I have lived in Paris or near Paris for 3 years!! I am not religious but the old churches and cathedrals are awesome.
I also liked old bookstores. Sadly because of my job I didn’t have much spare time left for reading but I always enjoyed visiting those bookstores…
Back in spring 1988 I was there and I was in their metro and some Cubans were singing this song in the metro, I thought it was nice … it is somehow funny how the world goes, then 12 years after I was in Key West 90 miles from Cuba …
1 Like
Yes it’s a small world…
Do you remember the subway station called “Châtelet” ? There was a certain place in the maze of tunnels, where orchestras used to give performances for the passers by. Sometimes it would be a rock band, sometimes a classical orchestra, or even tribal music… It was always a pleasure to stop for 5 minutes and listen to their music…
The way I see this Putin thing is that he loves when people like him in the news, he likes to be popular, in addition he reflects people well, but in the end what good has he done for many people in the world, nothing good, and that is why I am not a fan of Putin any longer, another corrupt world leader who tries to make Russia a super power as the Soviet Union was. I am tired of Putin and his publicity stunts such as showing his muscles while riding a horse. It is just his game and it has nothing to do with me, just venting here.
Maybe you feel sad subconsciously because Putin is nearby.
I do not remember this subway station … these Cubans were inside the subway …
What was your favorite food or dessert when in France?
I was young then, 20 years old, I went to see the stock exchange of Paris, those were different times then, remember having some fillet with red wine for my lunch … I liked their culture, I liked those cafes there … that was the first time I was there … later I have been in France two times … at least .
Do you know what knocked my socks off??
The onion soup 
Nobody else liked this dish, but I loved it.
I think French women have a lot of fashion sense. But they were too libertine for my taste…
I have had French onion soup … I liked it.
1 Like
Can you recommend me a good Finnish band?
I only know about Nightwish. I love their music.
But maybe you know others bands. Not necessarily rock…
There are some individual singers I listen to sometimes, I listen mostly to English music and then some other, I do not really know any modern Finnish bands. Sorry.
I like these old Finnish bands …
Cool !! 
their music reminds me a bit of Motörhead.
What does “Rappiolla” mean??
In ruins , they have other good songs … restless legs …
1 Like
Here’s a Romanian song from the 80s or 90s. “The lost train”.
1 Like
There are live broadcasts of discussions that Putin has had here, I am not even interested in these discussions, why would I, Putin’s administration is oppressing any potential future presidential candidates and the democracy is in ruins in Russia, but as we know, no world leader has been able to stay in power forever and the change will come to Russia too, it is just the matter of time, the way the history of the world has always been and this is what they are afraid of in Putin’s administration. Thank G that we are living in the free world, just venting here …
In the past FDR could have been in power in the US for 16 years if he had lived that long. The Bush family was in power 12 years and had a family member running in the last election. So in my country which prides itself on it democracy that is not unheard of. We do have an 8 year limit on one individual in the Presidency now but some of our Congressmen and Supreme Court Justices have served for life. From the outside it appears like Putin is killing his opponents and is a dictator but it’s difficult to judge sometimes when I look at the history of my own nation. How about your nation. Any long rules by leaders or families there?
Max 12 years (2 6-year terms), no families, no leaders …
be careful. he is sly…