Sunday, 5 September 2004
The Trunk on the Float Went "Toot, Toot, Toot"
Another of my yearly "markers" is the Fête de Ganesh. A parade through a northern neighborhood of Paris, it's a wonderful reminder of just how cosmopolitan the city can be, on a good day.
Today was made for this kind of parade: bright sun, clear skies, very comfortable temperatures. Perfect conditions for the beautiful, vibrant colors on display and packed crowds that the parade attracts. This is the fifth year that I've gone, with probably the best conditions of the three times that were sunny.
I discovered the parade purely by accident the first year that I lived here. It became one of my first "traditions", and every following year I've assembled different groups to enjoy the spectacle. This year included Heather, of course, and a few other friends. Days and events like this help you to forget how gray and bland Paris can actually become after a time.
Thanks for the mini-vacation, mini elephant dude.
Monday, 6 September 2004
Self-Discovery
It's amazing how fast you can shower, dress, pack, and make your way through the Paris Métro system when you wake up just half an hour before your train to Geneva leaves.
Thursday, 9 September 2004
Well, That's Settled Then
McDonald's France, in their untiring efforts to repackage the same food so as to hold their customers in thrall, have set into motion their latest promotional juggernaut. It's called "Road to America 2" (apparently the second appearance of this English-monikered sandwich series).
The five variations on the burger-bun-sauce-cheese staple include State names that evoke the brash and/or frontier mystery that is the United States, such as Arizona, Texas, and New York. Less at home in that list are "Mexico" and "Canada."
This leads me to one of two conclusions: That in my absence, the U.S. has launched successful campaigns on its neighbors in some 21st century Manifest Destiny. Or, more plausibly, that George Bush is trying to make up for lost time, becoming a truly international leader by serving as McDonald's menu consultant.
Tuesday, 14 September 2004
Phone Fun, Part II
As you could probably guess, the "fun" in the title (as in my last entry with the same name) is purely facetious. Conscious as I am of how many of my recent entries have been negative, I decided to hold off writing anything more about this little escapade until I was well and truly done. Well, done I am (I hope).
I got a call this morning from some guy at the Phone House, letting me know that they'd received my repaired phone. So, 'round about lunchtime I wandered on over. Sure enough, it was repaired - I tested it before paying. Before anything else happened, I left.
Pretty bland stuff, true. But you're going to love what I was saving until now: About two weeks ago, I'd gotten the long-awaited phone call to inform me that my (unrepaired) phone had finally been returned to the store. Would I like to repair it? Yes, I let them know. That was a Monday.
The same week, on Wednesday, I get another phone call. Same guy, the same Phone House store. Say, he says, with a touch of worry in his voice. I was all set to send in your phone, when I noticed that the screen was broken. Did you still want me to send it in?
Pause.
Me, not believing it.
Yes, I told him. And reminded him that this was how the whole story began well over one month earlier.
Which leads us up to today. Just under two weeks after it was (correctly) sent to the repair center, it came back. Repaired and working - which, may I remind you, are not necessarily the same thing. But is was as it should be, things worked - though only after I had first navigated a twisty maze of dead-ends for a month and a half.
Patrick, one of my associates, said that I should have bitched and screamed until they waived the repair fee. And I had gone in prepared to do something similar, at least trying for a reduction. But no one who I'd dealt with before - not the guy who took it, not the one who passed me off on the support number (a toll line, as always), not the woman who had dismissed my wait with "what do you expect, it's vacation time" - not one person was there today.
Frankly, I just felt too winded by this whole two-month ordeal. Which is, of course, the very goal of the French way of "customer service." It's no one's responsibility, no one's job - no one's, that it, besides the customer himself. And more often than not, he ends up with a hoarse throat and little to show for it.
If indeed the meek will one day inherit the Earth (which, incidentally, I strongly disbelieve), then anyone capable of successfully navigating French services will be long gone by that point.
Wednesday, 15 September 2004
Hidden Talents
Tonight I pulled out a carton of cranberry juice, the last remaining drinkable fluid in my apartment. Well, I suppose that the city's tap water is technically drinkable.
Being as it is rare, expensive, and a childhood favorite (two out of three in Paris), I'd drunk half the carton some time ago and left the rest for a special occasion. "No other drinkable fluids" seemed to qualify as pretty special, this evening.
But upon lifting up the flip lock-top, I discovered that in the intervening time a colony of mold had formed around the spout. Down the drain with the rest of my cranberry juice.
Some people have a green thumb. I guess I do, too - in my own, special way. Bye, bye, seven-euro-a-box juice...
Thursday, 16 September 2004
The Adventures of Claude and Raf, Dogs About Town
the terrible trio
This is a story of Claude and Raf, two stuffed toy dogs that I got from my cousins Katelin and Emily, aged 8 and 9. "Raf" is short for "Rafaël," and plus it sounds a bit like a dog barking. "Claude," of course, sounds a lot like "claw."
I know the names might sound silly to some people, but the dogs think it's cool. Claude, especially. He likes to think he's pretty tough.
Since my cousins live so far away in Pennsylvania, I decided that it would be fun to give them a tour of Paris by taking a bunch of pictures. So a few weeks ago, I sent them copies of the photos along with a version of this very story. Considering their ages, it's not surprising that at times the story gets a little silly.
With Claude and Raf as my companions, and Heather as my able photographer, we went to many of the interesting places in town. It might be fun if you grab a map of Paris and try to trace our path as you follow the pictures. The photos are in the order that we visited the places. Believe it or not, we did everything in one afternoon. Actually, if you look at my red face by the end, you probably will believe that it was all in one afternoon...
So follow along and see this photo tour, starring Claude and Raf! Guest-starring Heather! With special guest appearances by Heather's finger!