Reflections Upon A Trip to France

1) The various rules and bureaucracy related to COVID in different countries, airlines, etc makes travel considerably more stressful and annoying

2) Coach seats for international travel feel a lot less comfortable than they used to.

3) American Pickle is an excellent movie. Full stop.

4) The Paris subway is not a very pleasant place to be these days.

5) The last time I was in France 20+ years ago, it was pretty common to feel an anti-American vibe out on the streets. This time, there was none of that. Perhaps because I spent most my time in Normandy versus Paris. Perhaps because I was there for an American film festival. But I think the true reason is that European anti-Americanism was always a bit petty and in the wake of COVID, the oppressive nature of social media, and all the political and social tensions in the Western world, the French have bigger things to concern themselves with than old fashioned anti-Americanism.

6) Do not order steak in Normandy near the coast, but rather the seafood.

7) Eat the butter and bread at every opportunity. 

8) Seeing a film you helped create on the second biggest screen in France with an adventurous film festival audience is a unique experience I will always be grateful for. 

9) Pig is a pretty good movie. Maybe a very good one.

10) When on the beach in Normandy in the AM, sunbathers face away from the water, which is surreal for someone from California. Do they do this to face the sun? I don't totally understand.

11) On casual observation, there were a lot of mother-daughters hanging out together in Normandy. I have no idea why.

12) Paris feels incredibly multi-cultural whereas Normandy feels very "French."

13) The French seem to adore Johnny Depp.

14) They still smoke in France.

15) You get COVID tested in pharmacies

16) The best casual food to try is salami from a deli where they slice it for you. Ask them what to try. They do something different with the cured meats in France and Europe in general and it is much better than even the best stuff you get in America. 

17) In contrast, the coffee you can now get in the US rather easily (Philz, Equator, etc) is better than the espresso (cafe) you get in France.

18) I did not have the urge to turn on the TV the entire time I was there. I watched films on the plane and in the cinema.

19) City of Lies was not a good film.

20) One of the best lines someone said to me was "even the decent looking women in France are hot."

21) Train service from Paris to Deauville is comfortable and pleasant.

22) In St. Germain at night, you cannot tell there is a pandemic from the street other than showing your vaccine card to eat/drink.

23) The hosts and hostesses aren't looking very hard when they check your vaccine card. A piece of cardboard with two dates written on lines would probably pass.

24) On the air flight home, one passenger refused to wear a mask and caused a lot stress for the flight attendants. 

25) Overheard at LAX shuttle to Uber: "it used to be easier to just hail a taxi." I agree.