Dior at the Château de Versailles

Thanks to Leann from Fabulously French for alerting me to a stylish video, Prolongations, from Dior that was filmed at Versailles.

The video was initially released as a teaser of about 1 minute whilst the full version is about three and half minutes. You may recall that Dior last used Versailles as the backdrop for their advertisement for J'Adore with Charlize Theron.

Anyone who has ever visited Versailles will know what a special spot it is. The Chateau of Versailles offers each summer special activities in the gardens: Grandes Eaux musicales, Grandes Eaux nocturnes, Jardins musicaux and Serenades. For more information on these and visiting the château: http://en.chateauversailles.fr/homepage

You think English is easy???

I am not sure of the origins of this. Please let me know if it is yours so that I can appropriately attribut it.

1) The bandage was wound around the wound. 
2) The farm was used to produce produce.

3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.
4) We must polish the Polish furniture.
5) He could lead if he would get the lead out.
6) The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert. 
7) Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present .
8) A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.
9) When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.
10 ) I did not object to the object. 
11) The insurance was invalid for the invalid. 
12) There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row ..
13) They were too close to the door to close it.
14) The buck does funny things when the does are present.
15) A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.
16) To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow. 
17) The wind was too strong to wind the sail.
18) Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear. 
19) I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.
20) How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?

Let's face it - English is a crazy language. There is no egg in eggplant, nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple. English muffins weren't invented in England or French fries in France . Sweetmeats are candies while sweetbreads, which aren't sweet, are meat. We take English for granted. But if we explore its paradoxes, we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.

And why is it that writers write but fingers don't fing, grocers don't groce and hammers don't ham? If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn't the plural of booth, beeth? One goose, 2 geese. So one moose, 2 meese? One index, 2 indices? Doesn't it seem crazy that you can make amends but not one amend? If you have a bunch of odds and ends and get rid of all but one of them, what do you call it?

If teachers taught, why didn't preachers praught? If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat? Sometimes I think all the English spea kers should be committed to an asylum for the verbally insane. In what language do people recite at a play and play at a recital? Ship by truck and send cargo by ship? Have noses that run and feet that smell?

How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites? You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language in which your house can burn up as it burns down, in which you fill in a form by filling it out and in which, an alarm goes off by going on.

English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the creativity of the human race, which, of course, is not a race at all. That is why, when the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are invisible.

PS. - Why doesn't 'Buick' rhyme with 'quick' ?

Lovers of the English language might enjoy this . 

There is a two-letter word that perhaps has more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that is 'UP.' 

It's easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP ? At a meeting, why does a topic come UP ? Why do we speak UP and why are the officers UP for election and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report ?

We call UP our friends. And we use it to brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver; we warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen. We lock UP the house and some guys fix UP the old car. At other times the little word has real special meaning. People stir UP trouble, line UP for tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses. To be dressed is one thing, but to be dressed UP is special.

And this UP is confusing: A drain must be opened UP because it is stopped UP. We open UP a store in the morning but we close it UP at night. 

We seem to be pretty mixed UP about UP ! To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of UP, look the word UP in the dictionary. In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes UP almost 1/4th of the page and can add UP to about thirty definitions. If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many ways UP is used. It will take UP a lot of your time, but if you don't give UP, you may wind UP with a hundred or more. When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP. When the sun comes out we say it is clearing UP... 

When it rains, it wets the earth and often messes things UP. 

When it doesn't rain for awhile, things dry UP. 

One could go on and on, but I'll wrap it UP, for now my time is UP, so........it is time to shut UP! 

Kinda makes you think, doesn't it?

Sunshine Coast, Australia - Photos

These photos were taken during our 8 days on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia. If you haven't ever visited this area, I strongly recommend adding it to your list of places to visit.

