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In late May I went to France with my friend Sebastian, but getting to Paris is not as easy as one would think…
Toronto Pearson Airport, out flight supposed to leave at 15:30. We get to the airport at 12 to have enough time to check in. The ticket lady informs us they do not have a gate number yet, and that we should come back in hour. The ticket lady says “La revedere”.
A coffee and an hour later, still no gate. By now it is beginning to look funny. By 15:00 it turns out that our plane is actually broken down in London, England. No problem, we are to be taken to a different terminal and flown to Montreal on an Air Canada flight, then taken to a hotel until the next day.
At 17:30 we are on the first of the Air Canada flights to Montreal. We get there by 18:30, but our bags do not make it. An hour and a bit later, they arrive on the next flight. We finally make it to the hotel by 20:00. After a quick shower, we manage to be one of the first people at the restaurant to have dinner. By the time we were done, the line-up was going out the door, and up the stairs.
We get a taxi, and we head to Rue Sherbrooke and St Laurent, just in time for the nightlife. Our first stop was a freestyle dance competition at the Just for Laughs theatre to meet up with some friends. Time for drinks, so we head over to Buonanotte. After a quick 2 minutes in line, we are in. A few hours later, our 6 hour stop-over has to come to an end.
Our taxi driver has women trouble, so we have to grab a different car. On the way back, one of the ramps for the highway to the airport is closed for construction, so our driver has to find an alternate route. Soon after his tire blows so he pulls into the closest gas station to change it. It just so happens that there were three other cars there with flats.
We manage to get back to the hotel by 2:30, just in tine to catch the shuttle back to the airport. After 1 hour to check in, a quick breakfast, and some more waiting, we finally take-off for Paris at 7:00.
I slept for most of the flight to Paris. We got there around 20:30, and hour later than scheduled. This family friend picked us up from the airport in an ML (that’s the SUV from Benz). We later noticed it was the only one of two SUV’s in Paris, everyone drives small cars. We got set-up in two residence apartments in the business district, and then we set-off for a tour of Paris.
Drove round the Arc De Triumph, down the Champ Challises, through the Ritz, through the tunnel where Princess Diana died (actually an underpass), and to the Eiffel Tower. Then it was time for dinner. We went to experience French cuisine (across the street from a Romanian restaurant). We had the “Admiral” seafood platter (4 types of clams, crab, snails, etc), a nice mixture of grilled beef and duck, some delicious dessert and two bottles of wine. Some 200 euro later we were ready to sleep. One thing to note was that around one, a group of elderly people came for a quick dinner…
The plan was to wake up at 8:30, and go visit Paris. The reality was that we woke up at 11:30. The drive to the airport took about an hour and a half. Check-in took 5 min, and we were ready for boarding. What we didn’t know was that we should have eaten before going through security, as there were no stores or anything passed it…
After a 45 min flight we got to Marseille airport. Another 8.50 euro (per person) and a 20 min bus ride, we got into town where the bus left us at the train station. The metro to Vieux-Port (location of the hotel) was 4 euro per person, so we decided to take a taxi, since we weren’t exactly sure where the hotel was. Our 6.50 euro taxi ride turned out to be 13 euro, go figure… We got a tax receipt for it… Doesn’t really help 
After leaving our luggage in the room, we set-off to look for the conference center; we did not have the address printed… After circling some buildings we finally found the place. They had croissants and lots of wine.
Later in the night, around 22:00 or so, we barely found a place at a nice Italian pizzeria right by the water with a nice view of the boats; all the places were packed.
W went to a very nice reception at a huge mansion up on a hill that had an amazing view of the sea, port and town. There was tons of food, wine, and this local drink “51” that is similar to Cinzano. After we went for dinner, about 21 of us, and took over an entire patio at this small restaurant where we had “bouillabaisse”, which simply put is a fish soup. It is actually a local specialty; the waiters pretty much prepare it in front of you.
I tried to rent a scooter, but everything was closed, I went at 12:30… After lunch we took the bus and went to the beach in the next town. It was really wicked, hot, girls, only the water was somewhat cold.
