Notes & thoughts from France. Not always about France though. France, along with Europe is going through troubled times. These are the views of a long term British expat exiled in France, having arrived there from Saigon in 1975/76.
Wednesday, May 31, 2017
Germany vs France 2017 - Who Would Win - Army / Military Comparison
Saturday, May 27, 2017
I wonder if the French railways, SNCF, are not entering the silly season.
I wonder if
the French railways, SNCF, are not entering the silly season.
I was at
the booking office to get some tickets to go to Paris to collect my grandson
for the weekend.
The clerk there
suggested I go to Paris First class as the ticket was cheaper than the Second
class. A little odd that. Then I asked for a return to Paris from Orléans
Sunday morning. Sorry she said no trains Saturday or Sunday morning; first
train 4.30 Sunday evening. OK I said I’ll take 2 reservations on that. “Sorry
that train is full, so are all the others after it”. I had to get to Paris
Sunday (grandson has school Monday morning) and I had to get back to Orléans
Sunday evening.
So I had to
buy 2 tickets to Paris with the prospect of standing in the corridor all the
way. There’s a heat wave on, I’m 78 and
grandson 7.
I also have
to be in Paris on 4th June for a meeting. The clerk, “Sorry no
trains that weekend either. Services are down for maintenance. I’ve been
travelling this line for 40 years now. Once upon a time things were simple. Now
booking is becoming a headache. If there are problems it’s because non
prestigious lines have been neglected for the TGV, high speed trains on major
lines which of course are more prestigious for the government.
I imagine I’ll
be reduced to trying BlaBlaCar with some
unknown driver. That is if I succeed in using my Smartphone app and there is in fact a driver going in my
direction at the right time. I no longer drive, in fact I loathe being driven
by anyone else as well.
Saturday, May 20, 2017
France Has Delayed The End Of The World - The Daily Show | Comedy Central
Monday, May 15, 2017
Saturday, May 13, 2017
Is Macron's bromance with François Bayrou dead?
Perhaps
Macron, the Pure (and Innocent?) is waking up to the world of Realpolitik.
France has
fought 3 wars against the Germans and yet his first foreign visit is to Merkel;
following in the footsteps of Holland and Sarkozy. Why not wait a decent
interval, or let her come and do the courting, after all he is not averse to
older women?
So the
business with Bayrou is nothing but a storm in a teacup, played up by
journalists on the watch for any story of doom.
As the
United Kingdom is indeed heading to its own destiny, probably at the bottom of
the ocean blue, having chosen the lesser of two evils, being caught between the
Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
So also France
is heading into the Great Unknown, led by an untested youth, (at least in the
eyes of someone born before the war (2nd World War) and was
stationed in Berlin before the wall was put up let alone before it was torn
down.
Thursday, May 11, 2017
Triangles, voter fatigue and the Bourbon Palace: France gears up for parliamentary elections
Sunday, May 7, 2017
Eurovision 2017 Rehearsals Live Stream - Ukraine, Italy, Spain, Germany, UK, France
Thursday, May 4, 2017
Monday, May 1, 2017
French Elections: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
Old news
perhaps but a useful reminder of where we are today.
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