Latest London V Paris

[Vraititi<P>PSG till I die -fluctuat nec mergitur.<P>]

Here we go again, the eagerly awaited ClicheOrama's starting now at an ex-pat's Forum near you ! France's stuck in a rut, living in the past, etc. while England's at the forefront of youth, innovation and whathaveyou.

[charlie*]

I live in France and I wish Paris had got it.( Though I think Chirac is a twit!)

Where was Blair when manchester tried to get the Olympics (no, I'm not from up North)?

 

[charlie*]

I live in France and I wish Paris had got it.( Though I think Chirac is a twit!)

Where was Blair when manchester tried to get the Olympics (no, I'm not from up North)?

 

[Deby]

My goodness Logan, I wanted to cut and paste parts of your prose but found I would have had to use it all.  Eloquently put, I could not have written my thoughts/opinions so well.  For me you hit the nail on the head, I have been wondering for many months why am I so restless with beautiful France, but what you have written is so true and factual.

I would like to think of myself as truly European. That is I am proud of my British culture, I love France and other countries within Europe and fundamently I believe in the philosophy of Europe, but things are changing, the world is changing.

Back to the thread, this is the start of the beginning for the UK and the beginning of the end for beloved France.

Deby.

[charlie*]

I'm sorry that I'm not being politically correct but many people have chosen France as their home and then bang on about how great it is that the U.K have got the Olympics. WHY????

 

[Dick Smith]

First of all, Charlie, it's nothing to do with 'political correctness' so why set that hare running (again)?

Why on earth can't people live in France but be pleased that their birth-nation's capital city has managed to do something right for once? I imagine that a lot of French people living in London are disappointed - I'll ask one of them tomorrow and tell you what she says. But I won't ask to have her deported if she is.

Look at Miki's post - how French people in the resto were congratulatory. Think about real life for a moment. Moving to France doesn't amputate your life in the UK does it? Only the bitterest failure-escaping expats would feel that way, surely?

[Miki]

I agree with you Dick.

If you cannot understand why we Brits living here were delighted Charlie, then so be it. Those of us that think it quite wonderful, still have a huge kindred spirit with the UK, just as the French living abroad will have felt totally the opposite and were genuinely choked that they did not gain the Olympics.

Now carryng on from how the French in our local resto felt about it all, something else came to light tonight here.

12 of us sat down for a light supper, 6 French, 2 Spaniards, 2 Swiss and us. We knew a few of them from previous years. We had an improptu small supper and some drinks (naturally !) Of course the Olympic decision was brought up. No raised voices just calm discussion, each side, one by one, putting their case. The big surprise was how the French in one voice said "tant pis we are not from Paris, we would not gain but we would have to pay so those Parisiens could have a great time, whilst we see or receive nothing, it would all be about Paris"

Perhaps, just perhaps some of this feeling found it's way to Singapore or if not, it certainly was an eye opener to find out how some French families felt about the decision !

An hour ago, an old friend of mine, who is staying with us rode in on his push bike, face flushed and pretty unsteady on his pegs. He told us he got held up at a little bar in the village and he had been cornered by some French and questioned about his place of birth. On stating he was from the west of London, the owner, who our friend had a drink with the night before, made a cutting motion across his throat and said "Londres... Olympics, one drink and leave s'il vous plaît"

My mate, being quite a large chap said his first thought was to say something back (difficult as he has yet to get much past "Bonjour une demi pression s'il vous plaît") but said his chin dropped first in astonishment that this friendly chap from the night before, was now telling him to clear off....................then just as he thought, what's French for "and Eff you as well", the bar just roared with laughter, as they said they were only joking and had planned it as he was parking his bike !!

My mate said he was so happy that he brought a round (blige me, he must have been deliriously happy !!)and of course, he said he couldn't leave until all had bought him a return drink ! So that was why he pedalled in well late for supper. He reckons that the memory from tonight will live with him for many years.

I really hope that mood will prevail all over France.

[Hegs]

Are there still plans for a Eurostar terminal in Stratford? In which case the Parisians should soon realize will be able to get to the stadium quicker than most west Londoners, which might help their mood a little ;-)

[Dick Smith]

Indeed there is, I believe. It was on the news tonight that a train will arrive in Stratford every fifteen seconds. They'll need big doors to get everybody off in that time.

Emplyoment - 300,000 jobs are being bandied about, the FTSE went up on the news and so on. What's to dislike?

I'm not a hugely enthusiastic fan of the Olympics in London (mostly due to problems about what is now considered an Olympic sport - I hear that the IOC are considering including Petanque) but there are great positives, one of which is the speeding up of the refurbishment of the transport infrastructure. There will also be a lot of good things for kids, both general sport and elite sportspeople, lining up sports clubs, including football and the Youth Sports Trust. As we found when the National Sports Centre was built at Crystal Palace the facilities are the key - and we don't want another generation growing up like me! Lets just keep the focus on individual performance and cut out the nationalistic hype.