Foote Sanctuary, Buderim

Unknown flower at Montville (let me know in the comments if you can identify it)

View towards the Glasshouse Mountains

Noosa Beach

Pub at Eumundi 

Eumundi Markets

Coolum

Coolum

Main street at Montville

Staghorn at Montville

Streetside vegetation at Montville

Vegetation at Montville looking back towards the coast

Camphor Cottage, Montville

Beautiful neighbourhood  where we stayed in Buderim

Australian Gifts for Overseas Friends and Hosts

Gift-giving for friends and hosts is always slightly tricky. It is even more difficult when travelling from Australia to France and staying with or meeting new people. I therefore asked some friends who came up with some great suggestions.

Sue from Adelaide had some suggestions especially for our Adelaide friends:

It is so hard to find things 'Made in Australia or South Australia' or that aren't big, bulky, or heavy!

• The little shop in Burnside Village on the corner near the rear carpark has some good quality souvenir type things, although they seem to have cut back and now have more clothes.
• Eamonn Vereker makes the glassware at his workshop in Norwood. I know glass could be breakable but he has small glass animals including koalas. 
• China plates/mugs of Aussie animals, birds, etc...available at some department stores and shops; also the Maxwell Williams brand. The smaller plates travel quite well as they are boxed. Good value.
• Not too familiar with the city, but the South Australian Museum shop is good. 
• 2 good shops in Adelaide Arcade (one with souvenirs, Essence of Australia, and one a card/newsagent that has the St Alban wool scarves & throws, good quality coasters, toys etc). 
• There's also an upmarket shop in Adelade Arcade, Tarts Collective , the little side arcade (Gay's Arcade) with local makers. But a bit pricy....
• There's always silk scarves, but I guess that's kind of personal unless you know the people. 
• CDs but hard to know people's taste... we've taken Tina Arena doing her French album.
• Toiletries: lotions, etc...Trelivings brand from department stores (good value), also Jurlique.
• Food: Kangaroo Island products - honey or other, Beerenburg, both have mini gift packs. Maggie Beer, Haigh's Chocolates, Baylies of Strathalbyn. Have a look in your supermarket in the gourmet section (or David Jones) for these. You may find some other surprises too!
• Picture/coffee table books on South Australia, one good one is Peter Dobre's 'South Australia's Natural Landscapes'.
• I usually take a few pens, pencils, bookmarks, keyrings, etc (from any keycutter-shoemaker) to give away to people we meet there, teachers, etc...
• I wish a clever person would make some good quality linens, not the gastly garish stuff that's been around since the Ark...

I also asked Fraussie from Aussie in France for her suggestions

• Macadamia nuts
• Beauty care products made of emu oil etc.
• French are pretty big into cosmetics and bath stuff and food
• If the person likes reading, you could get a book by an Australian author such as Alex Miller
• Australian animal hand puppet
• Children might like an Australian T-shirt. We always took the kids back T-shirts and they loved them. Australian Aboriginal T-shirts are very unusual.
• Small wall hangings of Aboriginal art. The ones with the X-ray animal paintings are always popular here (France).
• Shell jewellery: earrings or a little necklace. There's so much nice stuff that's not expensive at all and that you don't find here.
• Mugs for hot chocolate
• Fridge magnets
• Cute little koalas that you pinch to open
• Board games: Australian Monopoly or Scrabble

My Spanish friend, Isa, has requested that I bring material with Aboriginal artwork on it when I visit her in July. Her mother has previously made dresses out of material she bought from Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute.

Eamonn Vereker, 67 Sydenham Rd, NORWOOD SA 5067

Essence of Australia, Shop 39, Ground Floor, Adelaide Arcade, ADELAIDE SA 5000 

South Australian Museum Shop, North Terrace, ADELAIDE SA 5000
Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute, 235 Grenfell St, ADELAIDE SA 5000

Tarts Collective, Gay's Arcade, ADELAIDE SA 5000 

Aussie in France Blog and Blogging Buddy

When I started blogging earlier this year little did I know that I would make friends across the world. I have been especially fortunate to find in Fraussie Grouet of Aussie in France a blogging buddy and friend. She has critiqued my posts and constantly provides encouragement and support. She even managed to persuade me to give Twitter another try.  We frequently chat on Skype and this has provided lots of inspirations for posts. I can't highly enough recommend to bloggers the benefits of finding a kindred soul in the blogging world.

