Oo-La-La

Rose, our guide to get back to the airport was quite a joy. We knew that we were in for a treat when one brother asked her to turn up the air conditioner, she started blowing on him (think: woman in labor rapid breathing) and then she got out her oriental fan and worked hard to cool him off.

She told us that the French police are constipated.  Making a lot of rules that limit activity at the airport. Which meant that our driver would not get us very close to where we needed to go. Which also meant that we would have to juggle our bags until we finally made it to the gate.  Only to learn that our flight was delayed an hour and we could not check in for another 2 hours. 

Death & Taxes

Ladies of leisure are taxed - public relations service.  Rose pays a widower tax even though she has never been married.  It was designed to care for women after the husband who served in army was killed in the war.  Yet she still has to pay the tax.  She said it makes you want to die before you have lived.

Living in Paris

Min wage: 1,200 - 1,400 euro/month

600 euros for 2 room 40 sq meter apartment

Govt housing = 1/3 of salary

Drunken babies

Older generation puts a few drops of wine in baby's bottle like a syrup to get them used to the taste. Legal to drink wine at 16 yrs of age. Unfortunately, binge drinking is a big problem now. 

Chou-Chou

It has been fun to learn a bit of the French language.  We have had a crash course of sorts.  And today was no exception. Rose explained that although you translate cabbage 'Chou", there is also a sweet pastry called the Chou Chou.  Don't you love words with double meanings?  So when you hear April and I calling out "Chou chou" when we get home, please remind Anthony and Stacy of their new nicknames.

Au revoir Paris. Tallinn, Estonia here we come - eventually 😘.