Quote:
Originally posted by Aurel
I beleive the americans hate the french just because they are jealous: they do not know how to cook correctly, have a crapy culture, no class, no castles, no history, wine with plastic caps, fat wives and the dumbest president on earth. It is a terrible complex of inferiority that brut military force or billions of dollars can do nothing about.
Now, flame on, people 
Aurel 
|
An attempt at a little humor Aurel? Since you live in the U.S. I'll take your word on that it was totally tongue/cheek. I've been to France many times and lived in Europe for a year in the 80's and I can say that your comments are pretty close to the real setiment there. The sad thing about France is that they are universally unliked even by their neighbors. Our host Wayne commented about his less than pleasant visit to France and I have to say he has a point. After 5 trips to Paris I will no longer subject myself to the hassles that come with visiting that city. In Paris and most larger French cities the people are agressively rude and obnoxious, the celebrated food is below typical American standards (unless you want to drop $200+ on dinner, its plain flat out filthy as are the personal hygiene habits of its populous, and the street population (homeless and/or beggers) rule the public transport systems.
France has some real strengths however. The Normandy coast, Chomonix, Bordeaux and Cote-Du-Rhones are real jewels. Regardless of what you hear about wine, for super premium wine (first growth Bordeaux and Burgundy) California wineries still play second fiddle to the best France has to offer. However everyday wine ($30/bottle or less) California is king. The food in France is expensive and inferior to what you can find in the U.S. Sure we have some real ketchup lovers here but predominantly Americans eat better (quality and ...unfortunately quantity) than the typical French person.
I guess the comment that most offends me is the "crappy culture" comment. The U.S. represents a "melting pot" of the best the world has to offer. Positive cultural habits get picked up and integrated into society, less attractive ones fall to the wayside.