Differences

A caption from an article in a free daily newspaper on the growth of use of kleenex:

'160 The number of tissues used per year by a French person compared to 1200 by an American.'

The slant of the article was protecting the environment and part of the concern with the growth of the use of tissues was that only 3 of the 7 largest manufacturers selling in Europe used recycled paper in their processes.

The Rhythm of French Life – A Periodic Installment: Sundays

Sundays here are for families and food, not commerce, a day to unwind. It’s like the city takes a deep breath and relaxes. You can hear the difference in the city – even on Sunday morning when there are lots of people out and about it’s quiet. Most of the people who are out are walking, practical since they can normally get everything they need in their neighborhood. Stores (just about everything commercial except some restaurants, cafes and bars; oh, and pharmacies – I haven’t figured out yet how or why they fit into this model) are generally closed on Sunday – if you want to shop at the supermarkets that’s only a Monday through Saturday option. However, in the tradition that you should/must shop for fresh food everyday, most things related to food are open on Sunday morning. The Sunday open-air markets are bustling. There, in addition to fresh fruits and vegetables you can buy fresh poultry, eggs, butter, cream, olives, nuts, meat and fish plus roast chicken with potatoes or other prepared dishes like paella (and you can buy just the amount you need – the precise weight of butter or cream you need or even just half of a roast chicken). And flowers. And wine. Add to the list of stores open the bakeries, the wine store, the florist, the news stand, all open until about 1 or 2 pm. After that, everything closes up, tbustle dies he down, you go home to Sunday dinner with your family and out for a stroll if the weather’s nice. Or maybe before you head home you stop at a cafe for a 'remontant' - a pick me up, maybe a glass of wine but more likely coffee (espresso most likely). So, now you’re on your own – cook what you have or eat out at a café that’s open! If you go out of town for the weekend and return in the afternoon or evening to a larder that’s bare, those are your options (if you didn’t stock up before you left!) except for the ‘alimentation’, the little hole in the wall store stocking water, a little fruit and some canned goods, open late, run mostly by Arab immigrants. You don’t have to actually starve, but having gone against the current the pickins are slim!