Parlez vous francaise?

We went to see Forever Plaid this past weekend. It was a nice production...we enjoyed it, but I'm afraid seeing Jersey Boys kinda spoiled us. This was a dinner theatre production.

While we were chatting waiting for the show to start, we got on the subject of travel. Our friend said he and his wife (who was traveling on business) were considering going to Paris for their 25th wedding anniversary. I asked if they had been there before. He said, "Yes," and proceeded to give some tips that I thought would be useful if you were planning your first trip there.

He said there are only three fundamental things you should know in order to not fall into the "French people are so rude" trap. When you greet someone, whether it's in a retail store or on the street, you say, "Bonjour." Not "Hello." Not, "Hi." You say, "Bonjour." Then you can speak English all you want, but it's a polite acknowledgment that will go far.

Secondly, a common mistake is to call waiters "Garcon," which means "Boy." It's considered an insult. "Monsieur" is the proper address. They might even throw in an extra croissant.

Thirdly, don't expect waiters to hover over you or hurry you along after you've finished your
last bite like they might do here. You need to signal for them to come over to your table if you want a coffee refill or other service. The table is yours until you decide it's time to leave. (Isn't that refreshing?)

We haven't made it there yet, but several people I've talked with lately who have visited Paris loved it and are anxious to return. Maybe they talked to Tom before they went too.