A Nose Knows

  If I want to keep the blog name relevant then I need to add more whining!  It can't all be sunshine and the Eiffel Tower.  So, I think a lists of things that induce whining from me is in order.  In no particular order:

A) What's that smell?  Really, it is more than just smell, it lingers in the nose and becomes a taste.  Some days I swear I can feel it on my teeth.  There are basically three distinct smells that are reoccurring throughout the city:

1.  Dirt.  Paris might be beautiful and picturesque, but it is dirty.  It's hardcore thousand year old dirt too.  This is what I feel on my teeth.  The taste is there, but I can't really describe it well, tastes like dusty dirt.  Yum.  This whole city could use a good powerwashing.
2.  Piss, all kinds.  It really hits you in the Metro, again with the tasting.  It is a mixture of dog and human in various stages of freshness and strength.  I'm starting to think these smells are why scarfs are so popular in the city, nose protection.
3. B.O.  It isn't even hot here yet, but the level of body odor smells has definitely had directly proportional rise to the rise in temperature.  I can't wait for August.  Look, I already feel a little awkward jammed in to the metro.  I am a girl who is used to her personal space and that goes out the window when crowds of people are trying to pack into a metro car. Being that close though really familiarizes you with others personal hygiene habits.  I don't want to play into the whole French people stink, they really don't.  Most people smell just fine, but it only takes one rotten apple...

B) Why did you stop right there?!?  Multiple people a day will just come to a sudden and complete stop right in front of me.  There is no attempt to move to the side out of the way as to not have people run right smack into you.  It's the worst in the metro.  People will just point blank stop in the middle of everything.  An old woman stopped completely right at the top of the stairs, I nearly sent her flying! 

C) My medicine is FREE?!  Okay, so this isn't me whining at all.  This is my complete and utter relief.  The medicine I am on is quite expensive out of pocket.  Hell, it was nearly $200 a month with insurance in the states.  Every year the insurance companies would try to make it more difficult to get the medicine so I would switch to something cheaper, alternatives that I have tried and didn't work.  Here though, it is FREE.  FREE!   No shakedowns or jumping through hoops, no stress, and no getting letters in the mail saying my medicine isn't covered anymore.  Yes, it may be higher taxes here, but so far I have no complaints for the benefits received.   Also, I got into a doctor the day after calling for the appointment with a very kind doctor that speaks English. 

 So, when you visit Paris, make sure you are prepared for some strong smells, pack scarves so you look stylish as well!  You'll need to learn to keep an eye on the people in front of you, but also on the ground for rogue dog poop (seriously it's everywhere).  Despite these small annoyance, Paris is treating J and I well.

~L