I am English and like to think I'm pretty good at it - after all we invented it! (As John Cleese might say) But seriously, I have been known to write the occasional poem - some quite long ones - but the trouble is I've forgotten most of them now!

However, I may be digressing. French? Ah yes! France and all things French - I am a great Francofile. I've been over to France many times - most recently in the cross-channel train. (Now I know how corned beef feels - or sardines! But a great achievement if not aesthetically rewarding.) My French is pretty good - and I love the country and like the people. I went grape-picking (`la vendage') near Bordeaux one year, and I have been to Paris many times. I find it the most enchanting city and I've been to quite a few - including Sydney in Australia. The Parisians can be a bit abrupt sometimes but I think that's probably true of the denizens of most large cities. The pace of life can get to them maybe. Not that you need to rush round Paris - unless you're driving. Strolling on foot is probably the best - it's quite compact compared to London.
Yes, I love France. Any country that can produce Catherine Deneuve and Emmanuelle Beart (to name but two) is OK by me!!

I like French music too. Funny how in movies it's often represented by an acordian - but you never hear that when you're there. (Maybe a relic of the past?) Their pop is very wistful. Remember `Joe le Taxi' by Vanessa Paradis? I have an even early memory of a song I heard just once by chance on a French radio channel and it's haunted me ever since - something about the life of Harlequin -`Il a les trois coleurs' was a part of the lyric. Anyone shed any light on it? I'd better dry up now! ( By the way don't ask anyone - let's just say I'm old and leave it at that!!)

Maybe a few drops in the ocean can't make it dirty - but no dictator can stand alone - let's bear that in mind. Too much hero worship should carry a health warning! The cult of the individual has more to recommend it than the wild herd.

Comment?


-- How do you expect me to 'soar with the eagles,' when I have to work with such turkeys?

Je l'ai parlé pour trois ans.


Bad art is more tragically beautiful than good art, because it documents human failure.

Being Canadian we had to learn some french as we took it for 6 years in school so yes I speak some french!