Gauls in Rome

Once again, I have only 30 minutes on the hostel computer, so I dont have time to tell you what I've actually been up to, only time for a short story. Two, in fact.


FRENCH PEOPLE
are for the most part very, very sweet, if peculiar. But so far, this rule does not hold outside of France.

When the girls and I were in a massive line for the Colosseum on Monday, a French couple ended up behind me and Liana. RIGHT behind us. It was very crowded in the line, but not Disney World crowded, yet this couple insisted on pressing up against our backs, using our shoulders as tables for their maps, and, worst of, constantly constantly constantly kissed each other. It was really noisy, gross, and obnoxious, especially because they stood so close that I felt like I was part of the action, only they weren't paying me.

We kept griping about how gross it was, and tried to push back against them without being rude, but nothing worked. After 15 minutes of having this couple all over my back and in my ear, I turned around and snapped "S'il vous plait, un peu d'espace!!" (A little space, please!)

They were taken aback, because they had assumed we didn't understand them, and I was taken aback, too, because they were in their 40s or 50s, way too old not to know better.

The man tried to offer me some lame excuse like "hey, it's really crowded, is this your first time in a line?" But I responded "Vous faites ca depuis quelque minutes!"  (you've been doing that for some time!)

Even though they were complaining under their breath in French, they were embarrassed and drifted away from our group, thankfully. Ugh.

No time for the other story, I'm sorry! It's equally annoying, and I had to get gruff in French. French people, like Americans, should not assume that nobody knows their language.

Today is our shopping day in Rome! HOOORAY! I plan on buying one dress and 10 cannoli.