10 Things we learned in France - KK/LL

1. Every.single.person in France smokes, and so do all the dogs, cats and rats. This is a first hand account and has not been verified by Philip Morris & Co., but we are fairly certain it's a fact. It's our truth, at least.

2. The Parisians stay thin even though they eat cheese and bread and drink wine all the live long day. We think it's because there are stairs EVERYWHERE...tons and tons of stairs. Bathrooms are always downstairs, museums are always upstairs, in the train station you go downstairs so you can then go upstairs. The elevators (lifts) literally fit one person so even where there is a lift the stairs are the better option. We climbed more stairs in Paris than we have climbed in the last year...combined! 

3. And...they walk EVERYWHERE, too. In Texas people complain about how far they have to walk to get the mail. In Paris they give you directions and tell you how long of a walk it is to get there - "it is nearby, madame, it only takes 40 minutes to walk there." Yay! 

4. The pastries in Paris live up to their reputation. Period. #moremacarons

5. Winemaking in France has very strict regulations - in order to maintain their reputation as "the best." France produces the most wine in the world, only second to Spain. French red wine is known for having low tannin count which can mean no headaches for many. It's also good for the heart. So it's practically a medical necessity.

6. Wait staff in France will not ever bother you (or bring you a bill) if you are engaged in anything...including looking at your phone. Even if you are sitting silently because perhaps that reason is that you are meditating and don't want to be bothered. They move at a much slower pace than in America. A meal is to be fully enjoyed. Getting the bill can sometimes take a week or more. Just kidding. It never took us longer than 12 hours to get a waiter's attention. Really.

7. It is believed that King Louis XIV took just two baths during his reign of 70+ years, 1643-1715. He remains the longest reigning European monarch in history. He used wigs, powder and makeup, as did others during that period to mask odors. The physicians of that era  believed that water was hazardous to ones health and would spread diseases. We suspect this could be the origin of "Pepe la Pew [wee]."

8. Victor Hugo, author of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, is considered a hero and the champion who saved the beautiful cathedral. It was set for demolition in the early 1800's but the popularity of his story inspired the protection and restoration of this world heritage site. What a visionary. 

9. Learn to use the Metro system if you visit Paris. You will save a lot of money if you use it instead of cabs. Since it's all in French we were intimidated to try it at first, but after we did we were like, "This is so simple!" It's no different than any of the subways we've ridden in the states." #saveyourwinemoney

10. If you have a key lock for your luggage, don't lock the key in your luggage the night before you are leaving the country. Just a suggestion. #lessonlearned #wearenowcertifiedlocksmiths #Kristiconfession