Some things to note: ever since we got here, I only wore t-shirts, even late at night, it’s really warm. A six-pack of Heineken is 4 euro (250ml bottles), and a six-pack of Kronenbourg is 2.39 euro (250ml bottles). Water has pretty much the same price as wine… On the other hand, one bottle of beer at a restaurant is 4 euro and up… Price for petrol is 1.13 euro for the 98 octane grade, 1.12 euro for the 95 octane grade, and 0.98 euro for diesel.
 
Recently, I have came across an interesting article in the Guardian about the so called French paradox. Despite a diet stuffed with cream, butter, cheese and meat, just 10 per cent of French adults are obese, compared with our 22 per cent, and America’s colossal 33 per cent. The French live longer too, and have lower death rates from coronary heart disease - in spite of those artery-clogging feasts of cholesterol and saturated fat. This curious observation, dubbed ‘the French paradox’, has baffled scientists for more than a decade.
Whereas the French typically spend two hours over lunch, Brits bolt down their food in the time it would take the French to butter a petit pain. Nutritionist Dr Francoise L’Hermite believes that the French secret is to sit down with friends or family for a meal, and to eat three times a day at regular intervals. She points out that the French don’t eat in front of the television, and they eat slowly, enjoying both the food and the company. How very civilised.
‘For France, a meal is a very particular moment, in which you share pleasure, the food as well as the conversation,’ says L’Hermite. ‘From an Anglo-Saxon point of view, food is just fuel to give energy to your muscles. If you have no pleasure in it, you are breaking all the rules of eating.’ Eating in France is a social activity.
One French girl writes - In my first six months in Britain, I gave lots of dinner parties. But then I stopped as I soon realised that no one appreciated the trouble they took. British people seem to love fried things. In Britain, I often see girls who are chubby and whose hair and skin is in bad condition. In central France, you might see this in agricultural communities among the men, but you wouldn’t see it in general. None of my French girlfriends look this bad. There seems to be less of a pride in oneself in the UK. This can be seen not only in your approach to diet, but also in alcohol consumption. In France, there’s no culture of going out to get drunk. I drink a lot, but never to the point where I would vomit or fall over. It is ugly and vulgar to end up in a drunken mess.
Montreal, a city you will fall in love with. The air smells of elegance
and refinement, with beautiful and sexy people everywhere, in fast and
expensive cars. Exquisit accomodations, such as an apartment at Le Cartier are a must.
A good day starts withn a good breakfast, which one could have at places such as the Hotel Sofitel Montreal restaurant. And what to do once in Montreal? You of course, go shopping, at Holt Renfew and the many boutiques thet fill the downtown. And once your shopping is donw, it is time for afternoon tea at Le Jardin du Ritz.
And, when most people in other places woul return to their homes, life
in Montreal is just beginning. So begins Montreal’s nightlife.
The dining experience is Montreal is as unique as it is tasty. Just try
the savoury meals at Ferrera’s Portuguese restaurant. And of course,
one should not miss the occasion to dine at Montreal’s best restaurant,
Milos, the greek restraurant where meals approach perfection. After dinner, one should go over to Cavalli, a beacon of glamour, for some great cocktails.
Now, you are ready to take-in the sophisticated nightlife, and
experience the great supper clubs: high-class restaurants by day,
magnificent nightclubs by night! Do not forget thet reservations are a
must, some are even invitation only. The place to be is the truly
glamorous Time Supper Club. Once you’ve been there, you may proceed to places such as Buonanotte, Globe, or Rosalie.
Whatever you do, Montreal has something to offer. 
I’ve just been in Ottawa, probably one of the most pictoresque cities
in Canada. It is filled with scenic routes along the many rivers that
pass right through it, where many bike or jogg, and the women sunbathe
topless. During the day students, tourists, and diplomatic cars fill
the downtown area. The nightlife is charged, having something to offer
for all tastes. From the many bars in the french-speaking Quebec where
there is a distinct european flavour, to the many high-class
establishments on the english side, Restaurant 18, Mercury Lounge, and Helsinki Lounge and Disco among many other. 
I came, I saw, I stayed. ) Life is beautiful. Pack your bags, sell
the house, sell the car, move here! If you like to work, buy a big
screen TV, this might not be for you. But if you want to live, if you
want to savour life, to smell and taste pleasure, then this is where
you belong… 
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