20th August 2017

Barcelona. Las Ramblas - such a lovely wide boulevard, thronged with laughing, joyful holidaymakers, all mingling with each other along its cobbled thoroughfare. And now this. People despair and ask why is this happening in the world. But it's always happened. Man feels threatened unless he can 'protect' himself amongst his very own group, fighting off all those 'others'. However, centuries ago man only fought those who lived in the next village, unaware of what was happening in the rest of the world. Ironically today technology is at fault, opening up global vistas, showing how green it is the other side of the fence. Well, that was ever the reasoning. The difference today is that one group is fighting not to try to achieve what others have but with one aim only - to proselytise the rest of the world to their own 'group'.  Pure tribalism but with a global, evil twist. Let us hope they are never successful.
Meantime, technology's better side:  today I'm on fellow author Vanessa Couchman's blog, talking about the lighter side of cultural exchanges in Europe. Do pop over to www.vanessafrance.wordpress.com and read about my forthcoming release, Pensioners in Paradis: French Notes From A Broad. Thank you Vanessa.

26 October 2014

An amazing week. No, not in politics, but for me.  The children are here and for the first time for years just the four of us are all together en famille.  Tues and Wed we drove to Barcelona, with 2 dogs!  No border crossing (Schengen agreement), just a sign 'Bienvenida a Espana'.  A few things I learned:  don't attempt to drive in central Barcelona!  Like Paris and NY, you take your life in your hands.  Everyone drives scooters. They're parked on every pavement and roadside. No mode of transport would accept our dogs, not taxis, not buses, but the metro will only with a muzzle (on the dog not us). Two of us took the open-top tourist bus, but you need a second mortgage to pay - 24 euros for a 2h journey, which includes the '92 Olympics park. Noticed that more ordinary people spoke English than in France, and we found a good veg. restaurant off the La Rambla walkway. Back in Gaillac my daughter treated me to a restyle haircut: short club cut, with longer sides and a slanted fringe (carre en diagonale)! In Spain Him indoors thought Manual Labour was the waiter....