I have been motivated to restart my own weightloss venture after following Fraussie's 'How I lost 20 kilos after 50, for good' inspirational series of posts. It is wonderful to read about someone's personal journey with food and weightloss which in so many ways mirrors my own. If I, or others have questions, we know we can ask them and Fraussie will help us out with her guidance, wisdom and reality check.

With my fascination with food and all things French it is not so surprising that my other favourite posts are about eating and drinking. I am so looking forward to when I arrive in Paris next week to working through Fraussie's Five Places to Lunch near the Louvre in Paris along with her 3 Places for an Apéritif in Paris.  Interesting how I have embraced these posts but have not yet to be motivated to take up Fraussie's passion for cycling. That said, Fraussie has invited me to stay with her at her new Renaissance home in Blois and to go cycling with her. I laughed when she asked me if I cycled. I confirmed that I knew that bikes are the things with two wheels. She tells me that these days they come with gears and hand brakes. Personally, I am more interested in visiting the restaurants and cafés that she mentions but I will give cycling in the Loire Valley a try with my mentor and friend. I will have to get her to promise not to blog about my inevitable cycling mishaps and lack of prowess and stamina.

If you have enjoyed the Aussie in France blog as I have, please consider voting for it in the Sydney Writers' Centre Best Australian Blogs 2012 Competition.

Noosa - Autumn in Queensland

View towards Noosaville on the Noosa River

In spite of being autumn the forecast for Adelaide is in the high 20s (celsius) every day this week. Unfortunately the weather gods for the Sunshine Coast have not been so favorable. The Sunshine Coast is not promising to live up to its name with rain forecast everyday. Fortunately the meteorologists have been wrong and we have had several beautiful sunny days.

Noosa Beach

Noosa Beach

I had never visited Noosa so it was high on my list of things to do during our week on the Sunshine Coast. We were fortunate to be able to enjoy a beautiful sunny day at Noosa. It is situated on the mouth of the Noosa River as it enters the Pacific Ocean. It has very much thrown off its old-fashioned beachside town shackles and now exhibits the work of property developers. Medium density luxurious apartment complexes sit alongside ‘McMansions’. The Sheraton and Sebel Hotels back on to the main street which is predominantly dotted with clothing shops, cafés and restaurants and is only one street away from the pristine Noosa Beach. The waves were very small but they still provided amusement for the bathers who were making the most of a warm autumn day on the Sunshine Coast. It was after 5pm but people were still swimming and sunbathing. Masseurs were still plying their trade with massage tables set up on the beach. Not a bad autumn day at all!!

Masseuse on Noosa Beach

Hastings St (main street), Noosa

For more information on visiting Noosa: http://www.visitnoosa.com.au/

Living on the Edge on the Sunshine Coast

This post has been written with the assistance of our kind host, Ron.

Our first day on the Sunshine Coast we toured the iconic Queensland Scenic Rim. This geographical treasure is world reknowned. The Glass House Mountains were the target of our journey. They were readily observed from the multiple vantage points offered by the high elevation of the sinuous narrow road along the rim. The visitor could not fail to be impressed by the many historic restored buildings that ranged in size from modest to mammoth and now housing restaurants, tearooms, bed and breakfasts and museums. 

