DATELINE:PARIS

Welcome from Paris! I'm Jamesb and circumstance has led me to Europe...my school, the University of Texas El Paso teaches a Roman history class in Rome each summer so that seemed like a good enough excuse to take a Roman history class...been in Europe for the first time for just over two weeks now, I'm getting used to the Euro's refusing to serve soft drinks with ice, why I don't know...Rome was beautiful, a bit strange, but very nice. Traffic is down right funny to watch, bear in mind this Texan who has driven in New York City. The scooter jockeys are down right crazy; the late, great Evil Kenevil would be proud. In New York City six inches of room means "ya, go ahead, drive right in there you frigging jerk!", in Rome a millimeter (whatever that exactly is...) means that's enough room to GO FOR IT! Watching from the bus is downright entertaining, dodging flying scooters and micro cars at street level is downright scary. The Roman ruins are worth the look if your into that kind of stuff, and I am, but I'm really looking forward to visiting Omaha beach next week. It'll remind me how many young American gave their lives for the freedom of other countries, without hesitation and with honor and valor."We came as liberators not conquerors" as the Marine officer in the Military Channel promo so accurately says. Speaking of Rome traffic, Paris traffic is almost a wild. Apparently the entire system was designed by a guy named Clustier A. Fuque', but they do haul azz and do get around. There's more of a sense of urgency in France, Italians just don't seem to give a rats azz. Try to hurry an Italian and they just get slower, the French seem to "get it" and customer service isn't a suggestion it's actual concept, and I like that. Well, off to do the tourist thang...dodging African street vendors and other oddball shady characters...By the way, you'all remember the old Motely Crue song "Girls,Girls, Girls"? Vocalist Vince Neil reels off the names of a bunch of famous strip clubs including "...Crazy Horse, Paris France...forgot the names, remember romance..." well when in Paris do like the Crue would do, and it's right down the street...gonna be there tomorrow night...costing me an arm, a leg, and ...dammit, I don't care...it's goona be a blast! Talk to you soon...and as the King would say "Uh thank ya,thankya very much"...