continued

Paris, France
The only city in which we don't mind looking like a tourist, wearing shades and holding a camera, is Paris. The city remains beautiful and an ideal location this year.
    We stay at the Hotel de Lausanne in Montmartre, which we highly recommend—not just because of M. Félix at the front desk, the most charming multilingual gentleman we met in our time in France—but because everything is within walking distance (relatively speaking: a reasonably fit person can reach most of the primary places on a day walking excursion on both sides of the Seine). The nightspots, the Gare du Nord from where one can board the Eurostar for London, and a walk to the American Express Building and the Eiffel Tower, this mid-priced hotel is convenient and comfortable.
    La Tour Eiffel, however, is in high demand during the summer, so if it is a must, arrive early. We had a nicer time admiring the architecture of the Opéra, the palaces, La Musée de l'Armée and the bridges across the Seine, reliving the experience of Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant in Charade (as Lucire followed the route).
    We can also say that France is the least deserving of negative stereotypes. We confronted friendliness wherever we went and the only criticism we can level at the French is that some shop assistants talk a trifle quickly. English-speaking cabbies are not uncommon and we saw not a single frown from the French when English was spoken. Arrogance is the preserve of British passport control, but not the French.
    Eating out is a treat, but be prepared to pay for the best places. As we were advised, low- and mid-priced Parisian restaurants will disappoint. We chose to breakfast at the Lausanne.
    After a highly negative experience in London, where the British Government refuses to let some British subjects through the British queue, leading us to conclude 'apartheid'—a charge we have given the Foreign Office many opportunities since August to refute formally (see sidebar)—the friendliness and embraces of the Continentals were welcome. Flying the friendly skies with Lufthansa, where the stewardesses were impressed by our limited German, it was nice to touch down in Europe to experience the contrasting, open manner.
    Lucire’s next continental trip is expected to take in back roads in France; we'll also check in to a few museums and vineyards along the way. More during the summer in Lucire's Volante section. • Jack Yan

Jack Yan is founding publisher of Lucire.

Where Lucire stayed: Hôtel de Lausanne Paris, 13, rue Geoffroy-Marie, 75009 Paris. Telephone 33 1 47-70-07-15, fax 33 1 47-70-31-26, telex 282671, email [email protected]. Tell Félix we recommended you go there.

Flight: Lufthansa, where economy legroom was moderate but the service outstanding. Aircraft is modern and comfortable; all flights were with multilingual staff. We flew numerous times from Frankfurt to Paris and back and noted that onboard staff were French and German, speaking both languages; the Frankfurt to Bangkok leg had, predictably, German and Thai staff. We're hoping the three Brit backpackers we met on the latter flight are faring well in Thailand.

The British Government and apartheid
    British overseas nationals are discriminated against in the UK, from our experience at Waterloo Station. Despite being British and holding British passports, the author discovered that they are not permitted to queue with British nationals. This is despite the passport instruction on the inside front cover being from the Foreign Secretary—passport control's employer—asking that the bearer be allowed access without hindrance. It appears that Jack Straw's influence works in most places except Britain itself.
    An interview with one representative of the tourism industry showed that ours was not an isolated case. Another involved an associate of a member of a prominent royal family.
    We expressly charged the UK with apartheid in August 2001, which the British High Commissioner to New Zealand has chosen not to deny. The Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Tony Blair, told Lucire that he was disturbed by this behaviour, but when he referred it to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, no reply was forthcoming.
    It seems the British Government is content to carry this label, although Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition, as represented by the leader of Conservative Party, the Rt Hon Iain Duncan Smith, wrote us to say that his party is not. No reply came from the Liberal Democrats. Lucire is taking this matter further to Europe and to other parties.
    We advise British travellers who do not reside normally in the UK to take precautions when visiting. Some South Africans we met in London were even more shocked than we were, as are numerous Britons we informed (who were shocked but not totally surprised).
    Lucire advises British travellers, regardless of the "type" of Briton you are, that there should be no problem in France and Germany, where a British passport has proper force and authority. Do not believe the British Tourist Authority when it tells you that the UK is OK, until we get to the bottom of this human rights' abuse.