When in France …
26Jul2007
My recent trip to France allowed me to see some beautiful sights, taste some amazing food and Champagne, and observe some very strange things:
Police on Rollerblades
In the town of Troyes I saw Police in cars, Police on mountain bikes, and then, to top it all, Police on Rollerblades. I immediately thought of Daleks and pictured the scenario: a bankrobber trying to make his getaway on foot running up a set of steps to foil his pursuers… Who knows – maybe the mountain bikers would catch him at the other end?
Strange Shortcuts
Many towns I passed through were on the Seine, and had names like Bellevile sur Seine – with the “sur” being akin to “on” or “upon”, as in Henley on Thames. But the signposts used a contraction of the word, so when entering the town the road sign would read “Belleville s/ Seine”. Now I understand that “s/” is short for “sur”, but you are only gaining one letter using the contraction. I can understand using “Ste.” instead of “Sainte” but “s/” instead of “sur”?
The Pet Pill
Perusing the shops one evening I spotted a pet chemist, and in the window was an advertisement for Biocanina – a pet contraceptive. That immediately got me thinking. On the one hand, I guess it is a more humane way of preventing pregnancy that spaying. But on the other hand, it gave me some very strange thoughts about strange pet owners and their reasons for buying such pills. I also wonder if the dogs and cats affected end up gaining weight and suffering mood swings. What’s next – animal viagra?
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