Sunshine Coast Hinterland

We began our visits with the charming olde worlde village of Montville with its typical Queensland styled timbered buildings and eco friendly colours. The local park was studded with colourful trees and generously endowed with walking tracks and surrounded by cute restaurants with their uniquely tantalising menus. Perhaps even more memorable for the many visitors are the magnificent views visible from these establishments. En route we saw plantations with their impressively large, healthy macadamia trees. Our attention drawn by the grandeur of the Glass House Mountains we lost ourselves and travelled primitive tracks that wound around their base. Losing ourselves on the track and lost in the wilderness of the Sunshine Coast hinterland we were prevented from finding a coffee oasis to feed our caffeine cravings. By this time, with weather closing in on the not so sunny Sunshine Coast, our enthusiasm for a closer inspection of the mountains had waned. The fuel gauge provided an additional imperative to cutting short our outing. We returned home to our beach house tired but elated from our wonderful day. A glass of wine helped restore the sapped energy levels.

Montville

To Hammam, or Not To Hammam? That is the Question

Last year we had the wonderful opportunity to spend a week in Marrakech, Morocco. I knew very little about Morocco so relied on good friends and Trip Advisor to locate our accommodation at the Riad Sekkat. 

Khalid and his wife, Najah, looked after us at the riad, taking care of all of our needs and preparing our meals. Khalid, I am sure, knows everyone in Marrakech. We couldn't go for a walk or a trip on the back of his motorbike without lots of friendly waves.  It was obvious that if I was to venture to a hammam that it was best to seek his advice. He clarified if I wanted a 'tourist' or 'local' hammam.  I was adamant that I wanted the authentic 'local' one.  

Price list and hours at Bain d'or 

The next day Khalid led me the short distance along the winding streets of the medina to the local hammam. I was relieved to find out that the hammam had set times for men and women. I stood behind Khalid's large frame as a heated discussion in Arabic was conducted at the doorway. The elderly lady kept looking me up and down, not seeming to be too thrilled about this foreigner entering her hammam. Khalid's sweet-talking worked and I was allowed to enter with my towel tucked under my arm and cardigan under the other one. Khalid was insistent that I would need the cardigan afterwards for the walk back so that I didn't catch a chill.

I entered the first room which was a gathering area. Women of all ages and shapes were undressing or dressing. No anglo-saxon self-consciousness evident here (apart from myself). Thankfully Khalid had explained to the lady what I required and details regarding payment. I passed over my money to the attendant who was charged with taking care of me. Unfortunately I was unable to establish her name. Like most of the women in the hammam she spoke no French and I of course spoke no Arabic. She went to great lengths to show me that part of my money was paid to the lady in charge for the entrance, another portion was for the black Moroccan soap wrapped in a piece of torn paper and some shampoo. The balance was for her services.  She gestured to undress and to place my clothes and towel on a shelf. This gave me time to survey the room. There were a number of other rooms leading off from this main area. I was passed a plastic bucket and led through the sea of naked bodies to the furthest room. This room was full of women chatting, laughing and washing each other. 

The room was hot and steamy and light poured in from a hole in the roof and high openings. The women were gathered at the opposite end of the room to where I was seated on the floor. I realised later that this was the low end of the room and the direction the water flowed. My lady lathered me up with the black soap and then scrubbed me and scrubbed me some more. And then some more again. My skin was tingling all over. She lifted my arms, my legs, had me lie on my tummy on the floor, all the time scrubbing me. I was scrubbed all over!! The plastic bucket was filled and emptied over me. Another lady joined in scrubbing me ... some heated words were exchanged between the two. Eventually the second lady stopped scrubbing me and slunk away. I watched as the lady next to me washed her two small children and cleaned their teeth. Community bathing at its most intimate. My hair was washed with the sachet of men's shampoo that I was given at the counter. Hot and cold water was dumped over me leaving me gasping for breath. My lady left me alone for a short period of time and of course I had no idea what her instructions were. I think usually you go from one room to another, alternating between various temperatures. I was not sure about the process so I just stayed on my little corner of the floor. She returned, beckoning me to return to the changing area. I went to follow, but was confronted by a large derrière blocking the doorway. Its owner was leaning over. I tried a couple of excuse me's but all to no avail. Unsure if I should gently tap the protruding derrière I remained immobile whilst the ladies around me, sensing my predicament, started to giggle. Eventually someone on the other side of the door screamed out to the derrière propriétaire to move. We all had a great laugh. 

