Paris

This is our second day in Paris, the city of looooooove. Seriously. We see people making out everywhere. True story.

So, just to lead up to our Paris time, we've discovered that one of the cooler things to do - as we did in Zurich and Strasbourg - is to rent bikes and explore the city more speedily! Zurich was the best one though because its a bigger city and the bikes are actually free!

But small fries aside now, we're in Paris. What can you say about one of the icons of the world? Well, if that icon happens to be the Mona Lisa, then no. If that icon happens to be that Paris is one of the grandest, most intriguing cities in the world, then yes. Of course it won't match every last detail, but thus far - and our explorations are far from complete - it's terrific.

We went to the Louvre, the arguably world's greatest art gallery. The Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, Cupid and Psyche, blahm blah, blah. It's all there. But seriously, the place is massive. You could spend a week just there. I found some obscure paintings that I liked but, as usual, I couldn't actually find them as postcards and my so-so photos will have to suffice. Oh, and Jac took a bad picture of the Mona Lisa just because they said she couldn't. Figures. And then France beat Brazil in the World Cup quarterfinals last night and the noise was stupendous. Some of our lads were parading through downtown Paris in their France undies and became instant local celebrities.

Today, being the first Sunday of the month, is free museum day, so we hit up three of them: the Orsay, the Rodin (famous for the "thinker" statue) and the Pompadou (famous for confusing people with its modern art). I currently have a crepe sitting in my satisfied stomach and I feel that there is more Paris for us to discover. We shall go and flaneur. Ah, but the wife is clamouring to get on. Here she is:

ok, who wants me to bring them a tacky little eiffel tower keychain??? available from your nearest sidewalk vendor in "gold" or "silver"

And now, the long-awaited commentary by yours truly.
Things to learn about France:
1. you can change the keyboard to your own language (but i still wont use caps and apostrophes --- time is money in these euro-sucking cafes)
2. if you wear france boxerbriefs around the city after the game, your butt will get slapped. many times. and no, matt did not participate in this activity.
3. mcdonalds and starbucks are only for the americans. locals would never go. the cafe (coffee) and patisseries are way too yummy and more afforable here.
4. if you try and speak french, even if its bad, people will appreciate it and then switch to english for you.
5. there are novelty canadian-themed pubs here in paris that serve moosehead beer for 5 euros a bottle and have cheesy wilderness decor and play barenakedladies. (and they sure are packed and loud on canada day)
6. if youre a black person, your job is to sell gucci rip-off purses and tourist junk on the sidewalks until the cops come and shoo you away. (this is actually consistent across italy as well. tres bizzare.)

well then. i guess i should be going.
its only a couple weeks until we return and can find out what cold water tastes like again. nalgene water = 25 degrees plus.