[Teamedup]

I have been royally entertained by my friends comments tonight about London winning.  One said that journal at midi was entirely dedicated to Paris winning, even had an athlete there with the champagne in hand ready to pop the cork as the announcement was made......... only he didn't. I suggested that in London they would have opened the bottle anyway, that being  a sort of cultural difference as we anglais probably wouldn't have wanted to waste a perfectly decenty chilled bottle of champers. Anyway the friend who had watched the news thought that it was really funny.

And not one friend thought that it was bad that Paris didn't get them. The JO have already cost this region dear, twice, and the concenus was that french people didn't want to be forking out more money. AND they had a real moan about the cost of the publicity campaign and the film that was made by Besson... only the best ofcourse.

Now M le President de la Republique is acting mighty strangely. Was he being 'funny' about the weather in Scotland when he said 'nice weather' when it was raining. Or was he like me in France today with the rain lashing down and the temperature at 17° really enjoying it after the canicule. So yes, nice cool wet weather today, it was, it was just about delicious. Anyway, what is wrong with Black Jack. Is he really losing it.

 

 

[Vraititi<P>PSG till I die -fluctuat nec mergitur.<P>]

He is just preparing his retirement of politics in a time-honoured political fashion, by being even awkwarder and snider than usual, making sure he leaves no stones unturned in his quest for annihilating everything in his wake, a fine illustration of 'après moi, le déluge' attitude. I shall remain convinced that his anti-british comments were a sick ploy to destroy Paris. Having said that, it might not be what made Pairs lose entirely, might only have swayed one or 2 voters in favour of London, but the intention was deadly. You ask what's wrong with him, but in his mayorship of Paris for 20 yrs he demonstrated how incredibly vindictive he can be, on a par with De Gaulle for that matter, who also had a dictatorial way of exacting revenge. These 2 are often referred to in the French press as 'having the Hassan II' syndrome', as the late King of Morrocco was known was pursuing his opponents with an incredible vigour, even after their death their families continued to pay the price... As an aside, I am reading in the French press (and hearing in the media) that London's slicker presentation won it for them, they also had celebrities and 20 kids there on hand when Paris only had aging politicians cluttering the space and a few athletes taking a back seat. See, never underestimate the power of kids !

[Missy]

[quote]Josa said "........I am very surprised and disappointed with some of the comments in this thread - I sincerely hope that the "whats is worth" attitude hasn't spread to France and Francophiles!!!Be Exc...[/quote]

Maybe the Channel Tunnel and Eurostar will register a profit that year from the extra continental traffic it will have to cope with.

So for all of you who have shares in these ventures, time to open a bottle of alcoholic pop or 2! The dividend might just about pay for it...

[Missy]

[quote]In recent months I have had this most dreadful feeling that France as a nation is in deep trouble both politically and socially. Loosing the 2012 games is just one more nail in a very big coffin. I ha...[/quote]

... and when our Ton' retires to the wild country of Up North, mug in hand zimmerframe int' other like, pushed out of the way by 'nother of them young upstart like, he'll say to his dear chérie wifey:

'Ahh! our Jacques was alright like, won'he... As uncles go like, he did talk sense... some of the time though...won't t'rest b****y rubbish like...!''

[chicfille]

Of course the French are bound to have the last laugh by winning all the medals we have our eye on!

[Hoddy]

Tony retiring up north ! About as likely as me winning the marathon in 2012.

Hoddy

[Christine Animal]

"I really hope that mood will prevail all over France."

I love that story, Miki.

[Missy]

[quote]Tony retiring up north ! About as likely as me winning the marathon in 2012.Hoddy[/quote]

I meant : retiring up North of Westminster like around Islington/Hampstead Heath...

[Marym2]

Hi

Just been on the news that bombs have gone off in London bringing the Tube to a complete standstill and a bus has had its roof blown off, uncomfirmed reports of 20 dead. My mother has had to be brought back from hospital as the are needing all drivers for this sad morning. Lets hope its not more like Madrid.

[Marym2]

So far its been 6 blasts,  90 injured, at Algate East station, All services on High Alert, no tubes or buses. London has been brought to a standstill.

[JP1]

Back to the olympics, received this piccy by email

[Missy]

[quote]Back to the olympics, received this piccy by email[/quote]

Sorry! What's the picture about...

Can't seem to open it on my computer...

[Christine Animal]

Because you can't post a photo direct from your computer, security reasons, so you have to stock it on the net, like in Photobucket, then get it and post it here.

[JP1]

sorry I didn't realise you would not be able to see the photo as when I previewed it, I could see it so assumed everyone could.

It is a picture of our local market stall selling all its stock of "Paris 2012" Olympic shirts at half price, if someone can tell me how to do it I'll post it but sorry for the confusion.

regards.

JP1

[Russethouse]

I use www.phobucket.com which is really easy - one of the pics from yesterdays trip to Hampton Court;

I use the 'tag' option. Hope that helps.

[JP1]

Thanks Gay,  I think their site is down at the mo

so I found this one

click on the link to see the photo I hope

http://tinypic.com/6teatk.jpg

 

regards

JP1