Crossing The Chanel

This is a post that I started on the first night of our trip while we were staying in the IBIS hotel in place called Alencon. (The 'c' should have a cedilla under it but I can't work out how to do it on blogger!) Supreme tiredness meant I couldn't finish it at the time, so I am trying again tonight now were are home, and will incorporate tales of our return journey as well. I always find traveling interesting even when it is at its worst, as you see such a mixture of people all together in one place, and as we had decided to travel at half term certainly met lots of people! (I must remember next time why we try to avoid half term like the plague!)

So as not to be caught out this time we arrived at the port with what we thought was time to spare only to see traffic jams and queues as we approached Dover! We were 10 minutes late checking in this time through no fault of our own. We had prepared our answer to the question 'what do you have in the van?' carefully and said 'just some insulation and a few tools'. "Insulation" said the lady behind the window, "Well, that's freight isn't it?" I could sense that we had not got our answer quite right and in my impatience I snapped at her. "Freight! No its not freight! We are building a house and it's for our personal use!" My annoyance (and the queues behind us) must have done the trick and she waved us through. We drove to our lane and waited to embark, at which point Ian said, "I really need a pee". Grumpier than ever, I replied, "can't you wait until we are on the ferry? We'll be going on soon"
"No, I really must go!" and with that he got out of the van and sprinted to the terminal buildings. After a few minutes the inevitable happened and I was beckoned forth to drive onto the ferry. I called the man over, "I'm so sorry, my boyfriend has just gone off to the loo"
"Drive the van over there then and wait for him", came the reply. And that was how it happened that the first time I drove the van (a medium wheelbase transit with a fully loaded 16 foot trailer with 2 tons of plasterboard on it) was to manoeuvre it out of our narrow parking lane and turn it round along side a row of park cars! I was not amused but quite impressed that I stayed calm and didn't hit anything!

The boat was packed and the queues for the cafeteria were long. We eventually managed to get in and treated ourselves to a proper breakfast. One thing that we both noticed was that those who were sitting eating bacon, egg, sausage, beans and fried bread were, on the whole of average size, whereas those not eating breakfast but sitting in the lounge having crisps and fizzy drinks were the larger passengers!

Coming back our embarkation was less eventful except Ian went off to the loo again just as the port security came round and asked me to open the van. The man smiled when he saw the leopard print wellies and the dirty washing strewn across the back and decided to investigate no further! As it was supper time we decided to eat in the Langhams Brasserie on the boat; an expensive treat but the respite from fellow passengers justified it in out eyes! The restaurant was busy but we were in a quiet spot with two other couples either side. They were respectable looking but we were a bit shocked to see that they both downed a bottle of wine with dinner. Now as it was a car ferry and they didn't look like foot passengers I was a bit more wary of other drivers as we got off the boat! Interestingly the table of four surfers who looked like they were going to be loud and irritating drank soft drinks!

Oblivion

Overheard at lunch time. As I was walking along the street I heard a man approaching, talking into his mobile rather loudly. He was walking at a faster pace than me so the sound was getting louder and he was getting nearer and nearer.

"Hey mate..guess what happened?.... You know I got done for speeding.. well I'd just been to the police station to show them my licence right.. and then on the way back I ran a red light and I only got stopped by the cops again!!.. yes.. would you believe it! well I said to the copper, no mate, you can't do me again, I've just paid my fine for the speeding thing.. but he said he'd have to book me.. I said you can't book me, I pay your wages... but he wouldn't have it..I was saying to him like.. I bet you have to drink a lot of Horlicks so you can sleep at night.. I mean, I had the kids in the car..."

Then the topic changed

" yes, I'm on my way to the doctors..well he reckons I've got high blood pressure.. yes.. and I've got pains in my neck..and now he reckons I've got to be tested for this diabetes thing.."

At this point he caught up with me and passed by, still talking on the phone. He was around 30, overweight and racing around without paying any attention to anything around him. He may pay towards the wages of the cops that gave him a ticket but we will pay for his insulin, his amputations and his coronary artery bypass in a few years!

