We are often asked why we came to france and
what are the positiives and negatives and I can tell you there are many. For those that are thinking that the grass is
greener on the other side, beware it is
just different grass.
However,
this time of year reminds us of the real benefits, as one thing we love is the
summer fetes and festivals, they are numerous and really is it what summer is all
about here is Brittany.
This weekend we took an evening off from watching the maternity ward and headed off to the annual Moules and Frites Festival at Lignol, (mussels and chips) held every year on the first Saturday of August. Moules and Frites in Brittany are a bit like Fish and Chips in England , you can get them anywhere and at anytime. They are delicious and are certainly one of the things I would miss if I ever left France.
Although,
throughout the day there are various activities and the occasional game of
boules, the main event is in the evening where the entire village get together with anyone else that happens to
arrive, and enjoys a total of 250 kilos of moules (sorry mussels !) cooked in a delicious bacon, leek and cream
sauce, accompanied by - yes you've guessed it - chips ! It never fails to amaze me how well organized
these do's are, given the scale of them.
Everybody just mucks in, young and old a like, it is really what
community spirit is all about.
As well as
the meal there is always entertainment,
a local band performing a melody of English classics, great for us
expats to sing along to, but to the french its just music to perform their
Breton stomp to, this involves the whole village shuffling around in a circle,
with their arms swaying up and down; It
doesn't really matter what's playing, they do the same dance. It is really funny when performed to Meat
Loafs, Bat Out of Hell !.
As I look
around I see why so many expats enjoy these evenings,
firstly.....
Secondly ....
Lastly ....
Three girls still left in the maternity ward, I wish they would get on with it. Its the Intercultique Music Festival in lorient next week and Puppy needs a day on the beach.
"It doesn't really matter what's playing, they do the same dance."
ReplyDeleteOh, how wrong you are...it just seems like that to the uninitiated! We have learnt over 114 new dances over the last year and even more the previous year! If you have a go, you'll soon see that it's not as easy at it looks...as your arms and feet move differently, takes real concentration! Speak soon!
I arrived in France the day after this - and I hear from Remi, the baker in Lignol, that this was a good night - he should have started baking at 3am but didn't wake until 5! Good night in the bar had by all!
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