French reserve - no, it's not a wine

Sunday February 13, 2011 Day 228


There is no sign of the tulips yet. I did expect to see them, but I could hope! It has been more than a week.

We Skyped with Alicia this afternoon. She was getting ready to go to Seed & Feed band practice, but we had a nice half-hour chat nevertheless.

We went for a walk later. One of the things I have noticed about France is that, as strangers, they are closed to us. In the U.S., I could walk along the street, smile and say “hello” or “good morning” to total strangers. Many would generally return my smile and nod or return a greeting. Not in France. First, most people do not meet my eyes on the street, and those who do quickly avert them. If I smile at someone in the street, he or she does not return my smile. There is little or no bonhomie among strangers, not even those who share a situation, such as standing in line or waiting at the airport, or traveling in an airplane or on a train. I miss that easy camaraderie