Paris, je ne t'aime pas...

I was wrong when I wrote that Paris was multicultural. It's multiracial but not multicultural. People from all over the world live there but they are all...French. No group seems to have made any sort of mark on Parisian culture. Yes, there are Asian and Middle Eastern restaurants but that's about it.

I found this most readily displayed in clothing. Everyone dressed tastefully but boringly. Lots of black and neutral colors. I sat at a cafe and watched the people go by for about an hour and a half and nothing was all that interesting.

Paris seems to be missing sub-cultures. There were no skateboarders or kids from the hood or anything. I did see three semi-Goth kids but other than that it was just a bunch of French people in different races. There also wasn't much of a night life.

This lack of multiculuturalism also showed up in advertising. Although France is full of brown people there are non in ads anywhere. Everyone is white including all the mannequins.

I can see how the hijab issue became so volatile in France. The country, or at least Paris, is a melting pot of fondue rather than a salad bowl.

Paris was beautiful. Everywhere you go there is some magnificent statue or building. I can see why people love it there. It must be nice to wake up every day and be surrounded by beauty. But there was no undercurrent of excitement rising from the street and, for me, that's what makes a city.

Favorite things:

1. Musee de Quai Branly--I didn't actually go in (8 euro entrance fee!) but the building itself is amazing.

2. Les Deux Abeilles--A little cafe with EXCELLENT food.

3. French wine. Especially sancerre.

4. The Louvre--too many beautiful paintings but awesome nonetheless.

5. Le Metropolitan--it is ridiculously clean and easy to get around.

And here are pictures. I haven't labelled all of them but they are in reverse chron order with pictures of my friend Nathan's wedding at the end.