Street scenes

And now for a few things you may not see very often in the USA.

Paris has two water systems. A regular tap water system and second river water system for street cleaning. A man in a green uniform with a push cart and broom also has a special wrench to hose out the gutters.

Besides street flushing and hand sweeping here is a more high tech method for sidewalk cleaning.

Looking for a free public restroom? They are almost always in sight. You may wait awhile at popular corners, since the restroom goes through a complete cleaning cycle after each use. A recorded voice provides instructions once inside. In French of course. De Anne was reprimanded (or at least the voice spoke sternly to her in French) when she tried to flush. She surmised that was not her job. 

Need a car for an hour? Swipe your credit card, unplug, and go. Just like bicycles, you return at any other car kiosk.

Now De Anne and I disagree on cause and effect on this next issue. Many French men are skinny. De Anne thinks it is because of the lack of elevators in most buildings. She thinks all the walking and especially the stair climbing keeps them trim. I disagree - propounding the theory that the fat men die of heart attack climbing stairs leaving only the thin ones around. I am guessing in your 20's you rent cheap on the 5th or 6th floor and as you age you strive for an apartment closer to the ground. In Paris the 1st floor is the ground floor and used for retail shop and cafes. We are in a first floor flat that is, in American terms, on the second floor.

When you move from a flat on the upper floors here is what you hire to move. 

The French did away with trash cans many years ago because terrorists planted bombs in them. Now steel hoops with see-through bags are maintained by the men in green. Huge recycle bins allow one can at a time to be deposited.

Finally, if you need some gas (and have enough money) this is the gas station. Two pumps on the sidewalk.