Stupid 1: Le Tour De France
I think the tour de France is about as exciting as watching a all day documentary on the grounds-keeps job in keeping the grass growing for a 5-day test cricket match. Well I think you get the idea. However, since I’m in France I had to go and see it and it was quite amusing. Two hours of the advertising parade called 'le caravan' passing through and giving out free stuff (including 'Road sign Australia'). Followed by these guys on bikes whooshing past (I think they might have been on drugs actually). Actually I managed to get a spot 1 person back from the finish line and it was pretty cool. But...like watching grass grow ;-)
Stupid 2: Strange restaurants and food
I've already regaled you with "Pied et Paquette" and unfortunately I didn’t get a photo of the American "Chicken of The Sea" brand tuna. However, I do have this restaurant that sits in the centre of town in the posh dining area. It translates to "the kitchen with butter". All I need then is "cuisine de ail" (kitchen with garlic) and I’ll be the happiest man in the world.
Stupid 3: LA VACHE
Ok, so there is an exclamation here that is "la Vache" or "the cow" if something is very surprising. So Marseille is completely full with these cows at the moment, they are everywhere, 100s of them, all made by different schools, artists etc. This is one of them. Apparently it all started with some artist who made one cow and now they are throughout Europe. I think this is the reason for the pigs in Seattle too.
Stupid 4: Paris police
I snapped this pic of the rollerblading police when I was in Paris for Bastille Day. It seems like something out of a bad 1980s police movie "roller heat" or something. It confuses me, what are they going to do after they chase down the criminal? Immobilize him with a skid-turn? In Marseille the police travel in mini-busses and often take 3 army guys with assault rifles with them. Now that’s policing.
That said, when we were at the concert on Bastille day there were hundreds of normal police sitting around in busses waiting and as soon as the concert finished they donned their 'riot' armour and headed off in the direction of the concert. I guess they have some problems with large gatherings of youth here :-)
Stupid 5: Crazy imports
I don’t think I really have to say anything to this "gringo" brand Columbian coffee?
4 comments:
I'm stuck on just what it would feel like to roller blade on cobbles. ugh!
Yah. Having rollerbladed a fair few places that I thought had flat pavement til I tried it, I'm pretty well aware of the lack of sympathy blades have for rough terrain. Cobbles would suck Le Grande Wahooney.
Ah, the rollerblading gendarmes. They were cool.
Although after experiencing the effects of cobbles on my legs while wearing thongs and walking lots I concur with Miss Megs. Ouch!
Nik, do you have any photos of the uniforms of the police that were designed by Versace? Or maybe some other French designer type, I forget. It was supposed to be on the checklist for Paris and we never saw one. Apparently they have the cutest little shoulder capes.
I really like to discover France through your experiences. I would never have noticed anything weird about The Cuisine au beurre restaurant. I must say it's been ages since I saw a policeman on rollerblades, my guess is that this one was a civilian with a costume, and maybe drunk =)
I really agree on the tour de france (by the way the group of vehicles following is called La Caravane), it's a huge lie based on money, drugs and advertising. Sport itself barely exists anymore in this area.
Please keep describing France, it's really nice to read it through aussie's eyes !
Peace out
romain
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