Images of France

- The French smoke like it was a cure for cancer.
- A 1/4 Pounder with cheese is indeed called a "Royale" but even that didn't entice me to buy one.
- The reports of "dog shit everywhere" were under-stated
- If a waiter thinks you are American he will treat you like shit, but once he realizes you are Canadian the service level elevates several notches to bad.
- A little knowledge of French combined with charades will suffice to get by but expect the French to make fun of your mistakes.
- There are no fat French people.
- Old buildings here were influenced by the Romans and Greeks, new ones by Tim Burton and LEGO.
- The TGV will get you places PDQ and they rarely check your ticket.
- Bread is out of this world.
- Wine is cheap and good.
- Meals take at least an hour and a half.
- Stop signs say "STOP" and not "ARRET" like the pretentious Quebecois.

Day 5 Mont St Michel

Walked to the abbey today. The Japanese stopped their bus to offer Moosiesahn a drive but I needed some air ( see last post) and the walk was the only exercise I will get. The town of Mont St Michel is nothing special but the abbey is a marvel. When you enter you first come to a Medieval street lined with shops, restaurants and hotels. The whole thing is rather gross as they sell plastic swords, berets and all sorts of dreck. Then again, in the Middle Ages, towns grew up around Cathedrals and abbeys and everything from plenary indulgences to saint's shinbones were sold ( you could get a knockdown price if you bought three.)

To give you an idea of just how cold it is here look at the icicle hanging from the gargoyle in the second picture.
I attended Mass with six Benedictine Monks and eight nuns at noon in a 1300 year old chapel under the main abbey. The hyms were amazing and were accompanied by a harp and flute. Put me in mind of the fiddles at St Margaret of Scotland in Broad Cove Marsh.

Doc Campbell Moment - I got to say words like apse and nave and transept with a flying butress or two thrown in. Hey Doc, if a picture is worth a thousand words, I guess my essay on European Monasticism is finally complete.

Day 4 Fast Train to Tokyo

Mont St Michel - arrived at 6pm after ride on the TGV. There was an apology posted in the train station that because of weather conditions speed would be limited to 220KPH! Everything was closed because it is off season so I went to the Super Market,or, as they say in France, Super Marche, to get a sandwich and a bottle of water, or, as they say in France, un bow tie de low.I was immediately set upon by a group of Japanese tourists who collectively spoke about six words of Engrish. As their guide was back at the hotel, and the clerk spoke only French, I stepped in to help. Later at the hotel they asked me to join them for a drink of beer-yes? wine-yes? So I said yes and got beer and wine. After dinner I went to the bar with two young men who insisted on buying me more beer-yes? and wine-yes? and for a night cap some Johnnie Walkel Bru Raber Scotch-yes? I asked them why they were here and not in PEI looking for Anne or Gleen Grabers and they got very excited. I think I went a little too far when I told them that Lucy Maude Montgomery had been my babysitter, but that was after much beer-yes? and Scotch-yes? I am now known as Moosiesahn and will be the toast of Osaka when they retuen home.

Day 3 - Vimy Ridge

Those of you familiar with the Battle of Vimy Ridge will remember that it began on April 9, 1917 in a snowstorm. I had the same conditions, except for the bombs and bullets, when I visited yesterday. My guide was Andre de Bruin, an ex-pat South African now living in Belgium and an expert on the campaigns of WWI. We visited the trenches, tunnels and, of course, the monument where I had it all to myself! I was told to wear red so that people would know I was a Canadian. I did just that but under three more layers because it was -7 with sleet. We next visited the Commonwealth Cemetary at Cabaret Rouge where Andre showed me the grave of the Unknown Soldier whose remains were removed in May 2000 and taken to Ottawa and placed in the National War Memorial. If you look closely at the bottom left of the photo you will see my little memorial composed of Debby's poppy from the CB Highlanders and Ian Trainor's Canadian Flag patch.
We next visited a French Cemetary where 70,000 soldiers are buried! We then walked one of the few preserved WWI battlefields where the closeness of the trenches was amazing - less than 25 yards apart! Later we visited a German Cemetary because Andre wanted to show me headstones of German Jews who had fought for Germany in the war. This was a revelation for me.
Finally we visited a WWII site where members of the French Resistance were executed by the Nazis. It was eerie.
If you want to enjoy a day of war memorials I would highly reccommend Andre. He operates Over the Top Tours, over the top in the sense of going over the top of the trenches and into battle, not in the cukoo for Coco Puffs sense of over the top.

Doc Campbell Moment upon my return to Lille I spotted this building designed by Le Corbusier across from the train station. I can tick another item on my list.

Days 1 and 2

Delays in Sydney caused me to miss my connestion in Halifax so I was rerouted through Toronto and got to London a little later than originnally planned. Caught the Tube to St Pancras with seconds to spare and boarded the Eurostar for Lille, France. Chunnel was a disappointment - nothing but darkness. Emerged in a snowstorm and arrived in Lille at 6:30. Ibis Hotel clean and modern. Pas de punaise des lits - a phrase I was ordered to learn.
Lille is an interesting city, a mix of new and old and is the birthplace of Charles de Gaulle! The city is getting ready for Christmas with outdoor markets in every square. They also have the obligatory Ferris Wheel, I think it was part of the European Community membership agreement.Temp is -2 so mulled wine was in order. Visited Palais des Beaux Arts where they have a wonderful Rubens collection with a few Goyas thrown in but I didn't see one Bidet.
Tomorrow - Vimy Ridge

A Journey of a Thousand Miles...

...begins with a single step!

Here I go!

The Doc Always Liked Me Best

17 Days To Go!

As I work on my Doc list I thought I should pop up this photo of me at the British Museum to prove that I was not bullshitting when I said I has seen the Elgin Marbles. Christ knows the Doc drove us crazy talking about them. I think he supported the Greek government's case to have them returned to Athens.

I have made arrangements to visit Carlisle in northern England which is the western terminus of Hadrian's Wall, so I think I have covered just about everything on the list. I just hope that the railways have stopped their wildcat strikes before I go.

In Dublin I plan to visit the Guiness Brewery even though it is not on the Doc's list.  I will raise a pint to the late and nearly great Wib McLennan and Brian "Red" Dowling, two old SA friends who have passed to their eternal reward.

My plans are moving along quite nicely. I have attached a Canadian flag to everything but my underwear and have pared down my packing to the bare essentials. This has not been easy for a clothes horse like me.

...to be continued