sidewalk cafes

Wednesday, May 11, 2011: Paris

Our first item on the agenda was lunch. Since we were staying close to the business district and the touristy area (Champs-Elysees), it was challenging to find a local restaurant. We did try to look for an area that seemed to have a lot of local people. Since it was amazing weather, the sidewalk cafes were out in full force.

A few notes:

• They tend to seat chairs side by side facing the sidewalk, optimal for people watching. Very common.
• Everyone here speaks piece meal French. I tried my best to speak French, which I had not really spoken in almost 10 years (since high school). It came back pretty quickly, but my ability to understand the French was more difficult than speaking.

All our conversations started with me or Louis (having rehearsed with me) saying something like the following:

Me/Louis: Je voudrais le boeuf carpaccio, s’il vous plait.

Server: (says something French)

Me/Louis: Pardonnez-moi?

Server: (in Engish) Do you want something to drink?

Me/Louis: Oui, merci. Une limonade, s’il vous plait. 

Server: (something French)

Me/Louis: Pardonnez-moi?

Server: (English) Medium or large?

Me/Louis: Ah, medium. Merci.

Server: (something French)

Me/Louis: (not understanding, but nodding) Ah, oui. Merci beaucoup.

Everyone here has been extremely nice and gracious. I think they all appreciate our effort in speaking their language. We were appreciative that they still responded in French even though it was clear we would need an English translation shortly thereafter. Louis was a good sport about practicing French with me, even though he felt like he had as a large a language disconnect as he had had in Viet Nam.