Paris Open Air Cinema

Time Passes Slowly
Originally uploaded by malias.

Paris is one of the world's great cities for cinema. On any day there is a vast array of films to watch, old and new, big hollywood productions and obscure low budget foreign language productions. In London I've seen many of the alternative cinemas disappear or turn into mainstream movie houses or multiplexes but in Paris the small inpedendent places are alive and well.

In summertime Parisians flock to the beaches but those who remain are treated to a grand cinema extravaganza.

At Parc de La Vilette there is the open air cinema cinema en plein aire from 17th July to 26th August.

There is a cinema au claire de lune (moonlight cinema) at a different location each evening from the 1st to 19th August. All the films are free and they are organised by the forum des images.

And on the 19th, 20th and 21st of August most of the cinemas in Paris reduce the price of entry to only 3 Euros a ticket.

Great! This could be more fun than the beach.

Velib Comes to Paris

Velib riders
Originally uploaded by malias.

Velib, velib, velib everyone is talking about velib. The Mairie de Paris have positioned thousands of bicycles around Paris to encourage people to give up the motor car. There is not much I can say that hasn't already been covered extensively in the media except that on its first day it seemed pretty popular. I even saw long queues at some velib stations. The riders looked happy and the bikes were shiny and new.

I wonder how long it will stay that way.

Bastille Day Paris

Demonstration Paris
Originally uploaded by malias.

Am I right in thinking that France is the last county in Europe to hold a giant military parade on its Fête Nationale (national day) every 14th of July. It reminds me of those black and white images of Stalin waving from the balcony of. Lenin’s Tomb during May Day military parades in the Soviet Union.

The rest of the world seems to have moved on but not France. This time Sarkozy invited soldiers from France's 26 EU allies to take part in the parade.

There were even soldiers from Luxembourg here which is a very small country.

So my question is; who's defending Luxembourg?

Paris Free Event

Chilling out
Originally uploaded by malias.

If your in Paris on Saturday 28th July between 6pm and 9pm you might want to trudge over to the Pont des Arts as I'm organising another free event taking place there. The idea is simple. It's aimed at anybody learning a language who would like conversation practice with a native speaker in English or French or any language. In return you have to help them with their English or whatever is your mother tongue. If in addition you want to sign up to some English or French classes then that's fine but there is no obligation to do so. The event is called Parler in the Park (even though it doesn't take place in the park). Check the website for details.

Eurostar Frequent Traveller

I’ve been travelling backwards and forwards between Paris and London every fortnight or so for the last 4 years and except for about a dozen journeys by plane I’ve always taken the Eurostar. Here are some calculations I’ve made.

Over the last 4 years I’ve taken approximately 220 journeys on the Eurostar and I’ve spent around 10,000 Euros.

I’ve spent about 620 hours on board the train which equates to 26 full days.

I’ve been awarded 3 free tickets because the train was more than an hour late and Eurostar was to blame. (it’s been late several more times but Eurostar were, or claimed, they were not responsible).

I’ve travelled first class on 8 of the journeys.

I’ve missed 3 journeys to my carelessness.

On one occasion I was unable to complete my journey between Paris and London due to a fire when passengers were removed from the train in Ashford and had to finish the journey on local trains.

I once caused a security alert when I passed a small kitchen knife through the x-ray machine.

I know now that it is not permitted to take knives on the Eurostar.

I’ve had three arguments on my journeys, or rather in the terminals. In Paris; once with a French Eurostar official and once with an American tourist. In London; once with a French immigration policeman. On each occasion these individuals were acting in an unreasonable way (yes they were, honestly!).

I’ve been stopped and questioned by British immigration officials about 10 times. I’ve been stopped and questioned by French immigration officials twice (one of these times led to an argument).

I’ve never been stopped by custom officers.

I recognise many of the Eurostar staff, shop assistants and officials and am on nodding terms and even speaking terms with a few of them. I know the best way to get the cheapest tickets online; I know the passenger announcements by heart in both English and French. And needless to say I’m extremely familiar with the landscape between the cities.

I invariably read a book on the journey but I still sometimes get bored. So if you see me on the voyage please come and say hello.

A Paris Plumber

The other evening there was a frantic knocking at my door, it was my neighbour from the apartment below she was complaining of a leak coming from my flat that was running down her wall. We called a plumber who turned up the next morning to sort out the problem. He quickly discovered the source of the leak Then came the bad news; He told me that because the leaking pipe was inaccessible without digging up the floor, he was going to cut off all my water.

Non c'est pas vrai , Monsieur how can I live without water? And how long will it take?

"Well", he explained "we'll have an estimate for you in a couple of days then you'll have to speak to the insurance company and the management committee so no more than a couple of weeks."

2 ****ing weeks without water, c'est pas possible. isn't there anything you can do?

He looked at me in a don't-question-the-master kind of way.

"bon, maybe I can give you hot water in the shower".

We'll that's something, at least, but what about the kitchen?

He sighed "Ok, you can have hot water in the kitchen too."

That's much better but no cold water? It would be great to have some cold water. He lent over the piping in the corner once again exposing his bum crack which I believe is obligatory in his trade.

