Like Beer? Give Paris a shot.

After a short delay in my travel plans in which I had to skip over Amsterdam and Antwerp I flew into Paris. What to do? What to do? Luckily I was staying with a friend of a friend who happens to be a physicist and had a decent internet connection. So, after I get set up briefly I scour the web for some fun info on Paris.

First things first. No Eiffel Tower, no Louvre, no Notre Dame. In fact I saw all those things before when I was a teenager traveling around with my parents and sister. Fine and well, you can't totally miss all that if you're in central Paris. So, what did I search for? Of course. "Forgotten Neighborhoods of Paris." I also looked for lesser known neighborhoods, hidden gems, etc. I went around to most of the suggested neighborhoods, but what I thought was best was an article I found about a guy who'd toured Paris looking for good beer. Turns out, Parisians drink a LOT of beer. Like as much as coffee, tea, or wine. Basically, on every corner there is at least one Brasserie. In older days, a brasserie was ACTUALLY a brewery. Now, most of them function as cafes and beer bars. The selection isn't always that great, but most of the time there is really great food being served, excellent coffee, and of course french beer.

The nice thing about Paris, which everyone talks about, is the fact that lunch is not rushed. For me, the most enjoyable thing about being in Paris is going to a brasserie and sitting. Just sitting. There is no rush. Start with Ricard or Pernod. Have a small salad or a soup. Have a beer, a glass of wine, whatever you like. No rush whatsoever. I somehow think that if you rush through this sort of thing you'll end up spending most of your money much faster than you'd expected. For me... Salad, beer, and perhaps a little beef tartar if it's available. Perhaps another beer. I should also point out that beers in Paris are not served like beers in America or Germany of India. They are served in little 8 oz servings, half pints. I love the half pint!
Also, French beers are mostly belgian style blonde ales. It's a good thing. I do however, recommend that if you're going for beef tartar, go for a belgian style brown ale or a nice glass of red table wine. (Note, this means french table wine, not yellow tail...)

So, if you happen to find yourself in Paris, go sit at a brasserie and waste away the day talking to random people and watching folks skate,bike, and stroll in front of you. Have yourself a beer, have another, then walk with no rush to the next "item on your agenda" (If you're in such a rush as to have one).