It was the fact that he was totally oblivious to the consequences of any of his actions on himself or others that amazed me!

Wandering in Brussels

I had an interesting day in Brussels, if a little bit on the long side as Ian was working until 6.00. After an hour and a half of looking around the much hyped Christmas market (about 20 wooden stalls with novelties) and the shops I decided that there was nothing much that I wanted to buy (why spend £10 on a chocolate Santa..OK I know it is nice chocolate but would anyone I know really be able to tell the difference). I had my first hot drink in a health food restaurant as I was desperate to use the toilet and Brussels seemed to have a lack of public ones. After that I wandered some more around sparkly arcades with and took some pictures of the unusual Christmas tree decorations.

As you can see this one was made of mirrors! Lunch was beckoning and I had a yearning to try one of those nice looking tarts and so settled on a little coffee shop. It was full of older women sitting at tables by themselves having coffee and cake. My French has come on enough to understand the conversation between an older lady and a couple at another table. She struck up the conversation and after a talk about the weather she told them that her husband was now dead and she lives on her own but tries to make the effort to come out every day to talk to people. After lunch I wandered some more and took a photo of this cyclist! Just nearby a meals on wheels van was delivering its' fare .

After lunch I did more wandering...and began to get a bit tired. I longed for somewhere to just sit! As it was Monday all the museums were closed so I wandered up to the Cathedral. It was warm and inviting, with nativity scenes around the chapel representing all the ethnic communities in Brussels. I sat down and found myself drifting off to sleep for a while until the priest interrupted with a short prayer for all those who had lost their homes! I was surprised to see how many people ran out of the Cathedral at this as it is after all what the building is about and it was pretty inoffensive. Perhaps the priest thought I was one of the homeless as I was beginning to feel that way with 3 more hours to wait and nowhere else to go! My next walk took me past the main railway station where I looked at a few shops and then 'rested' again in the waiting area! I really did begin to feel like a down and out as the street dwellers came in to finish their cans of beer in peace and the man who looked like he was suffering from the side effects of his anti-psychotic medication came to beg food!

A final stop in another cake shop passed a bit more time and then I headed towards Le Grand Place where I was meeting Ian later. It was dark and the 'Electrabel nights' show had started with coloured lights projected over the grand buildings in time to electronic music from steel speakers in the square.

At this point Ian said he was on his way and it started to pour with rain so I popped into a nearby restaurant, ordered a beer and sat and waited for him!

So my experience of Brussels was interesting! I understand why they invented all those beers, I got a feel for what it must be like to have nowhere to go all day and I realised that the world is full of lonely people.

Upstaged by my mother

I was telling my mother about my glimpse of someone who I thought might be Vinnie Jones. Name dropping makes no impression on her now however, since she is quite settled in her apartment in Windsor. Together with all the other residents, they keep a watchful eye on the local goings-on and generally try to keep up to date. One of the ladies was in an art shop in Windsor today and looking around she came across a group of young men and thought that one looked familiar. Realising that she had been staring for some time she thought that she may have appeared a little rude and turned to one of the young men and said

"Oh, I'm sorry if I have been staring but you do look just like Prince Harry"

"Well I am actually", came the reply.

"Oh, I'm really sorry. I was actually just looking for some candle holders"

"That's all right, they're just round the corner on the right"

Now I don't know whether I believe all of this story or not but my mother made it sound convincing!