Khalid returned to escort me back to Riad Sekkat, in case I was unsure of my way.  He asked me if I knew why the women go to the hammam. He assured me that the bathing side of it is almost incidental. It is about socialising, gossiping and checking each other out.

Although the Bain d'Or may not suit everyone, I would thoroughly recommend the experience of going to a hammam and having your skin scrubbed and buffed. I have never felt so cleansed. Your skin feels even softer than that of a baby. I, on the other hand, will definitely go back to Bain d'Or the next time I am fortunate enough to return to Marrakech.

See also my post: Exotic Marrakech and Riad Sekkat

Cleland - Parc animalier près d'Adélaïde

Le grand avantage d'une organisation d'échanges de maison (voir Home Exchange - Benefits and Getting Started), c'est qu'on y rencontre des gens formidables. Grâce à Homelink, il y a deux mois, nous avons eu le plaisir d'accueillir une oenologue française du Luberon, Julia, chez nous pendant une quinzaine de jours. C'est une jeune femme très sympa et décontractée.

Vendredi, avec Julia qui habite encore à Adélaïde, nous avons eu l'occasion de rencontrer les charmants Hélène et Alain du Champagne. Ils sont aussi les membres de Homelink. Nous les avons contactés quand je cherchais un échange de maison en France pour 2012 et 2013. Ils en avaient organisé déjà un avec une famille d'Adélaïde. D'abord nous avons déjeuné au café au Mount Lofty, le plus haut sommet autour d'Adélaïde à 710m au-dessus du niveau de la mer. Normalement du sommet, on peut voir l'autre côté du golfe Saint Vincent mais pas ce-jour là. C'était très brumeux. Nous ne pouvions guère distinguer le contour de la ville d'Adélaïde. Quel dommage!

Potorous

Du Mount Lofty nous sommes descendus jusqu'au Cleland Wildlife Park, un parc animalier de 35 hectares de bush où nous avons vu des kangarous, des koalas, des emeus, des wallabies, des wombats et des potorous. On peut même caresser les animaux qui sont très habitués aux gens.

C'était une journée formidable avec nos amis français.

Kangarou

Home Exchange - Benefits and Getting Started

What is Home exchange?

Home Exchange is where you swap your home with that of someone else, either simultaneously or non-simultaneously. These days contact is usually made via the internet. The families negotiate duration, dates, what is on or off limits. A car may or may not be included in the exchange. In addition to exchanging homes some home exchangers also offer hospitality. I am heading to France at the end of next month and will be taking up three offers of hospitality. I will also be doing a non-simultaneous exchange in Paris with Fraussie Grouet from Aussie in France. I am so excited about it. Imagine me staying in the Palais Royal.

Home Exchange is not for everyone, but we have found it a rich and wonderful experience and certainly recommend it for like-minded people. Trust and communication is the key to a successful exchange. It doesn't matter whether your home is large or small, modest or luxurious, there are people who may be interested in what your home offers. 

Why home exchange? 

For me the answer is much more than the obvious cost-savings associated with the scheme. 

• You can live as a local rather than just as a tourist. Often you will be in a residential area so you can meet the neighbours, shop at the local shops, use public transport etc. The chance for real cultural exchange and immersion are greatly increased compared with staying in a hotel. 
• You will have the added benefit of the inside knowledge of the local area by your home exchange family. 
• You will frequently have more space to relax and enjoy. This may include outdoor area.  
• You can prepare your own meals, wash your clothes etc. Children can access toys and books, and infant equipment may be provided.
• The advantage of having your home, pets and plants cared for in your absence. This includes improved security for your home.
• The option of access to a vehicle included in the exchange.

