You know what I don't hear enough of anymore? "What do you think of George Bush?" There was this game that Europeans, Australians, and all other non-American profligate travellers used to play; Every American traveller you come accross, ask him what he thinks of George Bush. I think they even had a point system, but it changed part-way through Bush's first term. At first it was that they got more points when they got an American Traveller who did not approve of Bush. Then they began to realize that %95 percent of all Americans who had the stones to leave the country and see how the more civilized parts of the world behaved knew that Bush was no good, and they changed it to more points for an American that actually had anything remotely positive to say about him.
Now, they don't even ask anymore... It's been ages since I had that conversation. I think the last time I was asked was on my trip to Morocco, while Christy and I were in that cafe, waiting for the bus to Marrakesh... there was a Kiwi couple in there that we spoke with for a few minutes before that creepy guy asked us if we were Ahmed's marks... (for THAT whole sordid story, click here) and they only showed a passing interest.
I think that the world has their answer about what we think about George Bush. Either that, or it's even worse and they simply don't care about what any American has to say about anything any more... Seeing as how we gave up our voices when we re-elected the great dicktator, I can't say I blame them. At any rate, the world has certainly formed their own opinion of him, and no longer needs an insider's perspective, anyway.
Anyway... just an observation.
So Paris was fun today. I went to the Catacombs under Denfert Rochereau... It's this place where they took a billion bones from an overflowing cemetary somewhere else in Paris and made the biggest Death Metal band music video set EVER. It's about 20 meters underground, and it's just creepy as all get out. Blocks and blocks of walls of bones. I got pictures. I also went up the Eiffel Tower... something I didn't actually do the last time I was here. Yup. It's a big tall tower. After going up in the Mig-25, I found it difficult to produce the proper squeals of terrified delight that everybody else in the little tiny elevator did, but it was neat. Killed the afternoon, anyway.
I like Paris... that whole thing that everybody says about the French making an art out of living... joi de vivre and all that... I get that. I think that's a true stereotype. The restaraunt was invented in France. Everything the French do, from building design to napkin holders to lampshades, is usually all artistic and pretty, for no particular reason. Very cool. The other stereotype about French people, especially Parisians, being snobby, is untrue. I have not, this time or last time, met a snobby Frank. I'm sure they exist, and I'm sure that the majority of A****le Americans that come here pretty much ask for the snobby treatment, but I myself have yet to experience it. Actually, the Jews I ran across in Jerusalem were 50 times snobbier... in fact I didn't meet a friendly Jew. Being God's chosen people might have that effect... just a thought.
I guess I'm rambling.
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