[Northern Monkey]

Here are some of the beautiful sights you might see

Youtube video

[DemolitionRed]

I'm just back from France and spent a week in Paris. Paris, like London, has more than one station. I believe Paris has six and the one that these immigrants are arriving at is Paris Gare du Lyon. What the French and other European countries have done is provide cheap overnight train tickets. That doesn't mean all these immigrants get into France; most are either returned or sent on to other destinations but because the tickets are cheap, there are less fatalities at sea. Its simply to discourage attempted boat crossings and loss of life.

Paris is as beautiful and vibrant as ever. Its a massive city with, like London, good parts and parts you wouldn't want to walk your dog.

We arrived home today and what we noticed in the UK (strange how you just get used to these things) is, poorly made and maintained roads full of potholes, rubbish strewn in the curbs and overflowing bins and just a generally tired and in need of a lick of paint London Paris felt so clean and looked after in comparison.

[Northern Monkey]

Originally Posted by DemolitionRed

I'm just back from France and spent a week in Paris. Paris, like London, has more than one station. I believe Paris has six and the one that these immigrants are arriving at is Paris Gare du Lyon. What the French and other European countries have done is provide cheap overnight train tickets. That doesn't mean all these immigrants get into France; most are either returned or sent on to other destinations but because the tickets are cheap, there are less fatalities at sea. Its simply to discourage attempted boat crossings and loss of life.

Paris is as beautiful and vibrant as ever. Its a massive city with, like London, good parts and parts you wouldn't want to walk your dog.

We arrived home today and what we noticed in the UK (strange how you just get used to these things) is, poorly made and maintained roads full of potholes, rubbish strewn in the curbs and overflowing bins and just a generally tired and in need of a lick of paint London Paris felt so clean and looked after in comparison.

I always find that with Greece,Well the islands anyway.The seafronts look ok but then go one street back and they're a ****hole.Crap everywhere and stray dogs.In comparison to Spain which i always find nice.
Nothing beats the outskirts of Cairo though for me for being rough.It's like hell.The potholes are like craters and tyres and **** everywhere

[DemolitionRed]

Originally Posted by Northern Monkey

I always find that with Greece,Well the islands anyway.The seafronts look ok but then go one street back and they're a ****hole.Crap everywhere and stray dogs.In comparison to Spain which i always find nice.
Nothing beats the outskirts of Cairo though for me for being rough.It's like hell.The potholes are like craters and tyres and **** everywhere

I laughed about Cairo. My one firm memory of that city is a taxi ride from a driver smoking a crack pipe. Yep, Cairo is pretty bad outside of the tourist destinations but then the Egyptians tend to be either very wealthy or very poor.

France has got fantastic roads and I love the animal bridges they build over the autoroutes. They grow shrubs and even trees inside these bridges so they feel like natural paths. (They do shoot all the wild animals at shooting season though )

What's interesting in France is, the outside of a house, especially a historic one, doesn't really matter to the owner. They can look quite ramshackled but inside they will be beautifully kept. I had an American friend come and stay with us once and she made this comment about "lack of curb appeal". I told her that, Parisians aside, the French don't try and impress with material wealth and that's why you see so many old battered cars too. I kind of like that. The English in me wants to show off a little but the French in me tells me it doesn't matter what others think providing I and my family are happy.

[Northern Monkey]

Youtube video

[DemolitionRed]

All she had to do was go out and find two people who agreed with her. She could of come on here and found two people that agreed with her!

Paris has problems just like London has problems but from what I've seen in both cities, it aint getting worse.

[user104658]

Originally Posted by Northern Monkey

Youtube video

Actual quote:

"In some areas they all speak French but, no matter where you go there... you can't find any wine or pork!! So it's not France any more "

... Well doesn't that just sum up some people's grievances .