PARIS, Jul 4, 2004/ FW/ --- Sunday, the 4th of July, while the U.S. is still asleep, enjoying a long weekend, the Paris menswear season is in full swing. Though the first show was not scheduled till 10:00 AM, I was up at the crack of dawn writing articles.

But like everything in life wherein Murphy’s Law prevails in the most inopportune moment, this Sunday morning was not an exception. I had a female emergency!

Knowing that stores do not open till 10:00 in the morning (there are no 24-hour convenience stores like 7Eleven in Paris), I was keeping my fingers crossed that the shows would run late as usual. (It did, by the way, so I was not late actually.)

By 9:45, I was ready to leave, hoping to be the first customer at the nearby convenience store. And then it dawned on me that it was Sunday, and Paris still observes the Blue Sunday Law, a law that has been almost abolished in the U.S., wherein businesses including retail stores are closed on Sundays.

And that is something that an American in Paris, expat or otherwise should remember. Most establishments are closed on Sundays, including grocery stores, so whatever foodstuff you need; you have to buy Saturday night.

Speaking of groceries, the first time I came here to Paris, I was wondering why the Parisians buy groceries a little at a time, visiting the grocery store almost daily. I began to understand why when I found myself doing the same thing.

The reason – it is a matter of how much a person can physically carry from one point to the next!

Very few buildings in Paris have elevators because most of the buildings in the city were built over 100 years ago when elevators were not invented yet. Like the hotel that I usually stay in; it is almost 250 years old. It has a tiny elevator, good for one person because that was the only space management could find to put an elevator shaft in!

So Parisians in general are used to climbing stairs. With the city zoned as both commercial and residential, street level spaces are usually occupied by businesses. Residential spaces usually start on the second floor.

If you’re lucky, you’ll get an apartment on the second floor, but most of the time, the second floor are made into offices also. Hence, majority of Parisians live at least on the 3rd floor of a building. Now, imagine carrying bags of groceries on three flights of stairs! You’ll choose to buy in small amounts and just carry everything at one time, too.

Parisians are generally slim and I believe it’s because of the stair climbing they do everyday – a very unscientific statement to make on my part yet that’s the only reason I can think of on how the Parisians can keep their slim figures.

I’m in Paris for a duration of 10 days four times a year. Every time I visit, I lose at least 3 pounds with all the stair climbing and walking I do in the city. And that is another reason why I love Paris – it forces me exercise by just being here!