How Crazy Is This? French Politics

[HDPM]

Check this link out. web page (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2003/08/18/international0934EDT0499.DTL)


I mean really. It is hot so the government minister of something steps down? WTF? Of course they live in a country with mandatory incompetence and inefficiency (35 hr. workweek) and a slew of socialist garbage. But a lot of the deaths were geezers left at home by vacationing relatives. How is that any of the govt's business? I think they need a ministry of weather so they can legislate lower temperatures. They are arrogant enough to try. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[Cyrus]

You can't understand that, until you actually experience it. An army could invade the country and nobody would notice until September.

[Zeno]

Correct me if I'm wrong Cyrus, but isn't August the traditional "Holiday" month for much of Europe? Almost everyone is off going into each others countries and causing traffic jams, beaches are jammed, hotels are jammed, restaurants are jammed, whore houses are jammed etc. Not the time to visit Europe.

An army could invade France any time of the year and nobody would notice. The reason nobody invades is that France is so unimportant. I have been to France, and was only impressed by the amount of filth it contained. I know there are charming portions to the country but France is the least appealing country I’ve ever visited.

-Zeno

[Cyrus]

"Isn't August the traditional "Holiday" month for much of Europe? Almost everyone is off going into each other's countries."

But that would mean that each country would still be full! /images/graemlins/smile.gif

Yes, Europe shuts down too. What happens is that France shuts down more than any other country. And every Frenchy worth his subsidies heads for the beaches!
(That rules out a beach landing by the invaders.)

"I have been to France, and was only impressed by the amount of filth it contained. I know there are charming portions to the country but France is the least appealing country I've ever visited."

Well, the countryside must be lived to be appreciated. I haven't so I don't know. But the South of France, Nice and the rest? They are brilliant, especially now that the more rowdy element heads for Ibiza or Malia. And Paris? I will have no arguments against Paris, dogshit an' all.

[Boris]

I know its fashionable to bash the French but they really aren't that bad. At least if you exclude the politicians. The only high concentration of jerks is in touristy sections of Paris. But you could say that about most big cities.

They cleaned up the doggy doo in Paris a long time ago. you can say it's filthy but I think Zeno is overstating the case. One nice thing is that you can walk through any of the arrondisements in Paris at any time of the day or night with little fear of getting jacked. I like place but it's expensive.

I spent 3 months in Burgundy making wine. beautiful place. great wine (not that I'm an expert). lots of alcoholics. The south of France is best enjoyed on a bicycle, IMO. If I ever go back it would be to do a bicycle tour.

[Zeno]

I spent the summer of 1980 in Europe. That was a while ago but not ancient history. Perhaps some things have gotten better in France. Some parts I visited were very charming and interesting; I managed to stay at Antibes (on the south coast) and really loved it, there is a small museum there with some of Picasso’s work in it. But some parts of the country and cites were very trashy and just ugly. But that can be said of any country I suppose. It is just fun to bash the French - American Tradition.

Interesting that you mention a bike tour. I am getting middle aged but am still crazy. I had a notion to try a bike tour of a part of Europe. I have a friend that lives in Paris and I was thinking of landing in Lisbon and biking up through Portugal, across northern Spain and then wandering into Paris. It’s a bit of a dream but I may do it someday, just because.

-Zeno

[Ray Zee]

yea, nice knowing you pancake. you wont have a chance on those narrow roads with the way they drive. let me hold your bankroll when you go please.

[Zeno]

Staying alive on the roads would be a challenge but nothing I couldn't handle. If I die, I die happy. Drivers don't scare me; I have been to Mexico about 4 times and once drove my own vehicle about 5,000 miles through the beastly country. They tried to kill me but were unsuccessful.

If I go you can hold my bankroll - When (or if) I return; I get 50% of whatever you make off it. OK.

-Zeno

[Boris]

For a bike tour I would only do an area like Provence. It has lots of paved back roads and villages and very nice scenery. The area around Avignon in particular would be well suited for laid back bike touring. The kind where you stay in an inn every night and eat in restaurants and don't stress your self out with hardcore hill climbing and long distances.

[HDPM]

"If I die, I die happy"


No Mr. Misanthrope, this is not misanthropic thinking IMO. If I die I want to die doing something I hate. Like if I am in the middle of some interminable court docket and have a massive heart attack and brain hemmorage or whatever. No big loss, assuming it was going to happen. And the people I am annoyed with will be inconvenienced by having to lug my dead ass over to the morgue and having their day delayed/interrupted. Ha. Now if I am doing something great I want to live through it. And then die when I am annoyed so as to minimize the suffering of the moment. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[Zeno]

Well said, HDPM. I must be getting soft in my middle age. Perhaps, however, the quintessential misanthrope, Ambrose Bierce, did it best. /images/graemlins/smirk.gif

-Zeno

[Graham]

I had a summer off in 1986 when I was 20, picked up a book in a public library by a cyclist/travel writer. It hooked me. Bought a touring bike a few days later and a couple of weeks later took the train from scotland to the middle of switzerland and cycled for 3 weeks on my own through the alps to Avignon. Fantastic! One of the best things I ever did, except that the first day I cycled up one of the big cols - it took 3 hours to get up the top and I had to push the last mile to the top 'cos of cramp both front and back of both legs. Sat in the cafe and drank lots of strong coffee with lots sugar, ate a couple mars bars, drank water and ate a handful of salt out of the salt shaker. Then it took just 15 minutes down the other side. Man, then I had another one looking at me.

Heh, I'd advise anyone to build up to the tour de france stuff and not approach it my way.

I've done a bunch of tours since - in scotland/france mainly. Only one I regret was Miami-New orleans (and that's a whole other story)...too damn hot-in-day/cold-at-night and boring scenery.

I would say most of france makes a great cycle tour. Plenty of back roads and hostelries everywhere. Get the yellow michelin maps and use the back roads as much as possible, find the small interesting towns off the rail and main road routes.

French bashing is different from France bashing.

[ACPlayer]

I have been to France, and was only impressed by the amount of filth it contained

You clearly have not travelled much - I can think of many, many places that are worse than Paris (including quite a few in the US) -- which by the way is one of the greatest cities in the world. The French country side is beautiful too - head down to Provence or over towards Chamonix for some great destinations.

In Europe the least appealing city I have been to, is by far, Zurich.