This and That, Through the Rear View Mirror

While we're traveling, we often think of things to mention in the blog that either don't fit in a particular day's narrative, or that we just forget when it comes time to write at the end of the day.  Some are generalizations, some strike us as oddities, and others just observations of cultural differences or characteristics.  Here, then, is our mixed bag of random end-of-the-journey thoughts.

At the Eiffel Tower

At the start of our trip, we noticed a number of Japanese tourists using a gadget we'd never encountered before, the selfie stick.  These extension poles have a bracket on one end to secure a phone and, using either a manual button on the handle or a Bluetooth signal, the photographer/subject snaps a photo.  By the time we reached Paris, we were seeing these monopods everywhere, though we're not sure how many users managed to get shots that didn't include the stick itself.

Unlike the norm in several European countries, cathedrals in France do not charge an entry fee for visitors.  This is due to a 1905 law establishing the separation of church and state, but giving the state ownership of church buildings while guaranteeing free access to worship.  Interestingly (to us), just in the last week the French Cultural Ministry (without informing the Church) has begun considering instituting entry fees.  The Bishops are not amused...

Parking meters in towns in Brittany and Normandy are free between noon and 2:00 pm, so that everyone can just chill and enjoy lunch.

It seems that town in Brittany and Normandy has memorials to its sons "Morts pour la France" during both World Wars.  In addition, there are many plaques in churches and other public places honoring the British and American allies who lost their lives in France.

Lots of public libraries in France are now known as "mediatheques", rather than bibliotheques; it's all about marketing.

In Belgium and The Netherlands, it's water, water, everywhere.  Bikes, too.  And windmills, old-school and modern.  In rural France, as well, we saw lots of evidence that they're taking wind power seriously.

In Paris, we were twice targeted by potential pickpockets or related scammers.  A "gold" ring mysteriously appears on the ground near our feet, and a "helpful" native retrieves it, asking if we'd lost it.  Things never got any further, as we'd known about this particular ploy, but it's easy to see how you could become distracted, engaged in conversation, or whatever was intended.

Among the many charms of Paris are the small street corner carousels found throughout the city.

And, last but not least, we encountered some interesting comparative rest room practices.  If this is not something you care to consider, this would be a good place to stop reading!

• In Brittany and Normandy, there were lots of free public rest rooms.  This fact did not prevent men from relieving themselves pretty much anywhere en plein air, as long as they turned their backs to most bystanders. 
• In Belgium, we found both free and pay rest rooms, as well as signage admonishing the populace not to pee in the streets of Ghent!
  
• In Amsterdam, while public rest rooms charged a fee, there were outdoor, screened (barely) urinals on street corners.
  
• And, in Paris, we found both pay toilets and free, street-corner kiosks that automatically flush and clean after each patron.

We're not sure what any of this says about anything (other than our own unusual interest), we don't know, but there you have it.  

Display window at high fashion store

And with that, we bid a fond adieu to Road Trip, October 2014.  See you next time.