Theme less in Paris...

in #photocircle5 years ago (edited)

I don't really know if I should start posting my shots in Paris depicting very famous places.
And to do what? Describe it to you? It's fucking Paris, you know?! Grab a plane and go check it out though I tell you... it might disappoint you. I know it disappointed me this time...

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This city used to be my most beloved city. It is the big European capital that I have first set my eyes upon back when I was a teenager. It seemed romantic, it seemed free, it seemed affordable. Not anymore. Not by a long shot.

I booked a room close to the Tour Eiffel, 5-minute walk, in a 3 stars hotel that cost us something around 210 euro/night. The room was about 10-11 square meters. We barely had any chance of getting laid and we're fucking 1'65 meters tall both of us. For this price, in Romania, you get the fucking king's suite and his bitches nonetheless. This didn't include breakfast, ok?

Right outside of this expensive shithole, there were two cafes. One of them (maybe the other as well, I don't know) was charging 1 euro extra on any product after 22:00. WTF?! And this was written in a damn font of 10, somewhere on the side of the chart, only in French. Oui oui! 6 euros a damn mint tea and with this extra charge, I paid 7 euro for a sugar sweeten tea. No honey... non, non.

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What was worse, in my humble opinion, is that we both ordered this mint tea (a fucking 7 euro Lipton ok?) and he brought two mugs, two satchels of tea, and one pot of water. REALLY?! 1 pot of water? So if I ordered alone you would have both one fucking cup of hot water for 7 euros?!? Godamn France!

Noooothing special about this place. Though close to the Tower, it was on a small artery, backwards, and the view was of the railway that is passing over here. A crowded place, with honking over honking, cars over scooters, bikes over these electrical things that pollute the city.

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And the fucking fleamarket that is going on near the Tower (and generally all the important tourist places) is infernal. You can't even pass between these, generally, afro dudes, with their carpets on the grass or sidewalk, all selling these fucking miniature Eiffel Towers or chargers and battery packs. In the evening, other dudes come out, either with flowers and/or champagne, roaming the place, sticking the rose into your eye, forcing you to buy. On top of that, there's my compadres, the Romanians, who organise, on the ground, "alba-neagra" games (a sort of "where's the ball? find the ball!"). In the meantime, Police is probably scratching their nuts. There's not more than 2-3 interventions/day, which doesn't scare them, but rather makes them pack their stuff quickly and reposition once they left.

It's despicable, I'm telling you and I really don't know where the problem is, but these dudes need to eat, while the Police need to make their fucking job. It's Paris for fuck's sake! What are you turning it into?!

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And there's always this constant fear (for me, as a rational dude I guess) that it's something waiting to happen here. I mean they feel it too. There are security checks everywhere, whereas this wasn't happening 10 years ago when I last visited. Also some dudes with rifles around these crowded places... too few if you ask me. I don't feel safe in Paris anymore, though I felt back when people were telling me I should have been scared.

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But it's a beautiful city and its inheritance is impressive. No matter how many times I would see this city, its grandomania makes you humble. The craft that is invested in this city is huge and its ties to our roots, as a whole civilisation here, in Europe, are deeply connected to each of us. To not be able to see Notre Dame, to know it was in flames a few months ago, makes you think of the centuries of loss we have witnessed on TV the other days. Such a loss...

In the meantime, their sweets are better than ever and all these macaroons are better than I ever had anywhere else until now. Of course, it's Paris.

Oh yeah! I haven't gone up in the Tower. I'm that kind of a dude that leaves his lady to go alone because he's afraid of the fucking height.

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Too bad your visit to Paris was not as pleasant as it should have been (considering the cost).
I have a cousin living in France now (another exile of the revolution) and he has been very critical of what he has seen.
I think that France, among other European countries, is flirting with PC way too much and that has allowed dangerous people to turn former pleasant places into time bombs.
My cousin thinks that if some drastic political decisions regarding immigration and "tolerance" are not taken, radicals will take advantage of how respectful people are supposed to be of differences and turn every street in europe into a battle field.

It's not easy man... separating the good from the bad when you are trying to take in as many as possible. Very weird times that we are leaving in. On one hand, we have the technical possibility to move thousands of miles in hours, while on the other, we are getting afraid to do it because of all this threats.

Very close to the truth. I used to go every other year or so and on my last trip I noticed a difference. I was sick and tired of immigrants kneeling on the pavements begging and just everyone is unsure when the next attack is coming from. You have to choose your hotels better as you got ripped off. Also don't go up the Eiffel Tower and best to leave the tourist spots to the tourists as they are prime targets.

Hahaha, I don't like Paris at all! I've been there a few times and I hoped that at least once I will feel what people talk about but NON. Paris simply doesn't impress me. It is dirty, smelly, expensive, busy and so full of tourists and yes, you do not feel safe there.

I had a similar experience with the hotel. We had 4 stars hotel, paid fortune for each night and we had troubles to fit out luggage in it :D Oh yes, sweet Paris :D

The last time we went there during the Tour de France and I really enjoyed it. It was raining all the time but I didn't mind.. however if you asked me if I'd ever go to Paris again I would probably say that ONLY during the Tour de France :D

Congratulations on your curie vote!

Thanks. I don't see being curied as a congratulations moment :) I really write for the fun of it and for the sake of the blockchain.

At one dinner, we went to one of the brasseries around the Tower and after we ordered from the very few things on the menu, I dared to ask the waiter if he had some garlic bread (which wasn't on the menu). He said "yes, of course" while he never brought (or charged) the bread. Funny thing was an american lady sitting right next to us with her daughter (they just paid and wanted to leave) leaned on my ear and said "It's 7 euros the garlic bread! WATCH OUT!". I laughed! :))

Hahaha, good that he didn't bring it to you.. that American lady was probably talking from her own experience :D

What I didn't like on Paris as well was that they would bring you some bread with butter (or whatever else they would serve) and then you would see it on your bill! They would charge you like 2 EUR or something like that for something what they brought to your table without you asking them...

But luckily there are so many other cities to visit ;)

You're very right about the police does nothing to prevent our business-oriented countrymen to rob their citizens blind and give us all a bad name. I've met the 'alba-neagra' dudes in London on the Westminster Bridge, a place crawling with police, but they do nothing except probably scratching their balls.
Same thing in Italy.
210 Euros for a bloody room?

For me was a shock to still see alba neagra, really. I haven't seen it in a while and I was hoping they were out of the picture. In London last year I had the opportunity not to see them, really.

I haven't visited Paris. From the stories of the friends who were there and from my imagination, that's how I imagined Paris, as you show it here.
I'm sorry it's not like in the 80's, as I've seen it in many movies, and it's been a long time dream to visit it.

Nothing to do with the movies, except for the places, the buildings and the very expensive food. ;)

Sorry to hear that, those French films and that lifestyle it made it easier to support the communist period.

Paris being Paris :)

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Hi vonaurolacu,

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The beauty of a European metropolis does not translate into the price of a cup of tea.the ratio between the demand and the offer makes the price in Paris, Bucharest, Milan and anywhere.

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You're new around here eh? Is it a coincidence that your name is the same as our most beloved Prime Minister, the one that is so respected for her "wits"?. I suppose you don't know how things move around here: I advice you to stop using the "dislike" button.
Cheers.

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