Contrary to what ignorant people believe, the French love the Americans and the British with whom we are always pleased to share our history, our culture, our stories.
Ah, but what about we ex convicts Pilou.
It was 1981 and I was making my way back from Megeve to Paris, and being unsure where to go stopped this immaculately dressed Parisian. Being too shy to try my French I asked him in English "pardon monsieur parlez-vous anglais ?" He looked at me for about five seconds and then in perfect English said, "no, not today". I still consider it to be the best put down I have ever received.
Nice one Andy, but I`m less sure about the French love of the Brits. One time we were checking into a hotel up, country reception gave us the key, checked the passports and said, "I thought you were English, have this key instead". It may have been a worse room, but I doubt it.
I found the French very tolerant of the use of English, except the railway clerk who deliberately sent us in the opposite direction to Versailles.
"Nice one" ? Ha ! I well knew both of these stories which already showed in another thread "
Language a barrier to foreign cruising ?". There we go again, all the old tales came up again. 1981 ? We are in 2016, two generations after this, almost one century in human relationships... Now people travel more, they better communicate, exchange ideas, talk about their interests, they meet and welcome one another, learn what is happening regionally, interact and express more human solidarity.
If you are looking at the world properly, you will see the world as a global human village where people are sharing their stories, their questions and their joys.
Is this not what we are mostly doing on TF ?
Andy, we already exchanged a few personal messages where I appreciated with much satisfaction your foresight, your greatness of spirit, your sense of humour. Please do not fall into the trap to take but one example then to drawing conclusions based on that, this is not You.
So listen carefully : In 1983, on my way to New Caledonia I stopped in Sydney, a window of my rental car was broken in a parking lot at day time, my camera and some personal belongings were stolen on my first day in Sydney. Am I to assume that Aussies are thieves ? I would be stupid if I felt that. Quite the contrary, I have had a lot of good leisure times and discussions in Sydney where I met great people.
I have no intention today of going back over old ground and old arguments but please don't tell me that, not to me. Every year, our area attract an important number of tourists,
mostly British (from all Brit countries) and American. You've no idea of the large number of tourists who come in my pharmacies suffered minor injuries and ailments (such as a cut finger or feet, minor burn, eye infection, sunburn, heatstroke, some did fall on the ground, etc... too numerous to name). Some people don't have extra money, some lack private health insurance, or met failure to have health services from their credit cards, or the process of health insurance was becoming too complicated in particular because of lack of documents. In all of these cases, howsoever caused, we always fulfill our purpose for patients: To care and cure, therefore we are doing it
free of charge, even if every year they are dozens. Every year as well hundred of tourists come for the same reasons - minor injuries - to the hospitals where my daughter and her fiancé (both are doctors) are working, and for the same reasons - sometimes they have health insurance issue or no extra money -, the hospital's staff treat them often
free of charge. Then our tradition of hospitality and solidarity may not be brought into question caused by fault or negligence on one Parisian - or one railway clerk - who obviously is not France. There are fools everywhere.
Well, Sirs, I am very sorry about your unpleasant old experiences but this is not France, this it not the French. You both are prominent members of the forum, do not disappoint me, let us be serious, please look beyond the stereotypes from a higher perspective.
Thank you.
P.
) and the war was over. Caledonian canal opened in 1822, after 12 years to build at a cost £910,000 employing over 3,000 people. Even if the threat to British Naval shipping was gone, but with the spectacular scenery the canal was popular for pleasure cruising and it provided the safe passage it had originally been intended to during the First World War.