I recently instituted a get-together of more than 20 exchangers in Adelaide. All of them spoke of positive experiences. So far we have completed exchanges to Melbourne, Sydney and Belgium. We currently have exchanges for France planned. In addition a number of French exchangers have offered me hospitality when travelling in France this year. They are not planning on travelling to Australia but have kindly offered for me to stay with them. What a wonderful privilege and opportunity to meet the local people. I am very excited about this. In other cases where an exchange was not mutually convenient I will be meeting up with people for a drink or meal. Likewise we will meet and show some French exchangers around Adelaide when they are here staying at other people’s homes. This is such a culturally rewarding opportunity which we greatly value. As one person said at the Adelaide Homelink gathering: 

When you get people who love travelling together, there is always something to talk about. 

Where to start?

There are numerous organisations on the internet offering exchange programmes. Ideally the one you choose should allow you to search for homeowners in your desired location who are seeking to come to your area or are open to offers. I recommend that you research and peruse the listings of a number of sites. Check out the Frequently Asked Questions on these websites. If you can, speak to family and friends to see if they have any experience or knowledge of the groups. Travel sections in magazines and newspapers often review the various organisations. Some organisations specialise in what home exchanges they offer; eg luxury, over 50 etc 

We chose Homelink as it has been operating since 1953 and also provides Local Coordinators in more than 27 countries including Australia. It is possible to telephone toll-free Lisa, our Australian coordinator, and ask questions. Additionally we found that Homelink offered lots of French families who wanted to come to Australia. It also offers the ability to search for non-smokers or people without children if this is a requirement. Contact information is only available to members of the group and there is a facility to contact exchangers within the Homelink database. Homelink also offers a facility to tailor, record and save exchange agreements. Having a formal agreement means that if for unforeseen circumstances the exchange falls through the Homelink Coordinator will assist in locating another exchange. 

Future direction for home exchange organisations

The face of home exchange organisation is on the verge of changing with the arrival of CasaHop. It proposes using social networks to help find the perfect home exchanges. CasaHop has not yet been fully launched but you are able to register your details with them. Time will tell whether this method of using social networks is accepted and viable for home exchangers.

I will be covering in future posts some tips for exchanges and preparing the home. In the mean time you may be interested in the following:

• Fraussie Grouet's Aussie in France post 'Our First Home Exchange'

Advice on home exchanges:

• www.homeexchangeexpert.com/
• www.knowyourtrade.com
• www.homeexchangeuniversity.com

Home exchange organisations:

• www.homelink.com.au (You can sign up as a visitor to consult the listings without joining) 
• www.homeexchange.com
• www.homeexchange50plus.com/ 
• www.lovehomeswap.com/

Sydney Rediscovered - Architecture

Sydney is relatively young in comparison to European cities.  It has a mixture of both old and modern architecture (Sydney Rediscovered - Sydney Harbour). We were fortunate to exchange our home for a lovely place in the inner suburb of Erskineville, neighbouring Newtown, with its eclectic mix of shops. (Sydney Rediscovered - Playing the Tourist)

Inner suburban homes

Our home exchange on left

City of Parramatta Town Hall

 The Parramatta Town Hall built in the Victorian Free Classical style was built between 1881 and 1883.

Department of Education building

The New South Wales (NSW) Education Building occupies an entire city block, bounded by Bridge, Loftus, Bent and Young Streets and Farrer Place in central Sydney. It is an important example of the Edwardian architecture during the period 1915 to 1930.

Contrast of the old and new

General Post Office, N° 1 Martin Place

With its Italian renaissance architcture the General Post Office in Martin Place was constructed in stages from 1866-91. It is the most notable work in the city by colonial architect James Barnet. The Post Office now retains a relatively small presence at the site with it now being used for cafés, bars and restaurants.

Waiting by J. Seward Johnson Jr (grandson of co-founder of Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical company) at Australia Square 

Customs House, Circular Quay

Customs House is conveniently located at Circular Quay. It has a café and restaurant. A enormous model of the city centre is showcased under the glass of the ground floor. Definitely worthwhile visiting. You can also read newspapers, browse information about visiting Sydney and access free wi-fi.

