Well, that piece of advise should be obvious, non?
We are given reminders often that anything American is not really welcome here, however McDonalds France is the second largest market after the USA. We think the reason for this is that it is always (well, not always!...they still tend to keep French hours in the smaller towns and cities) open on a Sunday! Every McDonalds we have visited, usually on a Sunday as there is no other food available and we are on the road, has been busy to overflowing. We have often expressed the desire to own a franchise here! (ok, I'm just joking!)
Besides the obvious, we have not had the dislike for anything American explained to us.
This morning we went down to our 'local' for a Grand Crème. We haven't been for a while, but received the same warm welcome and baisers (kisses) from the young woman owner and a handshake from her man. There was another patron at the bar with whom we are familiar in a 'we have seen you here before' manner, along with her spaniel which we threaten to kidnap...or dognap. Such a sweetie, but she only understands French...bien sur! (of course)
Soon after our slightly protracted greetings, a man arrived. He greeted each one of us in turn, all of us returning the greeting with the usual Bonjour! When we left the bar we recognized his little car, which we often see weaving along the road between here and somewhere close. He was drinking alcohol at 10am! Say no more! lol.
The woman at the bar was drinking a café noir alongside a croissant. There were three more available for purchase in a basket on the bar top. She declared them to be excellent, coming from nearby Segonzac. The local Boulangerie is en vacances (on vacation...this being August) and is Ferme! The bar and Epicerie is therefore the Depot de Pain (bread store) for the duration. It is the bread pick up place for anyone wanting bread and pastries. There are instructions outside the bar to phone their number and order your bread et al 48 hrs in advance. Makes good sense. This is how they operate around here.
The point of this story is this: I jokingly suggested, as Celine was writing today's lunch menu on the board at the bar, that they serve 'Kiwi Burgers'. Ben and Celine and the woman all listened as I described a kiwi burger in French: A petit pain (hamburger bread roll) avec Steak Hache (ashay) or hamburger meat, a tranche ananas (slice of pineapple), tranche tomate (slice of tomato), Laitue (lettuce) and un oeuf cuit (cooked egg). I forgot the French word for Red Beet, or I would have included that too.
Of course it is served with Pommes Frites. They looked at me in horror and Ben explained that it is AMERICAN FOOD!!!! Anything burger is American and French people (at least in these parts) do not like anything American!
He went on to explain that they would never serve anything like that in this part of France because the local older people like their traditional food, and are averse to what is perceived as American junk food. Interesting! We didnt take it personally, and though I explained that it was 'Kiwi' Burger, he said that ANYTHING burger was American. Ok...we have that message loud and clear!:) To our way of thinking it isnt about being Anti-American so much as the erosion of the French Culture by American brands and fast food.
That was very much in evidence today as we visited a Sports Culture store to take a look around. About 60% of the brands in-store were American! There are so many excellent French Brands, and the quality is excellent, but the prices are generally higher. American brands tend to be made in China, while French brands are made in Vietnam, Bangladesh, India, or other French speaking 3rd world nations where labor (and life) is cheap.
About the only trash we see on the side of the road in these parts, is from McDonalds, which is about 20ks away in Cognac.
It is always instructional for us to venture outside the gates of our home and see what is happening on the other side of the fence. It becomes VERY easy to live life in some kind of English speaking isolation bubble when there is nobody around you to require you to do otherwise.
It is therefore imperative that every couple of days we leave our compound and venture forth to where they only speak French.
When we are in the midst of francophonia, it is so easy to understand what is being said, without actually having to speak French. I can listen to the man in the Espace Culturel, where we are attempting to purchase a new camera for me, rattle on about various things, nod my head in understanding (what we refer to as "The French Nod", ) and reply with short but appropriate French words that are understood. I can ask a simple question which usually receives more explanation than I require or understand, but I/we get the gist of it. Usually I'm not far wrong. Occasionally I screw up, but so far it hasn't cost us an arm and leg...or both! Thankfully!
Leaving the bar, having posted our cheque and signed policy documents to the Insurance Company upping our house contents insurance, which is a WHOLE other post, believe me...we headed into Barbezieux. There we went straight to the Leclerc supermarket in search of an advertised as 'on special' plastic tower of drawers. You know the kind? The 10 drawer variety were almost 32 Euros, but this 12 drawer tower was only 22 euros! What a deal! This is for Waz's electronics parts. Perfect! Gets them out of the various boxes and somewhat organized.
