Enjoyed reading this. I've never been one for travelling and any holidays in my life have been spent in the U.K , but, I have been to France, twice! They weren't holidays - back in the 70's my 'then' husband was a continental lorry driver, who spent his life driving an enormous truck throughout Europe and beyond and twice he persuaded me to farm out the kids to relatives and friends and accompany him. Each trip took over a week - the first time we drove down through France to our destination in Spain - the second time it was through France to Switzerland. I enjoyed both trips immensely, mind you this may have been because I was warned not to drink to drink the water while I was abroad, and this being before bottled water was 'a thing' I drank nothing but wine the whole time we were away! There is nothing like seeing a country from high up in the cab of a big lorry and I thought France was a beautiful country, the scenery ever changing as we drove down the length of it. Little villages that looked just as I imagined a French village should look and then the next minute we would be climbing scary roads through mountains, it was magnificent. The people I met were lovely too (once I got over the shock of being hugged and kissed twice by total strangers - steady on I'm British you know!) And oh yes the baguettes and the croissants - one of our early morning breakfast stops was at a bakery - both items consumed not long out of the oven, heaven! The paltry offerings in our British supermarkets bear no resemblance to the real thing. The only drawback was the ferry crossings to get there & back - I am not a good sea traveller - then the marriage broke up, so that was the end of my gallivanting abroad - Thanks for bringing the memories back Fiona.
I love your description of seeing France from high up in a lorry! Sounds fantastic and so unusual to get an opportunity like that back then. I’d have loved it too!
I was born French. Well, not really. I arrived into this world in Bristol and my parents are British through and through, but I was given a French name because my dad had a thing about Brigitte Bardot. I was the girl growing up with the unpronounceable name amongst the Karens, Traceys and Janes that my classmates were called. I have got used to my name being mis-spelt. My father who gave me the name has never spelt it right! I am forever having to spell out my name. I briefly dated someone who insisted on calling me Brigitte, as in the French way rather than as in the Bridget Jones way.
It all got more complicated when I went to Austria on an exchange holiday. I then became Brigitte as in the girl's name in the Sound of Music. Actually I didn't mind that as I got to wear a dirndl and climb mountains and eat strudel!
I love the name Brigitte! It’s very alluring and glamorous. Fiona seemed weird in a Yorkshire primary school but then we moved to Scotland and there were zillions! X
Ah yes, that “exotique “ hint of garlic! When we lived in England in ‘74, my dad engaged a housekeeper to look after us and occasionally make dinner. She was a lovely Warwickshire woman in her sixties who had never been out of the country, and she was absolutely horrified by my father’s insistence on putting garlic in our food. (She and her husband DID go to the local Indian restaurant once a week, but they only ever ordered fish and chips there.)
I'd forgotten about the 'European section' of UK Indian restaurants! Yes, fish & chips, omelette and I seem to remember Chicken Maryland. 😄 Enjoyed you telling me about your mum being an early adopter of gravelly wholefoods - please write about that sometime!
Enjoyed reading this. I've never been one for travelling and any holidays in my life have been spent in the U.K , but, I have been to France, twice! They weren't holidays - back in the 70's my 'then' husband was a continental lorry driver, who spent his life driving an enormous truck throughout Europe and beyond and twice he persuaded me to farm out the kids to relatives and friends and accompany him. Each trip took over a week - the first time we drove down through France to our destination in Spain - the second time it was through France to Switzerland. I enjoyed both trips immensely, mind you this may have been because I was warned not to drink to drink the water while I was abroad, and this being before bottled water was 'a thing' I drank nothing but wine the whole time we were away! There is nothing like seeing a country from high up in the cab of a big lorry and I thought France was a beautiful country, the scenery ever changing as we drove down the length of it. Little villages that looked just as I imagined a French village should look and then the next minute we would be climbing scary roads through mountains, it was magnificent. The people I met were lovely too (once I got over the shock of being hugged and kissed twice by total strangers - steady on I'm British you know!) And oh yes the baguettes and the croissants - one of our early morning breakfast stops was at a bakery - both items consumed not long out of the oven, heaven! The paltry offerings in our British supermarkets bear no resemblance to the real thing. The only drawback was the ferry crossings to get there & back - I am not a good sea traveller - then the marriage broke up, so that was the end of my gallivanting abroad - Thanks for bringing the memories back Fiona.
I love your description of seeing France from high up in a lorry! Sounds fantastic and so unusual to get an opportunity like that back then. I’d have loved it too!
I was born French. Well, not really. I arrived into this world in Bristol and my parents are British through and through, but I was given a French name because my dad had a thing about Brigitte Bardot. I was the girl growing up with the unpronounceable name amongst the Karens, Traceys and Janes that my classmates were called. I have got used to my name being mis-spelt. My father who gave me the name has never spelt it right! I am forever having to spell out my name. I briefly dated someone who insisted on calling me Brigitte, as in the French way rather than as in the Bridget Jones way.
It all got more complicated when I went to Austria on an exchange holiday. I then became Brigitte as in the girl's name in the Sound of Music. Actually I didn't mind that as I got to wear a dirndl and climb mountains and eat strudel!
Have a fab weekend! x
I love the name Brigitte! It’s very alluring and glamorous. Fiona seemed weird in a Yorkshire primary school but then we moved to Scotland and there were zillions! X
Ah what a brilliant end to the story, magnifique indeed!
I do feel very lucky to have that Paris connection! Miss her of course but great excuse for trips! X
Love this. I was a bit like you too. I ended up teaching French. Thanks for the laughs.
Thanks Claire! I LOVE the language. What a great subject to teach x
It was although many students hated languages and couldn't see the point which was quite frustrating at the time.
With Madame Cholet and Beatrice Dalle as role models, you couldn't go wrong! Very funny, Fi. On y va!
Haha - I'm now aiming for something in between! And thanks Wendy! xx
Ah yes, that “exotique “ hint of garlic! When we lived in England in ‘74, my dad engaged a housekeeper to look after us and occasionally make dinner. She was a lovely Warwickshire woman in her sixties who had never been out of the country, and she was absolutely horrified by my father’s insistence on putting garlic in our food. (She and her husband DID go to the local Indian restaurant once a week, but they only ever ordered fish and chips there.)
I'd forgotten about the 'European section' of UK Indian restaurants! Yes, fish & chips, omelette and I seem to remember Chicken Maryland. 😄 Enjoyed you telling me about your mum being an early adopter of gravelly wholefoods - please write about that sometime!
Hahaha — I may need to go back to therapy for that one, but I will definitely give it a shot!
And what the hell is Chicken Maryland?
I thought it was a US thing but maybe a British invention? Chicken crumb coated basically!
Mais oui, Madame, vous etes tres, tres Francaise! I’m Puerto Rican and my brother is Croatian. Go figure!
Intriguing!