I love Paris.
We enjoy the out of the way museums, the food, we love the hotel we frequent, and the Catholic shrines and Churches are wonderful.
I love to shop for clothes in Paris, and we love to go to Monoprix.
the Parisians are neither nice nor not nice, I don’t expert them to act like museum representatives. They have lives, why must I expect them to treat me in any particular way?
I do know Americans expect people to treat them in a particular way if they throw money at them.
They don’t do that in France.
If there’s an obnoxious American turning up their nose at the local cuisine, they might sit for a bery long time and then not get served.
I’ve seen that.
But, I was taught, as an American, not to turn my nose up at food.
The French hat that, and they don’t take being paid (bribery) as a make up gesture.
Sure, there is plenty of anti-Americanism among French intellectuals (or wanna-be intellectuals), but no more so than any other European country. And I certainly don't begrudge them for realizing that occupying Iraq may not be the best strategic move for stability in the Middle East.
Yes, France's surrender to Germany after a mere 3 weeks in WWII was pathetic, but what about the fact that during WWI, France lost more soldiers at Verdun than the US lost during the entire war? Or the fact that a French General almost conquered all of Europe in the early 20th century, or France's instrumental role in the founding of the United States?
More importantly, I would also add that the French are light years ahead of other Europeans when it comes to political opposition to uncontrolled Third World immigration, Islamization, and multiculturalism. They still have a long way to go, but a movement like Le Pen's would have much less traction in the UK and zero traction in Germany.