I recently spent a long weekend in Montparnasse - this was just a getaway and a chance to visit the Louvre again, which was serendipitous as they held a special event "Les Portes du Ciel" - 370 Egyptian works covering 5,000 years of history.
I lived and studied in Paris back in 1969 and knew the city very well - then. It has changed and for the better. It still has its great old world charm and style; but it seemed cleaner, more interesting and less odiferous. I admired the lads zooming down the boulevards at breakneck speed on their rollerblades - the strange motorcycles with two front wheels so at stops one may keep the feet up - the free public toilets on the streets - the free WiFi broadband internet in most bars, restaurants and hotels - the late night and early opening bars filled with friendly and humorous Parisians who didn't mind my awful French - the affordable and varied menus and drinks - and the Smart cars facing each other in one parking space. It's one of my favourite cities and I would live there again but for the African and Arab Muslims who are so uncouth and ubiquitous.
I would never dream to impose my culture on my host's the way I witnessed these impertinent African and Arab Muslims. They listened to other person's conversations in public places and stood up with indignation if they didn't approve of what was said, completely oblivious to the French tradition of openly discussing politics in cafés. One time an Arab approached me, unsolicited, after hearing my American accent and began pontificating on the things he approved and disapproved of in my country, completely oblivious to western politesse or etiquette.
Another custom I have noticed of Arab men is their very tactile ways with other Arabs, e.g. arms around another's waists, shoulders and necks. Ironically after every act of truculence with those whom they disapprove, they want to shake hands several times followed by the typical groping completely oblivious to western reserve among strangers.
In one instance, I saw a French couple try to calm down an irate African who after his rebuke on their conversation he overheard from his table, began the many hand shakes and groping. Relieved when he left the café, I asked the couple if this arrogance and importunate self righteous behaviour was typical of African and Arab Muslims in France and did they find it intimidating. "Oui, oui, oui, oui, oui".
Quel dommage.