Pete in Paris

[skyring]

I'm sitting in a tiny Internet cafe on the Boulevard Saint Germain, unshaven, unshowered, listening to BBC Radio Guernsey. Another three hours until the hostel opens and I can get a tub.

Luckily I had one in Hong Kong last night, but I'm still feeling tired and seedy.

Paris is as beautiful as they say. Had a poor introduction as I lugged my baggage through the metro system and up and down bazillions of stairs, but I'm feeling better now. A lovely printemps day, began at just one degree at Charles de Gaulle, but is now t-shirt weather.

Now catching up and preparing to release a book at Shakespeares, just a couple of blocks away.

More later.

Comments

I wish I had seen this earlier, so I could warn you

[resqgeek]

I'm currently reading a biography of Dr. Seuss, and he apparently took notes during his travels with the idea of writing a Dr. Seuss travel guide. Unfortunately for the world, the book never materialized, but his notes included this observation about tipping in Paris:

It is absolutely forbidden to give gratuities to kings...or to the first five chestnut trees to the left as you start walking up the Champs-Élysées.

All other people, animals, or inanimate objects must be tipped, or else.

Babies born in Paris hospitals must tip their attendant obstetricians...

I hope the lack of this information didn't create any problems for you!