It's not for my own sake that I complain about the heat. It's out of concern for poor Mirth, here. I came home from work last night and found her exactly as I left her, panting before the fan in our 6th floor apartment.
I protested much while in the US about the constant air conditioning, especially while watching An Inconvenient Truth. But the absence of climatisation in Paris really does have a way or reorganizing one's life.
La Page Francaise has a nice little list of beat-the-heat strategies to check out. Readers over 18 may also want to check out this vintage nugget from Gone Feral. Here are my own adaptations to the canicule:
1) No eating! Or at least noting sauced or sautéed. For days the only things that have passed my lips include fruit, cheese, bread and salad. Oh, and chocolate. From the fridge. With ice cream.
2) No drinking! Alcohol dehydrates, and I already feel pleasantly lightheaded from the heat.
3) No touching! Or at least not after 7 am.
4) No working! My office, like many, is without air conditioning. We show up early, make an effort until noon, lie listless in a pool of sweat for several hours, and then go home early.
4) No RATP! The second worst place on earth to be during this heat is on a Paris bus. The first, without question, is on the dank and airless subway. Solution: on your feet, soldier! Alternately: bike riding is the best and only way to catch a breeze in this town, and it's damn fun.
In conclusion, french people are skinny and have more vacation than you because it's hot. So turn off that a/c, America, and get ready for greatness!
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Chaud 'nuff
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
Cute cute dog!
Your list is great as well. I realized after I posted I should have mentioned avoid the subway as well. What a sauna that place is at the moment
awwww...Mirth. Are you sure about the no drinking thing? Or perhaps there is no...how do you say...cans of Schlitz? in France.
"turn off that a/c"
It has an "off" button?
Post a Comment