Parislog 83
December 6, 2006

I continue to be stunned by the micro size of the elevators in the apartment buildings. I know it is because they were retrofitted into buildings built before the thought of an elevator had crossed anyone’s mind. So in fact, one has to give credit for the fact that it was managed at all. I took a photo of my elevator to give you an idea of what I am talking about. It was really hard to do because it is so small. I threw my keys onto the floor so that you could get perspective. I have actually been in an elevator that is even smaller than mine where really one person is all that it will comfortably hold even though it is marked as for 2. Mine elevator is registered for three people.
We have a couple of old-fashioned Christmas markets in town. Apparently this custom comes from the Alsace region near the Alps and has been slowly expanding out into the rest of the country. It is a rather lovely custom though, so I am glad to see it. It is a street market that holds many booths of original items for gifts rather than items made by big businesses. Of course, the more industrial items have found their ways into this venue anyway. For example, I saw a booth of the same cheap jewelry made in China that one can find in all the cheap good shops on all shopping streets.

Parislog 82
December 5, 2006

I forgot to put in the previous log a little additional info on the levels of relationship contracts. With the PACS and concubinage you don’t have to be of the opposite sex. These two contracts are for anyone and the PACS is used often by gay couples. It is a nice option considering this is a predominately Catholic country and there is a chance in never that the Pope is going to okay gay marriages.
I want to scream out to all the women out there that wear writing on their butts that it is not a good look unless you have unusually long legs. This woman who was walking in front of me on the street made herself look like she had Charlie Brown sized legs. She shortened them with boots and then shortened the line even more with the writing across her hiney. Then she also added a hip length coat to shorten the legs even more. Just quit it!