach and decided to find out why this fisherman was fishing instead of working hard to make a living for himself and his family.
"You're not going to catch many fish that way," said the businessman, "You should be working harder rather than lying on the beach!"
The fisherman looked up, smiled and replied, "And what will my reward be?"
"Well, you can get bigger nets and catch more fish!" was the businessman's answer.
"And then what will my reward be?" asked the fisherman, still smiling.
The businessman replied, "You will make money and you'll be able to buy a boat, which will then result in larger catches of fish!"
"And then what will my reward be?" asked the fisherman again.
The businessman was beginning to get a little irritated with the fisherman's questions. "You can buy a bigger boat, and hire some people to work for you!" he said.
"And then what will my reward be?"
The businessman was getting angry. "Don't you understand? You can build up a fleet of fishing boats, sail all over the world, and let your employees catch fish for you!"
Once again the fisherman asked, "And then what will my reward be?"
The businessman was red with rage and shouted at the fisherman, "Don't you understand that you can become so rich that you will never have to work for your living again! You can spend all the rest of your days sitting on this beach, looking at the sunset. You won't have a care in the world!"
The fisherman, still smiling, looked up and said, "And what do you think I'm doing right now?"
One day a fisherman was lying on a beautiful beach, with his fishing pole propped up in the sand and his solitary line cast out into the sparkling blue surf. He was enjoying the warmth of the afternoon sun and the hope of catching a fish.
About that time, a businessman came walking down the beach trying to relieve some of the stress of his workday. He noticed the fisherman sitting on the beach and decided to find out why this fisherman was fishing instead of working hard to make a living for himself and his family.
"You're not going to catch many fish that way," said the businessman, "You should be working harder rather than lying on the beach!"
The fisherman looked up, smiled and replied, "And what will my reward be?"
"Well, you can get bigger nets and catch more fish!" was the businessman's answer.
"And then what will my reward be?" asked the fisherman, still smiling.
The businessman replied, "You will make money and you'll be able to buy a boat, which will then result in larger catches of fish!"
"And then what will my reward be?" asked the fisherman again.
The businessman was beginning to get a little irritated with the fisherman's questions. "You can buy a bigger boat, and hire some people to work for you!" he said.
"And then what will my reward be?"
The businessman was getting angry. "Don't you understand? You can build up a fleet of fishing boats, sail all over the world, and let your employees catch fish for you!"
Once again the fisherman asked, "And then what will my reward be?"
The businessman was red with rage and shouted at the fisherman, "Don't you understand that you can become so rich that you will never have to work for your living again! You can spend all the rest of your days sitting on this beach, looking at the sunset. You won't have a care in the world!"
The fisherman, still smiling, looked up and said, "And what do you think I'm doing right now?"
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