Australia Square, 264 George Street, Sydney NSW 2000

City of Parramatta Town Hall, 182 Church Street Parramatta NSW 2150

Customs House, 31 Alfred Street, Circular Quay, Sydney NSW 2000

Department of Education Building, 35-39 Bridge Street, Sydney, NSW 2000

Francophonie canadienne - Capsules humoristiques

Aujourd'hui à l'Université de Troisième Age nous avons parlé de la francophonie canadienne. Le site web Les Rendez-vous de la Francophonie dit: 

Aujourd'hui, près de 9,5 millions de personnes au Canada font vivre et rayonner la langue française autour d'eux. Ces personnes se retrouvent principalement en Acadie, au Québec et en Ontario, mais aussi dans l'Ouest et dans le Nord du Canada. Elles sont francophones de souche ou d'origines diverses issues de l'immigration, ou anglophones et allophones ayant choisi d'apprendre et de vivre en français.

Malheureusement le concours « La Francophonie s’éclate ! » des Rendez-vous de la Francophonie (RVF) 2012 est ouvert uniquement aux résidents canadiens. Néanmoins, on peut profiter des 20 capsules vidéo d'humour en français, en anglais et bilingues, portant sur la dualité linguistique au Canada. Quelle vidéo préférez-vous?

Merci à Fraussie d'avoir corrigé mon français.

La Coupe de Cheveux Gratuite

One of my friends recently shared this story with me. I understand that it has been doing the rounds for considerable time. Please let me know if you know its origin so I may correctly attribute the work.

Un jour, un fleuriste se rendit chez le coiffeur pour se faire couper les cheveux. Après sa coupe, il demanda combien il devait. Le coiffeur répondit :

- C'est gratuit, je fais du bénévolat cette semaine. 

Le fleuriste s'en alla tout content. Le lendemain, en ouvrant sa boutique, le coiffeur trouva à sa porte une carte de remerciements et une douzaine de roses.

Plus tard, c'est le boulanger qui se présenta pour se faire couper les cheveux. Quand il demanda pour payer, le coiffeur lui dit :

- Je ne peux accepter d'argent : cette semaine, je fais du bénévolat. 

Heureux, le boulanger s'en alla tout content, et le lendemain, déposa à la porte du coiffeur une douzaine de croissants, avec un mot de remerciements.

Puis, ce fut le député du département qui se présenta et lorsqu'il voulut payer, le coiffeur lui répondit :

- Mais non, cette semaine c'est gratuit : je fais mon bénévolat !

Très heureux de cette aubaine, le député quitta la boutique. Le lendemain, quand le coiffeur arriva pour ouvrir, une douzaine de membres du parlement attendaient en ligne pour se faire couper les cheveux gratuitement...

Voilà mes amis, la différence fondamentale entre les citoyens de ce pays et les politiciens qui nous gouvernent.

A méditer

Sydney Rediscovered - Playing the Tourist

Our home exchange is at Erskineville an inner suburb of Sydney and only a couple of minutes walk to King St and its 600 shops which stretch for kilometres through to Newtown and to the University of Sydney. This is not your fancy, shmancy Double Bay but rather a vibrant, cosmopolitan area with many students and gay couples. There are many speciality shops, bookshops, galleries, lots of restaurants, pubs and cafes. The choice of food is huge including: Vietnamese, Korean, African, Thai, Polish, Macedonian, Italian, Spanish, Turkish, Lebanese - and the list goes on. Apparently the area is referred to as 'Eat Street'. There are also vintage clothing shops, music stores, massage and nail salons and second-hand shops.

View along King St, Newtown

A wonderful start to the day with brunch at Martini Café in Newtown. Great to have options for the sizes of the breakfasts. Thoroughly enjoyed my fruit, ricotta, honey and berry compote on sour dough toast along with one of the best espressos I have ever had. 

Brunch at Martini Café, Newtown

We caught the bus into the city where we picked up the 'I'm Free' city tour at the Town Hall. There were about 30 in our group. The tour takes in the well-known sites of the city. I am unfit and yet easily managed the 3 hour walk (with a 10 minute break) which finished in the Rocks area.

