I'm back like a migraine headache ready to irritate the hell out of you. I had the best vacation any American could hope for. I'm convinced that every person in France has at least half of the year off and the other half they pretend to work. I didn't have to travel all over the place and see a bunch of crap I don't really care about this time and it made for a much better experience. I got to relax outside in the sun and eat and drink like a fat guy at a buffet.
I couple of things that really stood out this time around in France were:
1. Television in Europe is much better than here in the States.
There aren't as many commercials and there's nudity! Although I didn't notice as many naked chicks this time around I did get to see Victoria Silvstedt do a much better job than Vanna White on the French version of Wheel of Fortune. You actually watch the show when there's someone that hot.
2. Watching the Champions League in prime time is better than the Super Bowl.
Obviously it's much bigger in Europe and seeing it at 8:00 at night is much better then watching it at 11:00 in the morning online here in the States (or recorded on my DVR). Everybody is off work and the atmosphere is kind of like the Super Bowl only better (maybe it was the champagne or the 2 bottles of wine). I got to watch most of the matches with my wife's cousins, who play at the amateur level and know how to keep the wine flowing. The first leg of the Bayern Munich-AC Milan match-up was some of the best soccer I have ever seen. That was one of the best things I have seen in sports in a long time.
Highlight: My boys (Manchester United) humiliating AC Roma (7-1) in a Quarter Final match. C. Ronaldo is untouchable right now.
3. Wine and lots of time off are the secrets to a longer life
My wife's parents threw a party for us while we were there and I got to meet more of my wife's older relatives. Once again the wine and champagne were flowing and I ended up having a conversation with an 93 year old lady (in French). She was completely coherent and was willing to let me in on her secret for living so long and looking at least 20 years younger than she was. She told me that she eats well all of the time and drinks one glass of wine with lunch and dinner. She also stays away from "stress". When she use to work she had 10 weeks off a year and enjoyed visiting some of her family in the States on vacation.
It was one of those nights that made me realize that I needed to make a change in my life. I haven't yet, but at least I'm more aware of it now. My wife is still in France with my kids and it will give me some more time to plan what we are going to do. Whether that means moving to France or finding another place to move to, I need to go somewhere that I'm not as stressed out so often.
Additional Notes:
Youth Soccer is for fun and not made to be a competitive thing. Kids don't compete in competitive soccer until they are 11 in most of France. I think it's a much better idea, not because of the kids but the parents. Parents tend to want to push their kids to be the best and in doing so burn them out early.
The French Rugby Team wear pink jerseys, but kick ass during the game.
There is more yogurt in a French super market then dudes in a strip club.
All in all I had a really good time on vacation and can't wait till I retire and move to France so I can eat and drink and not be stressed out.