"Ok you can have cold and hot water in the kitchen but only hot water in the bathroom"

By this time I was so relieved that I'd have at least some water that I was practically, kissing his feet. Merci, merci mille fois monsieur vous êtes très gentil.

And that's how he left it. It was only afterwards that I realized how absurd it was to have to negotiate how much water I could or could not have. Aren't these things black and white to a plumber?

I'm still waiting for an explanation and for cold water in my bathroom.

Freelancing in Paris

Clock Boy
Originally uploaded by malias.

Paris is one of the most difficult places to be a freelancer. For once I'm not complaining about the absurd taxes and 'social charges' you have to pay here but rather the process of trying to find contracts in a country which is closed to business half the year.

We are now entering the vacances, Paris empties out, its inhabitants head South to the beaches, to their houses in the countryside or on a plane to some exotic destination. In July and especially August it's difficult enough to buy bread in the city let alone get someone to do work with you. Approach a business and the answer is always the same. Mr/Mme x is on holiday please come back at the rentrée (for those who don't know the rentrée is the first week of September and is considered the beginning of the year in France).

It gets worse. In May and June nobody wants to commit to new work because the holidays are just around the corner. In November and December it's coming up to Christmas so that's out of the question and in January nobody has any money because they've spent it over Christmas and New Year.

So according to my calcuations, you can only actually get work done in Paris for a few weeks between Febraury and April or in that other narrow window of opportunity between September and the end of October.

Make sure you're ready.

Cours d'anglais Paris

Mushroom etc
Originally uploaded by malias.

I hate to admit it but I quite like teaching English. After 15 years in the IT industry it comes as quite a refreshing change here in Paris. It wasn't always like that. I first taught English in Madrid after finishing university and it was quite stressful because in the UK we really learn very little grammar at school.

When my students asked me the difference between the present perfect and the present perfect continous I was non-plussed. How do you explain the difference between big and large? And what about between baggage and luggage? Gradually you pick things up. And once you do it's a great skill to have because you can work anywhere in the world.

My cours d'anglais Paris are mostly conversation classes so I'm usually just chatting with students.

But if you do have a grammar question, go ahead, ask. I'm ready.

If Eiffel In Love With You

If Eiffel In Love With You
Originally uploaded by malias.

I've been in Paris 4 years and I still haven't been up the Eiffel Tower. Last Saturday afternoon with time on my hand I wandered West to the Champ des Mars with half a mind of doing just that. However, when I say the queues which stretched around 100 metres beneath the base of the tower I soon put that plan to rest. Getting to the front of the queue would have taken something like 2 1/2 hours. And once at the top would it be worth it. After all, from the summit you can't see Paris's most famous monument - the Eiffel Tower itself. You're better of climbing the Montparnasse Tower.

I had my camera with me and I wondered whether it would be possible, in any way, to take an original photo of this, probably the most photographed monument in the world. The answer is, no, it isn't possible. At least not for me.

Le Vide Grenier

The Perfect Spot
Originally uploaded by malias.

The vide grenier or attic sale a popular pastime in Paris. In the UK these things tend to take place in fields and car parks and are called car boot sales but in Paris they sprawl along the high street for anything up to half a mile (very annoying if you just want to get from A to B).

In both places though the crap you find is pretty similar. An old Subbuteo set with several players without heads, a ceramic flamenco dancer that you got on a trip to the Costa del Sol in 1991, old videos, chipped mugs, smelly t-shirts, typewriters with keys that stick, computers from the last century that only run on the DOS operating system.

Yet people come in their droves they rummage and they buy. What is it that draws people to them? Is it is the prospect that amongst all that junk they might just might find a real treasure going for a song. I must admit if there is one in my neighbourhood in Paris I may pop down for a look. Though I still haven't found anything that's any good. But who knows.

Where there's muck there's brass.

Fete de la Musique Paris

place De Vosges
Originally uploaded by malias.

So today 21st June is the longest day. Make the most of this long summer evening because from now on it's a downward spiral to the dark, cold, wet winters just around the corner.

Here in Paris and elsewhere in France it is celebrated with the Fete de la musique a 24 hour music festival which takes place all over the city. The events are free and a great way to spend the day is to wonder around the city from place to place enjoying a taste of a wide range of music on offer. A timetable of events is available on the website.

Paris Outlaws Snacking

Walking along a Paris street the other day I spotted this.

At the bottom of this ad for a hamburger there is a government health reading which reads Pour votre santé, évitez de grignoter entre les repas. http://www.mangerbouger.fr/ Which translates as; Don't snack between meals it's bad for your health.

First they informed us that smoking was a killer, then they encouraged us to practise safe sex and drink less alcohol all with good reason. Now it's snacking. But perhaps this is a warning too far.

Does the French government really need to tell us when we can and can't eat a croisssant or a pain au chocolat? I realize that obesity is a serious problem but some things should be beyond the realm of state intereference. Surely it should be left to the parents and the schools to educate the young on how to eat properly. I can't see this having any positive effect at all.

And what will the next warning be about? "Take a shower at least 3 times a week or else you'll smell", "Watching reality TV will turn your brain to mush", "Mixing strips and checks is a bad fashion combination".

Let's wait and see.