Those we met
Apr 24th, 2018 | 02:02 PM
#1
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Those we met
Three stories from our recent trip to Spain and France.We stopped at a restaurant in Nimes called Las Magnolias. The best dish was mussels, which were par-cooked, one shell removed, washed in garlic, parsley, and oil, broiled and then served in the shape of an artichoke. The waiter, as we soon found out, was a gay guy from Colombia. When I kidded him that the music was Spanish, not French, he put on Edith Piaf’s greatest hits. My sister-in-law kept on referring to her as Edith Pilaf, as if she was dating Uncle Ben.The only other patron in the restaurant was an 85 year old woman who started to sing as well. Not to be outdone, we joined in, and the waiter who certainly spent much of his life being excluded, joined in and sang loudly, occasionally on key. When I said to him, “Edith, we could we please have the check?” He was so thrilled with his new name he ran to tell the chef.
My SIL has moved to Madrid in a wonderful building between the Puerto del Sol and Plaza Santa Ana. There are only two apartments on each floor, the other on her floor is occupied by Muriel and her husband. Muriel is Jewish from Brooklyn, went to Lafayette, and when she went to college, her parents took a place in Trump Village. Muriel went to college in Spain and stayed where she met Pedro.When we entered Muriel’s apartment her first question was about our sensibility regarding bullfighting. When we told her we had no objection she let us in and explained Pedro was an ex-bullfighter. The place was a shrine to his past accomplishments with the highlight being two stuffed bull’s head in the middle of living room, each the size of a window._
On the train from Barcelona to Madrid, we shared a table for four with an Englishwoman who had a carbuncle, under her bottom lip, the size of Donald Trump’s ignorance. It is difficult to speak to someone like that and not stare. She was recently retired and was taking trains about Europe in a most circuitous route. When we met her she had not stopped in any city, except to change trains. She was headed for Lisbon but would eventually go to Poland. Her logic, personal hygiene, and medical decisions became none of my concern.
My SIL has moved to Madrid in a wonderful building between the Puerto del Sol and Plaza Santa Ana. There are only two apartments on each floor, the other on her floor is occupied by Muriel and her husband. Muriel is Jewish from Brooklyn, went to Lafayette, and when she went to college, her parents took a place in Trump Village. Muriel went to college in Spain and stayed where she met Pedro.When we entered Muriel’s apartment her first question was about our sensibility regarding bullfighting. When we told her we had no objection she let us in and explained Pedro was an ex-bullfighter. The place was a shrine to his past accomplishments with the highlight being two stuffed bull’s head in the middle of living room, each the size of a window._
On the train from Barcelona to Madrid, we shared a table for four with an Englishwoman who had a carbuncle, under her bottom lip, the size of Donald Trump’s ignorance. It is difficult to speak to someone like that and not stare. She was recently retired and was taking trains about Europe in a most circuitous route. When we met her she had not stopped in any city, except to change trains. She was headed for Lisbon but would eventually go to Poland. Her logic, personal hygiene, and medical decisions became none of my concern.
Apr 25th, 2018 | 08:19 AM
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Thank you Ann and Xcountry.
Exactly Ann. It is more the people you meet and the misadventures and, yes, the standard stuff and the anticipated and unexpected meals. Almost all the other stuff is available in some codified manner. We are still in contact with those we met 45 years ago and thus who are recent acquaintances.
________________
The Englishwoman was quite positive and certain in her attitude and ways. She was one of those with whom you just nod and agree. Nor did she ask any of us where we were going or where we have been. Thus, we did not supply that information.
Exactly Ann. It is more the people you meet and the misadventures and, yes, the standard stuff and the anticipated and unexpected meals. Almost all the other stuff is available in some codified manner. We are still in contact with those we met 45 years ago and thus who are recent acquaintances.
________________
The Englishwoman was quite positive and certain in her attitude and ways. She was one of those with whom you just nod and agree. Nor did she ask any of us where we were going or where we have been. Thus, we did not supply that information.
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Apr 25th, 2018 | 06:54 PM
#9
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Good stories, IMDone.
