You know the whole debate over whether chivalry is dead, well it’s not, it’s just harder to find now among all the look alikes - like Buffala Mozarella.

That’s actually not my point though, my point is that vanity is alive and well despite the fact that French tv this morning is taken up entirely with images of the Pope in Paris. I will prove my point with two examples.

Example 1: The perfect tan

We were at the beach near Venice (Italy not Florida) and my Mom suddenly issues a dire warning. ‘Bert, if you walk along the right side of the beach…be careful…there are topless women over there.’

This sparked a discussion about the fact that topless sunbathing actually seems to be less common now than it was ten years ago. Perhaps modesty is making a come back. ‘Er, I don’t think so.’ my Mom said with conviction.

A woman was sunbathing topless but was wearing a regular bikini bottom. Not satisfied with her exposure she bunched the fabric up in her ass crack, and then pulled out a mirror. Large breasts swinging widely she arched her back and stretched her arm back over her shoulder.

And checked out her own ass in the mirror.

Example 2: A sucker for compliments

French three year old girls think I am ‘trop jolie’! Not just ‘jolie’ not even ‘tres jolie’ but TROP joile. How awesome am I.

Ok it might only be one three year old French girl and it really shouldn’t have made my day. I suppose I should have been more flattered by the colleagues who complimented my work but I wasn’t.

On my way back from the meeting, a giant quiche lorraine and lemon tart clasped in my hands I passed a little girl who told her Mom that I was beautiful. She probably just said it because I was wearing a nice dress and shiny gold shoes but I don’t care, I’m riding a wave of vanity all the way back to Montreal.

Oh, the Pope’s on tv again…