Most Europeans’ View of USA

Originally posted by Palynka
London is also fabulous, but that doesn't make Paris "boring". If you were looking for stuff in places like the Champs Elysées then you were in the wrong place.

I found the dodgy bars around Place Clichy the most entertaining for my tastes. Then again I'm a voyeur.

One place that really blew me away in terms of street life was Barcelona. The barrios away from the beaten track at least.

Originally posted by Wheely
Any particular reason why they should speak English?

Yes it is the language of the business world and the internet.

Eventually it will become the language that the world speaks.

The French are particularly stupid in their silly attempts to prevent the spread of English.

In pretty much the same way that the anglo saxon world has prevented the vastly superior metric system to be used.

Originally posted by Palynka
I live in Paris, I know what I'm talking about.

London is also fabulous, but that doesn't make Paris "boring". If you were looking for stuff in places like the Champs Elysées then you were in the wrong place.

Paris has all that you mention is great in other cities, why should it be then "boring" and "uninspiring"? Your opinion only means one of two thi ...[text shortened]... going with the trend (among some circles) of bashing Paris because of its popularity.

Look, sorry, I have visited many cities and Paris stood out, for me, as quite boring. It may be that I didn't know where to look but in other cities I found the good bits and had a blast (particularly Istanbul and Amsterdam). I travelled all over Paris by the way, well as far as the Metro took me at least.

Aren't I allowed to have an opinion?

P.S: You have given me two choices. Either I didn't look hard enough for the good bits or I am being trendy. You don't allow me the choice of "I didn't like it there". What's your problem?

Originally posted by petrosianpupil
Yes it is the language of the business world and the internet.

Eventually it will become the language that the world speaks.

The French are particularly stupid in their silly attempts to prevent the spread of English.

In pretty much the same way that the anglo saxon world has prevented the vastly superior metric system to be used.

Were you ordering your coissant over the internet or having a business meeting on the Metro? I see no reason why anybody should speak my language when I'm in their country.

I for one hope that English never becomes "the language the world speaks" and admire the French for sticking up for their history and culture.

Edit: by the way, most of the "anglo-saxon" world has finally realised that the metric system is better. The UK is slowly moving over to it now. When will the US start do you think?

Originally posted by Wheely
Look, sorry, I have visited many cities and Paris stood out, for me, as quite boring. It may be that I didn't know where to look but in other cities I found the good bits and had a blast (particularly Istanbul and Amsterdam). I travelled all over Paris by the way, well as far as the Metro took me at least.

Aren't I allowed to have an opinion?

P.S: Y ...[text shortened]... rendy. You don't allow me the choice of "I didn't like it there". What's your problem?

Opinions are like a§§holes, everybody's got one.

I was just pointing out your blatant hypocrisy for saying that Paris is "uninspiring" and "boring" because it has just the things that other cities you like have. Yes, and I also love Istanbul, Rome, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Madrid, and London. All different, by the way, and all great.

And by your comment "I have visited many cities", I hope you're not trying to make an appeal to authority.

Originally posted by agryson
Hah, doubt it. It's true that the French, on first impressions appear snobbish, I found the same when I first arrived, but what has to be realised is that you were first of all in Paris, which is not a decent comparison, the Parisians are a completely differetn culture to the majority of French. Secondly, what is at first interpreted as snobberey is not in f ...[text shortened]... n.

Edit: The majority of this post is aimed at Whodey in fact. Sorry, clicked wrong.

Interestingly enough, two years ago the top US ambassador to France didn't speak French.

It's a hoot, I tells ya!

Originally posted by Wheely
Look, sorry, I have visited many cities and Paris stood out, for me, as quite boring. It may be that I didn't know where to look but in other cities I found the good bits and had a blast (particularly Istanbul and Amsterdam). I travelled all over Paris by the way, well as far as the Metro took me at least.

Aren't I allowed to have an opinion?

P.S: Y ...[text shortened]... rendy. You don't allow me the choice of "I didn't like it there". What's your problem?

Paris boring?

Sweet Jesus.

Just sipping a glass of wine in the Latin Quarter is reason enough to go to Paris.

Originally posted by Wheely
Were you ordering your coissant over the internet or having a business meeting on the Metro? I see no reason why anybody should speak my language when I'm in their country.

I for one hope that English never becomes "the language the world speaks" and admire the French for sticking up for their history and culture.

Edit: by the way, most of the "anglo- ...[text shortened]... m is better. The UK is slowly moving over to it now. When will the US start do you think?