I see that if you can't strike up a conversation, you're willing to talk to yourself till somebody else chimes in. You knew somebody would be along eventually, didn't you?
We've had lots of interesting conversations on our travels and those are some of our clearest memories. I'm always impressed by how well informed French people are about the US (and I'm afraid we Americans are not as aware of France as they'd like us to be) and how frank they are about their own country.
I see that if you can't strike up a conversation, you're willing to talk to yourself till somebody else chimes in. You knew somebody would be along eventually, didn't you?
We've had lots of interesting conversations on our travels and those are some of our clearest memories. I'm always impressed by how well informed French people are about the US (and I'm afraid we Americans are not as aware of France as they'd like us to be) and how frank they are about their own country.
Apr 25th, 2018 | 09:10 PM
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Thank you, Coquelicot
There are two separate issues.
A. Many Americans are not informed about their own country, let alone foreign countries.
B. Right now, the US is the big dog and many people read about us.
We try to know the larger current issues of a country we visit, as well as some history, literature, art, and some basics of their language. This small amount of knowledge often take people aback. For example, I just re-read Candide.
We used to be defensive about other countries knowing more about the US, then we they. But there approximately 200 countries and it is impossible to know each. And if someone gets rude about it, I ask them who is the Prime Minister of Finland or what is the leading export of Chile. Not my preferred method of creating good will.
There are two separate issues.
A. Many Americans are not informed about their own country, let alone foreign countries.
B. Right now, the US is the big dog and many people read about us.
We try to know the larger current issues of a country we visit, as well as some history, literature, art, and some basics of their language. This small amount of knowledge often take people aback. For example, I just re-read Candide.
We used to be defensive about other countries knowing more about the US, then we they. But there approximately 200 countries and it is impossible to know each. And if someone gets rude about it, I ask them who is the Prime Minister of Finland or what is the leading export of Chile. Not my preferred method of creating good will.
Apr 26th, 2018 | 07:12 AM
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When we go to France I try to come up with a conversation starter for the breakfast table of the B&Bs we stay at, though it's usually not needed. Everybody chats.
One year I asked what people thought of the proposal of President Sarkozy to change the work week. We've asked about their elections. Before their presidential election people told us they weren't sure who to vote for to keep Le Pen out; this is where having a two-tier election is useful. Before their legislative elections, everybody was baffled because there were so many candidates nobody knew anything about. We've discussed capital punishment, Charlie Hebdo as a magazine (nobody we talked to read it), the Hyper Cacher attack,the current guy in the White House, and lots of lighter topics.
My husband and I are sure we benefit from the goodwill lots of French people have for the US.
One year I asked what people thought of the proposal of President Sarkozy to change the work week. We've asked about their elections. Before their presidential election people told us they weren't sure who to vote for to keep Le Pen out; this is where having a two-tier election is useful. Before their legislative elections, everybody was baffled because there were so many candidates nobody knew anything about. We've discussed capital punishment, Charlie Hebdo as a magazine (nobody we talked to read it), the Hyper Cacher attack,the current guy in the White House, and lots of lighter topics.
My husband and I are sure we benefit from the goodwill lots of French people have for the US.
Apr 26th, 2018 | 02:10 PM
#13
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My husband and I are sure we benefit from the goodwill lots of French people have for the US.>>
I'm sure that you do, but also probably because you show yourselves to be interested in and informed about France, which always goes a long way to win people over.
Contrary to the stereotype of Anglo-French relations we also have had very good experiences of discussions at french breakfast tables in BnBs; the efforts of brits to speak french are greeted with such surprise that we should even attempt such a thing that they are almost always immediately won over, and we find that we can get by with very little actual french.
I'm sure that you do, but also probably because you show yourselves to be interested in and informed about France, which always goes a long way to win people over.
Contrary to the stereotype of Anglo-French relations we also have had very good experiences of discussions at french breakfast tables in BnBs; the efforts of brits to speak french are greeted with such surprise that we should even attempt such a thing that they are almost always immediately won over, and we find that we can get by with very little actual french.