Clock in Queen Victoria Building

From the Town Hall we went to the Queen Victoria building and through Pitt Street Mall to Hyde Park where I heard about a rather unlikely French connection. The fountain was bequeathed J. F. Archibald to commemorate the association of Australia and France during World War 1. Archibald in spite of being the editor of The Bulletin magazine which encouraged writers to write about Australia, was a proud francophile. He had a neat French styled beard and changed his name from John Feltham to Jules François Archibald.

Archibald Fountain, Hyde Park

From Hyde Park we wondered past many historical buildings as we headed to Circular Quay, where the ferries arrive, and then on to the historical Rocks area.

The pubs in the Rocks were filled with Irish people good naturedly celebrating Saint Patrick's Day. I am not sure what the traditions are for celebrating Saint Pat's Day, apart from drinking Guinness of course. I was surprised to see girls in haut talons with so much haut that they were nearly toppling over. On their heads they had fascinators and they wore skimpy dresses that were no match for the cool, windy conditions as they spilled out of the pubs on to the foot paths. Security guards ensured that all drinking was kept within the confines of the temporary barriers. The girls looked more suitably dressed for a day at the races than downing a few Guinnesses at the pub with the boys wearing funny hats and green wigs. The bizarre thing is, that on 18 March they are having the Saint Patrick's Day Parade through the city and festivities in Hyde Park.  I am trying to work out whether the Irish are having a bit of a lend of the Aussies, two days to celebrate seems a bit much, or perhaps they didn't check their calendars to see what date it would be on this year when they planned the parade.     

During our 10 minute break in our tour I did manage to sneak a chausson aux pommes from La Rennaissance Café and Pâtisserie. I was eager to taste their pastries having read so much about them online. I was not disappointed. The pastry was crisp and light, enveloping an exceedingly generous amount of tasty apple filling. 

We finished our tour at the free observation tower (near Quay Restaurant) at the Overseas Passenger Terminal. It offers a panorama of about 270° of Sydney Cove, Circular Quay, Bennelong Point and the Sydney Opera House, Kirribilli, Luna Park and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Unfortunately today the weather was much less kind - it was cool with intermittent showers. No photos today of the blue harbour bathed in sunshine. I was too busy shivering. Tim, our guide today, was personable and knowledgeable about his city and its history. At the end of the tour participants are encouraged to tip with what they feel the tour was worth. 

Wine Odyssey - Great food and wine!

The obvious option would have been a coffee to warm me up, but I recalled Wine Odyssey Australia, owned by an ex-student of a good friend. A glass of wine was just what I needed to warm up. Wine Odyssey introduced a wine journey room which allows you to serve yourself one of their 44 Australian wines. The wines are available in a taste (25ml), a half glass (75ml) and a full glass (150ml). Its rooms are beautifully decorated and its staff are very knowledgeable about the wines and foods on offer. We thoroughly enjoyed the mezze plate of dips, dukkah and olive oil, sword fish wrapped in parma ham, crispy soft-shelled crab and risotto balls. I sometimes find sword fish a bit dry but it was cooked to perfection. One of the dukkahs had the most delicious lemon flavour. The mezze serving was very generous and regrettably we could not manage to eat it all.  We chatted to a very friendly couple, Mary (ex-Scotland) and Lucy (ex-England), from the table next to us about our meal and home exchange. The meals, wine and warm, friendly ambience at Wine Odyssey are such that you are eager to share your experiences with your neighbours. As Mary and Lucy headed off to the Opera House to see a play we wandered back to our bus stop to catch the bus back to Erskineville.

La Renaissance Café Pâtisserie, 47 Argyle Street, The Rocks, Sydney NSW 2000

Martini Café, 529A King St, Newtown NSW 2042

Wine Odyssey Australia, 39-43 Argyle St, The Rocks, Sydney NSW 2000