We also, just by chance, came across some duck legs on sale. We really like their meat promos, and 4 large duck legs for 6 euros cant be missed. We bought two packs. As we were going elsewhere straight afterwards, they had to be kept cold, so we headed for the frozen veg section where we purchased some frozen peas, as you do when there are no freezer packs to keep the meat cold.
Drawers and duck legs in the car, we decided to go to Leroy Merlin in Soyaux, on the east side of Angouleme, to look at possibilities for creating new bathrooms.
We also needed some more light bulbs...6 LED bulbs for 12 euros Cant beat that when ONE bulb at the supermarket is 9 euros and change. Waz needed some more EU plugs for the ends of appliances and at 87 centimes each those are also a good price....we bought 6!
Bathrooms: We can split the current bathroom in two where the bath ends and the shower begins, or we can just create two new en-suite bathrooms in the guest rooms. The closets in there are extra large, but we have to be able to fit these bathrooms into very small spaces. Waz had seen a 2m square bathroom set up at one of the large Bricos, so we went in search of that. It wasnt at Leroy Merlin, so we stopped at Castorama on the way home...which is literally on the way home, as luck would have it.
Yes, it is small! However, I think we have found a way to deal with the smallness. Bear in mind that there wouldn't be a wall between the loo and the shower, and there would only be one wall mounted sink unit, not two as illustrated. The shower unit would also be square with an inward folding door...below.
Inward folding door on 80cm square unit. Not necessarily THIS particular door, but one like it that opens inwards. Dont get too crazy about the items at this stage, we are only 'looking' and decisions will not be made this side of Christmas. There are more important things to be done before then.
However, some forward planning is necessary, if only for the budget! lol...really no laughing matter!
With so little room to work with, we think it would be a good idea to have sliding doors on the bedroom side. No wall, just sliders. This not only lets light in (we are talking frosted glass) but makes entry and exit so much easier than a solid wall. Something like this one! Again, only an idea, but with no window in the bathroom, it makes good sense to have natural light entering the bathroom. Ceiling fans will be installed of course.
And, as you do, we got waylaid (he will tell you that *I* did!!) in the Kitchen Section of both stores. Good to know what is out there. I liked this arrangement...
Induction cook top with wide drawer underneath for all my cooking utensils, and then...
Well, with the Duck and peas in the cooler in the car and temps rising to 23C, we decided we should head home. We had gone straight to our favorite café in Carrefour at Soyaux for lunch before our assault on Leroy Merlin. At 12.30pm, it was wise to eat before shopping!!:) Always!
Home, a cuppa and attending to business, then outside to take a load of yesterdays hedge greenery to the drop off point up the road 3ks in Touzac. We have one more load to go tomorrow.
We had a Paysagiste (Landscaper) come by yesterday to give us a quote to level all the hedges (well, 3 of them) and I think this spurred us on to start the job ourselves. Our lady in the bar remarked that Paysagistes were expensive, when we told her we had been working hard cutting our hedge. We will get the quote in the next week or so. He is English, and a certified Arborist, so this wont be inexpensive!
Oh, a touch of serendipity! Dont you love those!!
Today in Leclerc supermarket at the check out, a man stood behind me and remarked on something (I forget what) and I turned to reply, and there he was! Patrick! The man who took us under his wing at the Fete de la Musique, way back when. Well, blow me down with a feather! What a delight!
I had just remarked to Waz during the morning, that what we needed was a mentor with whom to either speak French and/or exchange French for English conversation. I gave Patrick our card, and then he wrote his addy on the back of another one. We look forward to getting together with him again, and perhaps making this kind of proposal to him. We will let you know how that goes!
He lives not far away, fortunately.
It is getting darker earlier now. I have been next door to see Frank but he wasn't home, and It was breezy out there at 9pm. I got Goosebumps! Well, we did have our sweaters on first thing this morning...maybe until just after lunch, to be honest. It heated up in Angouleme, as it does where there is a lot of tarmac. We are looking forward to cooler temps for the rest of the week. How does it go from 45C one day to 18C two days later? Phew!
Time for some reading and planning. I need to go upstairs with the tape measure and discuss this bathroom business with the Wazster.
A bientot!
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