Apr 26th, 2018 | 02:44 PM
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We met our friends from Yorkshire in a restaurant in the Perigord. And two weeks ago the French could not have been nicer in Nimes, Arles, and Avignon. It is always the Parisians that are indefatigable and creative in the rudeness.
Apr 27th, 2018 | 02:36 AM
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two months ago I and friend watched a skier smash his way off piste, through a small wood, over a small child and carved up the cross country trail to hurl himself back onto the down hill piste.
moving quickly to pick the kid up, my friend remonstrated with the idiot who had finally come to a stop, in perfect Parisian French he explained "I can go where I like, who cares about the brat" before piddling off...
As you say, it is the people you meet who make a holiday
moving quickly to pick the kid up, my friend remonstrated with the idiot who had finally come to a stop, in perfect Parisian French he explained "I can go where I like, who cares about the brat" before piddling off...
As you say, it is the people you meet who make a holiday
Apr 27th, 2018 | 12:31 PM
#17
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As you say, it is the people you meet who make a holiday>>
or in the case of the "brat" who almost kill you.
People have been arrested and charged for damaging people on the piste.
All this talk of people you meet on holiday reminds me of the rather unpleasant chalet we had booked for 3 nights in Iceland; amongst its defects was the fact that the rear of the chalet was the toilet block of the adjoining camp site which led a number of people to conclude that our chalet was the public washroom and we had to repel a succession of hot and sweaty campers who wanted to use our shower. Still, nothing daunted, when the owner of the chalets invited us to join him for coffee in the evening, we went over to the main building, to discover firstly that it was only us who was invited, and secondly that the coffee came with a side order of religious tracts. Going into professional mode I bored him rigid with questions about Icelandic agriculture and fishing and after a suitable interval, we made our excuses and left. The final straw came at 6am the next morning when a group of nearby campers decided to pack up and leave which required them to discuss how they were going to pack the car and strike camp at the top of their voices. In Icelandic. As mine host approached on his bike presumably equipped with his bible, we left at some speed, having left the equivalent of one night's lodging on the kitchen table.
or in the case of the "brat" who almost kill you.
People have been arrested and charged for damaging people on the piste.
All this talk of people you meet on holiday reminds me of the rather unpleasant chalet we had booked for 3 nights in Iceland; amongst its defects was the fact that the rear of the chalet was the toilet block of the adjoining camp site which led a number of people to conclude that our chalet was the public washroom and we had to repel a succession of hot and sweaty campers who wanted to use our shower. Still, nothing daunted, when the owner of the chalets invited us to join him for coffee in the evening, we went over to the main building, to discover firstly that it was only us who was invited, and secondly that the coffee came with a side order of religious tracts. Going into professional mode I bored him rigid with questions about Icelandic agriculture and fishing and after a suitable interval, we made our excuses and left. The final straw came at 6am the next morning when a group of nearby campers decided to pack up and leave which required them to discuss how they were going to pack the car and strike camp at the top of their voices. In Icelandic. As mine host approached on his bike presumably equipped with his bible, we left at some speed, having left the equivalent of one night's lodging on the kitchen table.
Apr 27th, 2018 | 01:31 PM
#18
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My first very first foreign country we ever visited was Iceland. It was a stopover on a economical fare to Continental Europe some 45 years ago. There were no car rentals at that time of year and the only way to get out of Reykjavík, was a one day tour.The guide offered the obligatory facts and figures, including the revelation that American astronauts trained in Iceland because its topography, was most like the moon on Earth. As soon as she finished, a deep southern American voice asked, "How much does this bus weigh?"
We never became friends with him.
We never became friends with him.
Apr 27th, 2018 | 01:43 PM
#19
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I am happy to read these stories. I have so many times read advice here that nobody in Europe would talk to the tourists so don’t even try to start conversations, that I had begun to think my own experiences were figments of my imagination. The advice not to discuss politics or religion seems to leave out a large chunk of the most interesting conversations.
My own experience is that people will tell you their life stories if you give them half a chance, anywhere in the world.
My own experience is that people will tell you their life stories if you give them half a chance, anywhere in the world.