Certainly the metric is better as an international system of measurement than any other yet devised. Funnily enough the USA had such a system for their currency long before the UK adopted it, but the former still sticks to 'rods, poles, and perches' for other measures.
On the other hand English is superior to most other languages (French for example) as an international means of communication since it has a much richer vocabulary.

Originally posted by Wheely
Were you ordering your coissant over the internet or having a business meeting on the Metro? I see no reason why anybody should speak my language when I'm in their country.

I for one hope that English never becomes "the language the world speaks" and admire the French for sticking up for their history and culture.

Edit: by the way, most of the "anglo- ...[text shortened]... m is better. The UK is slowly moving over to it now. When will the US start do you think?

I see your point but I don't agree with it.

If you do not want Paris to be a truly international city, only then do you have a point. English speaking restaurant/hotel staff are at a premium in many of the great cities of the world.

I think that you miss the point when you say that you don't expect people to speak French when you are in their Country.

It may upset the strong anti anglo saxon feelings amongst many French, but English is by far the most popular second language in the world.

A common language is a wonderful thing. The use of Latin as the written language of the european scientific community was a huge tool that enabled the flow of ideas.

Sadly you are very correct to point out the time scale for the US to accept metric is certainly going to be long. Even here our stupid tabloids make a hero out of "metric martyrs" who stick to our stupid imperial measurements.

Originally posted by Palynka
Opinions are like a§§holes, everybody's got one.

I was just pointing out your blatant hypocrisy for saying that Paris is "uninspiring" and "boring" because it has just the things that other cities you like have. Yes, and I also love Istanbul, Rome, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Madrid, and London. All different, by the way, and all great.

And by your co ...[text shortened]... t "I have visited many cities", I hope you're not trying to make an appeal to authority.

It's hypocrisy if, in my opinion, Paris is dull and uninspiring.

So, you're right and I'm wrong about my own opinion. Do you have a financial interest in the Paris tourist industry?

I started the sentence with "I have visited many cities" because "and I didn't have a problem finding the good bits in them" wouldn't have made any sense.

You're using the word hypocrisy incorrectly anyway. It is not hypocritical to like a banana but not an orange.

I didn't know I wasn't allowed to dislike Paris.

Originally posted by shavixmir
Paris boring?

Sweet Jesus.

Just sipping a glass of wine in the Latin Quarter is reason enough to go to Paris.

In my experience, yes

I tried it twice though.

Originally posted by Cartan
Certainly the metric is better as an international system of measurement than any other yet devised. Funnily enough the USA had such a system for their currency long before the UK adopted it, but the former still sticks to 'rods, poles, and perches' for other measures.
On the other hand English is superior to most other languages (French for example) as an international means of communication since it has a much richer vocabulary.

There's a fair argument to be made for English being a bad international language for exactly the same reason. It is so huge that it is very easy to say exactly the opposite of what you meant unless you know it rather well.

Originally posted by Wheely
It's hypocrisy if, in my opinion, Paris is dull and uninspiring.

So, you're right and I'm wrong about my own opinion. Do you have a financial interest in the Paris tourist industry?

I started the sentence with "I have visited many cities" because "and I didn't have a problem finding the good bits in them" wouldn't have made any sense.

You're using ...[text shortened]... ike a banana but not an orange.

I didn't know I wasn't allowed to dislike Paris.

What part of this sentence did you fail to understand:

I was just pointing out your blatant hypocrisy for saying that Paris is "uninspiring" and "boring" because it has just the things that other cities you like have.

Originally posted by Palynka
What part of this sentence did you fail to understand:

I was just pointing out your blatant hypocrisy for saying that Paris is "uninspiring" and "boring" [b]because it has just the things that other cities you like have.[/b]

That isn't hypocrisy either even if you were quoting me correctly. That would be stupidity not hypocrisy. Fortunately, I didn't say that. In fact, I said other places had more and more varied versions of the things Paris says it has.

Jeez, I don't really care about it and I'm really sorry you feel offended that someone doesn't like the city you live in. You go ahead an enjoy it and let me have the experiences I had with it.

Perhaps one day I'll go back and realise that Paris is indeed the best city in the world and condemn anybody who doesn't understand that as just trying to be trendy and a hypocrite. Until that times comes I'll just have continue to find it pretty in parts but rather dull. It's only my opinion.

EDIT: If it's any consolation, I think Oslo is duller.