Foo - One thing I learned in Paris

On my trip in Paris one thing I learned about them that we don't do is take our time. This comes from my last thread and saying lets have beer.

At lunch time in Paris. People take their time eating and drinking. Its not unsual for Parisians to have beer/wine at lunch and take a 2 hour lunch break. Their not drinking to get drunk but they do enjoy their drinks and they just seemed to be soo relaxed afterwards :)

Something I took away from the experience. :)

Sometimes they never bother to go back to work and re-open the shop. Damn the posted open-close times.


I love Paris.:)

Damn, I miss my long lunches. :) I think America would be a lot better off if we had 2 hour lunch breaks as the norm. :)

And Spain...the siestas, dios mio, the siestas. I was laid-back when I went, my friends don't even recognize me now :)

If you think eating lunch in the car while driving is normal - you might be an American.

In the southern part of Italy,they do that,they too,call in a siesta.Most shops close,the streets are all but empty,especially on hot,mid-summer days.Europeans have a way more relaxed pace than we do here.

That's why their economy is in the ****ter.

Yeah and 5 weeks paid vacations too :) I just think America could learn from other cultures :)

Since I've been back its taken me so long to finish my meals. Its strange. :)

If you think eating lunch in the car while driving is normal - you might be an American.

Especially if it's before 9:00 in the morning!

....and six week paid vacations.
I'm sorry but continental Europe is civilized, whereas we are a society here in North America.

Europe long ago realized the value of the individual in it's population... Here in NA we are all just corporate fodder propping up the bottom line, but slowly destroying the people that make up the society with heart attacks and stress leaves and such. Watching North America mature will give anthropologists in the future a wonderful case study in how not to put a society together.

And Spain...the siestas, dios mio, the siestas. I was laid-back when I went, my friends don't even recognize me now :)

I heard a report on, I think, NPR about how many people there aren't a big fan of the 'siestas'. They're forced to take 2 hours out of their day, still while working a normal 8 hour day. Throw in commuting to work, and lot of lower and middle class Spaniards have to devote around 12 hours a day just for a simple 8 hour a day job. Missing time with family, friends, etc, are among the complaints and Spain is looking into changing things.

My current job has flexible hours, and yeah, sometimes we go out and have drinks with lunch and stretch it out for 1.5 or 2 hours. Its nice once in a while but 1 hour is more than enough for me, half the time I just eat while I work and dont take any lunch. I couldn't fathom having to spend two hours a everyday at lunch and then have to stay there for 8 hours working. Haha, only so many hours in a day. I'd rather be spending time with my family and friends.

That's why their economy is in the ****ter.

Have you checked the stats on our national debt lately?

I heard a report on, I think, NPR about how many people there aren't a big fan of the 'siestas'. They're forced to take 2 hours out of their day, still while working a normal 8 day. Throw in commuting to work, and lot of lower and middle class Spainards have to devote around 12 hours a day just for a simple 8 hour a day job. Missing time with family, friends, etc, are among the complaints and Spain is looking into changing things.

My current job has flexible hours, and yeah, sometimes we go out and have drinks with lunch and stretch it out for 1.5 or 2 hours. Its nice once in a while but 1 hour is more than enough for me, half the time I just eat while I work and dont take any lunch. I couldn't fathom having to spend two hours a everyday at lunch and then have to stay there for 8 hours working. Haha, only so many hours in a day.
In the large cities, it has changed. Large stores and businesses are open normal hours, no siesta. The bizarre disjunct is that the population that still goes home leaves this commercial lull for merchants and restaurant owners that try to stay open, so it's hard to decide whether to go with the cultural flow or change for your workers. It's too bad, it's a great tradition...

Unfortunately, the French just elected a conservative and they are most likely going to be more like th US in the future. It's too bad.

Unfortunately, the French just elected a conservative and they are most likely going to be more like th US in the future. It's too bad.
I don't think the French will agree to be *that* much like the US, ever. Presidents come and go, the French are French forever.

In the large cities, it has changed. Large stores and businesses are open normal hours, no siesta. The bizarre disjunct is that the population that still goes home leaves this commercial lull for merchants and restaurant owners that try to stay open, so it's hard to decide whether to go with the cultural flow or change for your workers. It's too bad, it's a great tradition...

Yeah, I forgot to say this is probably exclusive to large cities, and large cities = long commute and high cost of living

I take a two-hour lunch break each Wednesday and go to a ballroom dance lesson. Some other days, depending on weather, I'll take a long lunch break and either ride an 18-miler or pop into my favorite coffee shop and just sit for a while. I start work early most days to make up the time, but no one pays any attention to when I come and go. That's pretty nice.
In about ten more years I should be able to waltz about as skillfully as our forum resident kombucha chef does her belly dance. But I won't post a video clip because, well frankly because I'm ugly.

I thought this thread was about sleeping with an heiress.

I don't think the French will agree to be *that* much like the US, ever. Presidents come and go, the French are French forever.
I hope you are right.

Beer in general was something I loved when I was in Europe but with every good thing comes a bad....In Ireland we watched a recycling truck go by and man!!....I don't throw that many bottles away after a party. It was amazing how many bottles each house had...I would think that would have some type of bad health effect...

