When we got to Italy there was no customs check. Off the plane, get your bag, and you’re free to wander the country. When traveling in between countries in the EU it’s much like traveling in the states. So when we got on the plane in Rome and landed in Paris we walked right out of the terminal onto French soil.
I’ve only been to two European countries so I don’t have a really extensive view of how things work across the continent, but the overall feeling I’m getting is much more relaxed than back home. The cops don’t care if you jaywalk. Drink in the streets. Let your kids play with sharp sticks. Personal responsibility rules, but the consequences are high should things go bad. America is one tight-assed country compared to life over here. But I digress…
The first night in Paris was interesting. Here’s a tip. Don’t stay at a Formula1 hotel. That is unless you like shoeboxes, shared toilets, and broken windows/air conditioners. The shared bathroom thing would have been fine, but they were gnarly. Booking a cheap room on the internet for Paris means you’ll be in a sketchy neighborhood way north of the city. We did our best to ignore the room and slept lightly. In the morning we checked out early and wandered the streets of Paris. 8am on a Sunday was great. Nothing open. No one around. We made our way to the train station to catch our ride to Roubaix.
France is awesome.