Nearly famous

Ian spent yesterday doubling the security on his garage and I decided to go out for a bike ride. I have a nice little route now, heading out towards the Darenth Valley and then back via Crokenhill. It is a strange area. Nearer Darenth and Hextable you can see the Dartford bridge and although the countryside is unspoilt in places it doesn't always feel the safest place on earth and I generally hurry through without stopping too long at traffic lights! Yesterday was no exception and as the rain started to get heavier I thought I would attempt a short cut. This took me through the delights of South Darenth. In the East End of London all the gangsters moved out years ago and I suspect they moved there. It was no surprise then to see a film crew in the car park of the Three Bridges filming what looked like the latest gangster movie. At first I thought the blokes milling in the car park were the locals until I saw the camera and realised that they were extras. I was trying to make out the leading man, who looked to me like Vinnie Jones. However, I then had to move as the director did not think that a middle aged cyclist crossing the road would be good background material! The real locals looked even more grungy than the paid ones! The rain got heavier and I realised that my short cut wasn't really a short cut and arrived back an hour later, soaked through!

The apprentice

This time it was my brother and not me who observed this but I think it deserves a semi-public airing! He was on the underground and two London Underground employees got on and sat opposite him. One was a large, East End man who by all accounts had been working for LU for years. The other was a younger man from overseas who was definitely very much the apprentice. The conversation went something like this..

"so ..Sergei..'ave you worked out yet 'ow t' fiddle the system?"

Sergei (looking embarrassed) "no, not really"

" Well, this is 'ow you do it right.. you ave to sign off by telephone at 4 o'clock right? Well, there are three of you in a team yeh? So, simple.. two of you go off at lunchtime and at 4 the other bloke makes 3 phone calls! Easy"

"That Bob Crow.. e's bloody brilliant e is. E fights the management for every little thing e does. Brilliant..!"

I hope Sergei is smart enough to know who he should listen to!

Lunch

I was in town mid-day today and so decided to have some lunch in a cafe that is in a large haberdashery store. It is an old fashioned store and the only place around where you can buy knitting needles, wool, fabric, dressmaking patterns etc. Its the sort of place that tends to attract an older crowd and today was no exception. I did arrive in time to get a place to sit (just) but then proceeded to feel very guilty for taking up a seat when the elderly and infirm were queueing up! As my food arrived the lady behind me said
.."Oooo look, she's 'aving a jacket and chilli.. it looks quite nice..perhaps we should have had that."

As I quickly ate my lunch so as to free up a seat she continued talking about the food they had ordered

.."Well, I'm having a ham and pineapple toasted sandwich.. I mean it isn't something I would ever have thought of having so I have no idea what it will be like.. I'll just have to wait and see... Your having a cheebatter thing aren't you? Goats cheese and tomatoes? Well goodness knows what that'll be!

Someone then complained because the tables hadn't been cleared away, (even though the staff were running backwards and forwards trying really hard), the queues got longer and I hurriedly drank my coffee and left!

A typical day at the seaside

Today I had a day off. The plan was to spend it doing things in the area that I have not done for a while. A nice bike ride and a trip to the seafront, sitting in the sun, exploring the area etc. I was slightly less enthusiastic when I woke up as the promised heatwave had not materialised on the south coast and there was just one of those murky sea-hazes over everything. I spent the morning 'pottering' but by afternoon thought I had better venture out, as the sun appeared for a brief while. I soon realised why I don't go down to the seafront in the summer. Perry mortem tours had made a conference booking and were promenading en mass. I had never seen such an array of mobility equipment in my life (and my life has been spent prescribing it!). You had to have your wits about you to avoid being run down by a motorised chair or the dotto train! To escape the stress I sat down and ordered a coffee in one of the coffee bars on the seafront (run by a couple of surly but beautiful Latvians who were more interested in closing up as soon as possible.) After coffee I decided to take advantage of the toilet. I stood in the queue and listened to the shouts of a lady who really was 'locked in the lavatory'. I decided to wait! On the way home I stopped off in a park that is only 15 minutes walk away but I have never visited it. The Perry Mortem bowls afternoon was in full force. The 'whites' were truly brilliant, the lawn was the most vivid shade of green and immaculate, the roses were a brilliant shade of red. Concentration was evident on the faces of the players, the club room was lively, I overheard the end of a conversation between two players saying how tired they were. One was smoking a cigarette and the other was talking through an electronic voice box. A typical summer day in a seaside town!