My travels have taken me to four countries and half of France's European regions. I'll finish the grande tournée on the Atlantic coast in June. But what to do 'til then?
Hi Peter, I’m also looking for menthol cigarettes (although I quit thirty years ago). I have recently reacquainted myself with a cozy flat in Richmond-upon-Thames that belonged to my parents. It’s situated 5 minutes from 2,500 acres of wood and grassland in Richmond Park. Across the road, is the famous view of the Thames captured by Turner, now hanging in the Tate. The view hasn’t changed. After my parents passed, I rented out the flat full-time. I ended the lease last October and have flown Montreal to London twice since with a third visit coming up in May. The flying back and forth is not sustainable - for me or for the planet. I am considering a more permanent solution. In Richmond (and Central London), I speak French and Spanish and some very broken German at every opportunity. What a joy to also speak English without restriction!
So hey Pete- so happy that you embarked on this Odyssean journey. So my husband is from Brittany - the Morbihan region. Concarneau, Loctudy, Benodet, Point du Raz, there is also a place where the tides come in quite low -I think it's st anne. the town of Quimper - finally Lorient. An absolute gem of an island. is BELLE ISLE. Enjoy.
Hi Peter, this is a quite serious newsletter — changing country in mature age.
It is sad what you describe with the fight between French and English in Quebec. I hear the greeting “bonjour-hi” as an offer to let the arriving customer decide whether to use either French or English, so it is a clever greeting. It is sad that there is political ill-will towards it.
When I enter a shop in for example Spain I will always negotiate the language by asking “Do you speak English?”. Even if I get the answer “No” we have reached a common understanding and I will continue in bad Spanish. In for example Romania one cannot expect anybody to speak neither English, French nor German, so I will ask politely in Hungarian “Tetszik magyarul beszélni?”. That is risky, because many Romanians have an ill-will towards Hungarians and the Hungarian language.
Last time I visited Paris I was quite amused by the widespread use of “destockage” — a very French word with an English word in the middle.
BTW: Bill Bryson has some clever considerations of the English-Spanish relation in the United States in his book Mother Tongue. In his point of view there is no need for laws supporting the English language. I recommend that book — actually it is the only one of his books that I like.
Hi Peter, I’m also looking for menthol cigarettes (although I quit thirty years ago). I have recently reacquainted myself with a cozy flat in Richmond-upon-Thames that belonged to my parents. It’s situated 5 minutes from 2,500 acres of wood and grassland in Richmond Park. Across the road, is the famous view of the Thames captured by Turner, now hanging in the Tate. The view hasn’t changed. After my parents passed, I rented out the flat full-time. I ended the lease last October and have flown Montreal to London twice since with a third visit coming up in May. The flying back and forth is not sustainable - for me or for the planet. I am considering a more permanent solution. In Richmond (and Central London), I speak French and Spanish and some very broken German at every opportunity. What a joy to also speak English without restriction!
Thanks for your writing. Happy trails. Susan
So hey Pete- so happy that you embarked on this Odyssean journey. So my husband is from Brittany - the Morbihan region. Concarneau, Loctudy, Benodet, Point du Raz, there is also a place where the tides come in quite low -I think it's st anne. the town of Quimper - finally Lorient. An absolute gem of an island. is BELLE ISLE. Enjoy.
Hi Peter, this is a quite serious newsletter — changing country in mature age.
It is sad what you describe with the fight between French and English in Quebec. I hear the greeting “bonjour-hi” as an offer to let the arriving customer decide whether to use either French or English, so it is a clever greeting. It is sad that there is political ill-will towards it.
When I enter a shop in for example Spain I will always negotiate the language by asking “Do you speak English?”. Even if I get the answer “No” we have reached a common understanding and I will continue in bad Spanish. In for example Romania one cannot expect anybody to speak neither English, French nor German, so I will ask politely in Hungarian “Tetszik magyarul beszélni?”. That is risky, because many Romanians have an ill-will towards Hungarians and the Hungarian language.
Last time I visited Paris I was quite amused by the widespread use of “destockage” — a very French word with an English word in the middle.
BTW: Bill Bryson has some clever considerations of the English-Spanish relation in the United States in his book Mother Tongue. In his point of view there is no need for laws supporting the English language. I recommend that book — actually it is the only one of his books that I like.