Recently driving a van-load of furniture back through rural south-central France and across the Pyrennes mountains into Spain, it was intruiging as ever to note the way the French drive in this part of the world - either as fast as their cars will go (young men and old ladies alike) or at 5mph in vast farming vehicles with terribly dangerous looking attachments - all mixed together on the same two-way lanes!
Bonnie finally gets off to sleep in the rattly old van I've bought for this one-off mission to haul the last of my furniture from England to my place in Spain, when we come into a little French mountain village with what looks like the whole town (maybe 30 people) turned out in the single through-road. I can see from the general look of things - yelling, placards and posters - it looks like some kind of protest - but decide to edge through as its the only route I have - it's early and I've got a long demanding drive ahead. There are shouts and someone taps on the side of the van, I stop and roll down the window, and a very animated woman pokes her head in and babbles away (in French of course) that the local post office is being closed and they are collecting signatures to try and prevent it. I understand, but "I am English", it doesn't seem to matter and the petition and a pen are thrust through the open window as the crowd gather round. That's it - Bonnie - now sat up in the cab, decides that it's time to make her annoyance at this rude interruption felt. WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF ARROOOH-WOOOOOOOOOOF!!!!! The crowd in the road think this is very funny -- they now have international support and a vocal canine joining in the shouting for their rural post office to remain open. We are waved on. Vive la France!
Bonnie finally gets off to sleep in the rattly old van I've bought for this one-off mission to haul the last of my furniture from England to my place in Spain, when we come into a little French mountain village with what looks like the whole town (maybe 30 people) turned out in the single through-road. I can see from the general look of things - yelling, placards and posters - it looks like some kind of protest - but decide to edge through as its the only route I have - it's early and I've got a long demanding drive ahead. There are shouts and someone taps on the side of the van, I stop and roll down the window, and a very animated woman pokes her head in and babbles away (in French of course) that the local post office is being closed and they are collecting signatures to try and prevent it. I understand, but "I am English", it doesn't seem to matter and the petition and a pen are thrust through the open window as the crowd gather round. That's it - Bonnie - now sat up in the cab, decides that it's time to make her annoyance at this rude interruption felt. WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF ARROOOH-WOOOOOOOOOOF!!!!! The crowd in the road think this is very funny -- they now have international support and a vocal canine joining in the shouting for their rural post office to remain open. We are waved on. Vive la France!
