Before coming to Paris i was subjected to a flurry of comments, stories, and theories on what we should expect from those who resided in the city of lights. We arrived on the train at 9:30 in the morning (30 minutes late from the original ETA) and hit the ground running. Everything is different in paris and over the last few days i have come up with some observations and opinions about being in the city as a whole.

1. Observation #1:Parisians aren't rude. If there is any one thing that i have heard way too much of in the preparation for this trip, it has been that parisians are the rudest people on the face of the earth. THEY ARE NOT. Saying that parisians are rude to only americans has about as much validity as saying New Yorkers, Bostonians, and Los Angelites are rude to only foreigners... No.No.No. Parisians are rude towards everybody. Why? because Paris is an enormous city where there are jillions of people. To be honest, if parisians were nice whilst at the same time dealing with filthy streets, crazed drivers, and overpriced cost of living, we would all be saying that there was something in the water. But if you go to any of the american cities mentioned above, the same thing applies. People get pissy because they are being paid above average wages, to only live a below average lifestyle. City life sucks to be frank, so parisians arent rude, they are just city goers that speak another language.
2. Observation #2:Paris is dirty. Well no shit its dirty. Similar to the first observation, when you are trying to service one of the largest cosmopolitan populations on the face of the planet, stuff is gonna get dirty and unfortunately there is no way to effectively clean one pile of garbage without another pile of paper, cans, bottles, apple cores and feces magically reappearing a place that was cleaned 20 minutes before hand. its just how it is... If you cannot handle the trash, you might as well rule out every large city that you have ever wanted to go to on the face of the earth.
3. Observation #3:Parisian shopping is the best in the world. Let me clear things up: PARISIAN SHOPPING IS THE BEST IN THE WORLD*.
4. Observation #3.5: Note the asterisk... It is expensive.
5. Observation #3.75: By expensive, i mean, there are no price tags on half of the things you find, and on the other half the price tag is hidden, which means that most likely you can't afford it... or will be eating spam for the rest of the month. This also leads me into my next point. Things are over priced. DO NOT BUY ANYTHING IN PARIS THAT YOU CAN BUY IN THE STATES!! I looked at a pair of 7 Jeans at a department store, and they were going for 250 Euros... but in the states i could pay 115 DOLLARS. If you decide to embark on some small indulgences... which i DO suggest, make sure you purchase something you will not find in the states, its makes you hate yourself less that you spent way to much on the product in the first place.
6. Observation #4: Parisians dont speak english... Bring a friend... hell, bring 3 friends. So that you have other people to talk to. Also it helps for when you get to the club so that you dont look like the sketchy guy in the corner drinking the mojitos and bobbing severely off beat to the rhythm of songs and periodically screaming "Yeaaahhh!"... but parisians will not speak english to you... they will not TRY to speak english to you... and do you blame them? no! why? because when you are nice and comfortable at home, and a foreigner tries to speak to you in their language, you dont understand them! and why should you? you're at home right? the same principle applies.
7. Observation #5: If you decide to go to the club... be prepared to pay a low cover charge... but lose your left arm on the drinks.
8. Observation #6: If you are going to paris for the girls, save your money... or go to barcelona. The girls ain't all that... If you're going for the guys... i'm not gay but, they all for the most part, smell like my armpit. Go to barcelona.
9. Observation #7: If you are going to paris for the nightlife... save your money. As i said in my 5th observation, the cover is cheap which is the draw... but the drinks will have you carried out in a body bag.
10. Observation #7.5: Also, if you do choose to pay for drinks... dont try to order a Long island iced tea or any martini that isnt white or red because you will get stared at as if you came from mars...
11. Observation #8: If you are going to the louvre (possibly one of the best things that has happened to me in a while) go on a weekday... That is, if you dont like long lines. Everybody that i have come across has said that they have waited hours trying to get in. Well... OF COURSE you're going to wait for hours trying to get into the louvre. Its possibly the single greatest museum on the face of the earth... seriously. So why would you go on a Friday, saturday, or sunday. go on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday... and go anywhere from 9:30 (opening time) to 11:00... Dont bring bags because the line for the bags is what takes forever in some cases.
12. Observation #8.5:When you get in... whether you come on a thursday, or 12:00 on a saturday... You wont be able to see everything. Its just too damn big. So when you go into some of the halls and corridors, make sure your head is on a swivel. Take it ALL in. You'll be glad you did... and be sure to see the mona lisa. No matter the wait. For some, its not that big of a deal, but if you really enjoy art it will give you chills.
13. Observation #9: You will see Parisians rolling their own cigarettes... yes, they like smoking THAT MUCH. No matter where you are, whether you're on the train, or at a cafe... ITS NOT POT. no matter what you think....
14. Observation #9.5:But in the occasion that it is pot... there really is not suitable response for if it is pot because there are so many things you can do... So use your own discretion.
15. Observation #10: If you dont take pictures... you're an idiot. So yeah, alright, Paris has its flaws and its benefits... I have spent some time revealing and debunking a lot of truisms in this post, however, it is still going to be one of the greatest places you will ever go to. If you dont take pictures, you arent really doing anybody at home very much justice. Paris is THAT different from everywhere else where you actually want to take pictures. Whether it is the people, the food, or the architecture... there is plenty about the city worth remembering and unfortunately i couldnt see it all. And I can say that i will not completely miss it because I have taken enough photographs of what it is I wanted to remember and what it is I want friends and family to envision.

That's it... tomorrow we head to britain, and then we head home on thursday. I cannot wait to see you guys. It has been fun.

-Cliff