We asked for Coffee to go in Paris....they knew what we were talking about but completely unprepaired for it....we got two cups with Alminum foil over the top....cudos to them for making it happen for us....we had a big day planned..lol always in a hurry...

There are many things we could learn from them I am sure..but it goes the other way as well....

I don't think the French will agree to be *that* much like the US, ever. Presidents come and go, the French are French forever.

I agree, he is only in office for 5 years. I think he will experience much resistence!!! French seem to be set in their ways!! :)

On my trip in Paris one thing I learned about them that we don't do is take our time. This comes from my last thread and saying lets have beer.

At lunch time in Paris. People take their time eating and drinking. Its not unsual for Parisians to have beer/wine at lunch and take a 2 hour lunch break. Their not drinking to get drunk but they do enjoy their drinks and they just seemed to be soo relaxed afterwards :)

Something I took away from the experience. :)
Could you summarize this post for me? I'm in a hurry. Thx.

Could you summarize this post for me? I'm in a hurry. Thx.

:lol:

Could you summarize this post for me? I'm in a hurry. Thx.

:D

Why do I need 2 hours for lunch when I can eat in 10 minutes and get back on bikeforums?

Shut the hell up and get back to work

Yeah and 5 weeks paid vacations too :) I just think America could learn from other cultures :)

Since I've been back its taken me so long to finish my meals. Its strange. :)


Oh, we learned. That is why we do things totally different.

Unfortunately, the French just elected a conservative and they are most likely going to be more like th US in the future. It's too bad.

The right of France will school the right in America. :rolleyes:

Why do I need 2 hours for lunch when I can eat in 10 minutes and get back on bikeforums?

Get organized, Pheard...eat while on BF!

Heck all I want is 5 weeks paid vacation and I would be soo HAPPY :)

The proletariat of America have been deluded into thinking that productivity is directly proportional to quality of life. This is probably the greatest feat the American aristocracy has managed to pull off. They have an endless supply of workers who want to work themselves to death in the name of being numbur one baby, wooooooo!

How it should be:

1. Devotion to fambly/friends
2. Food
3. Shelter
4. Fun
5a. Sleeping
5b. Pooping
6. Work

We have an aristocracy?

A good BM is much better than a nap Pup.

We have an aristocracy?
Sure, why not? I'm trying to rouse the rabble.

ok. just don't rase the rubble :D

A good BM is much better than a nap Pup.
Maybe. It's hard to tell and very much an individual judgement call. Either way, I've edited to reach a compromise.

Some companies give you a week as a bonus, would have 6 weeks now if not in States:(

The proletariat of America have been deluded into thinking that productivity is directly proportional to quality of life. This is probably the greatest feat the American aristocracy has managed to pull off. They have an endless supply of workers who want to work themselves to death in the name of being numbur one baby, wooooooo!

How it should be:

1. Devotion to fambly/friends
2. Food
3. Shelter
4. Fun
5a. Sleeping
5b. Pooping
6. Work

:beer:

:beer:

I'll agree to that too!!! :)

Tchin, tchin, mes amis! :beer:

One thing I noticed when working with the French and Europeans in general: they're at work early and leave the office later. Figure a starting time before 8 am and leave around 7 pm. I'm not sure I'd want to sacrifice that much time in the evening for an extended lunch hour. Same with the Mexicans I worked with. In at 8 am, siesta in the middle and typically worked until 8 pm.

The point of it all is to ease the stress of the populace, not measuring the hours of the day in measurements of productivity. Hence the fundamental differences. 11 hours to do 8 hours of work with good relaxing breaks, enjoy your food, your companions, have an afternoon tryst, whatever. Jamming 8 hours of work into 8.5 hours of being at work is what is killing us off. Dinner isn't at 6 in Europe either, it tends to be much later in the evening.

Flippin Sweet's cultural model of labor: Two hours for breakfast, two hours for second breakfast, two hours for lunch followed by a two hour siesta, or afternoon tea if you prefer, then happy hour and a late dinner.

When Do We Ride In Flippin World?

Flippin Sweet's cultural model of labor: Two hours for breakfast, two hours for second breakfast, two hours for lunch followed by a two hour siesta, or afternoon tea if you prefer, then happy hour and a late dinner.
Throw in an hour for the morning BM, and I'm willing to fight for the cause.

Throw in an hour for the morning BM, and I'm willing to fight for the cause.
the whole idea is to not be rushed. Eight hours of eating and drinking and then you want to get rid of it all in one hour? blasphemer.

When Do We Ride In Flippin World?
During happy hour, duh.
http://www.teamestrogen.com/images/products/PW-PORTRAIT-WHI_fabric_xlg.jpg
I did forget time for pooping and for nookie. I do apologize.

That's why their economy is in the ****ter.
But thank god those of us in Europe have time to enjoy life. And four weeks paid vacation at a minimum.

Enjoy work! :)

During happy hour, duh.
I did forget time for pooping and for nookie. I do apologize.
Oh. I thought nookie was covered under happy hour. Or four hours, in my case. Ooooooh, yeahhhhh...

the whole idea is to not be rushed. Eight hours of eating and drinking and then you want to get rid of it all in one hour? blasphemer.
So I'm a fast pooper. Jeez, you don't have to rub it in...