There are so many reasons I love living in Paris. The aesthetics of the place, the rich cultural heritage, the wine, the food ...
And then every now and then there's a none-too subtle reminder why the country is considered the crucible of all that is civilised in this world.
Take for example the poster that currently adorns the press kiosk on just near my house on the Place de la Republique. Ostensibly advertising a beauty magazine, it features a full frontal nude photo of a young lady -- only the words "Special Minceur" protecting what tiny shred of dignity she has left.
Quite apart from the danger a poster like this must pose to public health (the Place de la Republique is a very busy traffic thoroughfare - how many car accidents is this poster responsible for?) the fact that it is considered appropriate for an image such as this to be on public display speaks to everything I love about this country.
So she's nude. So you can see her breasts. So what? They're just breasts. Half the world has them. If the rest of us were as relaxed about the naked human form as French, imagine how much more chilled out we'd all be.
As they say here in France, vive la difference.
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