Today, I explored the Montmarte area (as seen in the film, Amelie) with my friends Adam and Jeanne. After scaling countless stairs we had an amazing view from Sacre Coeur. It was the coolest church ever! It is so different then all of the other churches and I like it because they don't allow photography inside so it feels a bit more like a church instead of a photo shoot.
Today was a beautiful day and quite warm for Paris at this time (55 degrees F). It seemed like everyone was out today, walking around and enjoying the unseasonably warm weather. I am currently sitting outside on my balcony as I write this (my landlord bought me a nice table and chairs!) There is a big rugby game today between England and France, so every bar is packed with drunk Parisians chanting for their team (quite funny to see).
I seem to be thinking a lot about one aspect of French culture. I really admire the French for their attitude of enjoying life. There is nothing more French then sitting at a cafe for hours and just soaking it all in. However, as soon as Parisians get into a car, their laissez-faire attitude turns into the most vicious road rage I have ever seen. Traffic lights are seen as merely a street decoration. If people must come to a stop for even one minute they act like the world is coming to an end. They won't hesitate to drive down a one-way street in the wrong direction if there is something blocking them from moving. Most annoying to me is their habit of accelerating as fast as they can even if there is a red light a few feet ahead. When there is a red light and people are crossing the street, motorists will continue to accelerate and then slam on their breaks a few inches from the pedestrians. And I thought drivers in Atlanta were bad....
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