LOL This is one great article! Let me comment point by point:

Demonstrations & Protests — indeed. The French love their “Manifs” LOL (we do too: this month only we have had 5 manifs — three of them organised by teachers and students — here in Portugal)…but at least they get their way most of the times. But you know something funny, last month I actually heard a French reporter saying that the French are tired of demonstrations and protests…do you think France is changing?
“when more than ten Canadians gather in front of the Parliament, it’s because they are complaining about something.” LOL LOL they are calmer, eh?

An efficient railway network — Blessed be the TGV indeed! We are going to have it here too…I am anxious: it’s like having Europe on your door step! And of course, Porto will practically be inside your house (300km from Lisbon)…

Cheap Magazines — oh yes…France, Portugal, Italy, Spain, the UK…all have great choices in magazines and cheap too! It’s another European blessing!

Blue cheese — LOVE it!! LOL LOL @ “Now, I am not eating processed cheese either” LOL LOL I hear you on that one! C’est de la merde (pardon my French — literally).…

Liquid Soap — I don’t use liquid soap (for it dries up a certain part of my anatomy), plus we have fantastic soaps here in Portugal (which leave the skin soft and hydrated).

What do I miss from home when I am living abroad? The Portuguese pastry and cakes; our cheese; our bread…what else…the sun (We have +300 days of sun per year) and the weather (it’s not too cold and it’s not too hot either).

Zhu, amazing post!

Cheers

And about India; I think you should make India on your list of Countries to travel My list is just a brief about suchha huge country Oh gosh! I think I can be good in marketing and sales field……ha ha ha

My travels in France have been too few and mostly business related in and out quickly sorts of things but always interesting. I was impressed with your food. The french take food very seriously and do a good job of it. However there are a few things that I miss when I am in away from home. This is true of other parts of the US as well as in Europe.

I miss fried chicken with steamed rice and cream gravy made from the skillet leavings. I miss REAL barbecue which I define as meat (beef, chicken, pork, etc.) when has been smoked outdoors in a wood cooker, low and slow — BBQ sauce may be added at the table is desired, but NEVER in the cooker. It requires just the right side dishes, sweet cole slaw, baked beans, iced tea, followed by apple pie and ice cream.

We do seem to have very good little family owned and operated asian restaurants although the good ones have to be carefully culled from the pretenders. I frequent a few really great little Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean places. French restaurants are harder to find and tend to be pretentious and expensive. The best French food I have had while in France was not pretentious and complicated. It was just very fresh and masterfully prepared. There was this seafood paella in Nice.…

About the trains. Trans and public transportation in general is much better in most parts of the world than the in the US. In the central part of the US it is so poor as to be non-existent. We are spread out here and the population is not dense enough to warrant regular bus or train service. Even a taxi has to be summoned by telephone rather than hailed from the street. It is assumed that everyone has a car, and most do. When I am in Europe I enjoy the trains as a special treat.

I need to shut up. This is your blog, not mine, but you made me think with your list of things not available in Canada. A comparable list could be made about almost anywhere. I think that was your point. Great post.