Ronald McDonald for World President

Today for lunch at work we headed out to McDonald's. McDonald's is the only "fast-food" american restaurant in New Caledonia. In fact, there are 2 here in Noumea. I've seen or eaten McDonald's all over italy, France and England, but I've never seen the hoards of people lined up for a greasy Big Mac like I did today. People of all ethnicity, all sizes, all languages, all there for 1 thing....le Big Mac. It did not matter what language you spoke...it was the easiest time since I came here that I could communicate with a local that did not know word of English.

As we all know from "Pulp Fiction" the only big difference on the menu is the quarter pounder... known here as the "Royal with cheese" simply because of the metric system. Another notable difference being that there are no double quarter pounders/Royals or double Big Macs...maybe part to do with why the obesity rate here is much much less than it is in North America. Sure, the French love their high calorie cheese, consume more carbs through bread than you can imagine, and drink wine with every meal; yet they maintain (for the most part) thier slim physique and overall healthy lifestyle....could it have something to do with the double Royal and the Mac, or more to do with the beach lifestyle of the French south pacific? Maybe it's just because they all smoke cigarettes...and smoke them everywhere, all the time! I wonder will future generations begin to slope the scales as we do now in North America?

Will I go back to McDonald's for le Big Mac or a Royal with Cheese (note, not a Royal avec Fromage as one might expect)? Almost definately...without the almost! I guess it's the familiarity to home that will draw me back...well...no... it's the taste, and the smell!

In conclusion, I have to say if Ronald McDonald (whoever the hell this guy actually is) were to run for world president (move over George W), he would certainly win.