Did you know you can buy pigeons at the store? They’re not your garden variety pigeons though. In fact, you can go to the butcher and buy birds that still have the feathers attached!
Did you know that the symbol of France, the animal, is a cock (like a rooster, but a fighting fowl)?! In fact, this bird, the symbol can be seen in numerous places, including the Fédération Française de Football (look at the logo).
All of the newscasters wear ties and business attire, but the people who host talk shows and the like wear sort of business-casual attire. Meaning a sports jacket and a nice shirt, but no tie. I’m used to watching ESPN and seeing all the anchors and commentators wearing suits and ties, but not here in Paris.
Speaking of shows, there is an audience for them just as in the States. Games shows have audiences as well, but sports shows have a live audience. This, to me, is odd. Imagine someone trying to give you tickets to go see the Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer live. Sounds very enticing, but I would not take those tickets even if he offered to shave his beard on the set. But here, in Paris, people take those tickets.
On the music front, there are plenty of talented (and popular) acts arriving in Paris in the coming months, including Jay Z, Alicia Keys, Norah Jones, XX and Florence and the Machine just to name a few. I tried, albeit unsuccessfully, to purchase tickets for Florence and the Machine, but the tickets were sold out, and I don’t have the kind of cash to shell out 100 Euros for a resold ticket. She’s really amazing, but I’m hard-pressed to find some tickets this late in the game (the concert is Feb. 24), so I will try to find tickets for her other tour stops. Jay Z is an option (his concert is in June), so I will definitely track down some tickets to that show before it’s too late.
Speaking of costs, did you know that in order to swim at the pools in Paris, one must wear a swimming cap? What?! If one doesn’t have a cap on hand, he/she can purchase one for 5 euros! That’s ridiculous. So when you begin your next (or first) sojourn to Paris, bring some extra money, some nice clothes, and a swimming cap, lest you pay for your mistakes.
le Fédération Française de Football: http://www.fff.fr/