Across the Channel

[commonpeople1]

Homage to Zenith, a photo by Briggate.com on Flickr.

Friday night, 14th September. French coastal town St-Malo.
Families and couples sitting down for dinner. Casual and sophisticated styles on display, elderly tourists strolling down empty streets. Chefs by the doors of their restaurants, having a cigarette and exchanging a friendly word with neighbours. The cathedral's tower looming above all. Teenagers in the town's Irish pub, red-cheeked and bobbing to Red Hot Chilli Pepper.

Me to my boyfriend: I like it here - I like France - but there's something oppressive about the culture. Either you conform or you stick out and have no friends. I love that there are so many bookshops in such a small town but - still - I'm not sure I could live in France.

Saturday night, 15th September. English coastal town Portsmouth.
Drunken men chanting slogans and boasting that they'll be kicked off the train. Group of women in miniature attire screeching at each other, dressed like Hooters waitresses for a hen party. Group of teenage girls also in miniature attire harmonising to "it's getting hot in here, so let's take off all our clothes." Kebab and chips wrappers on the streets, paint peeling off most walls. Wide-eyed tourists hailing taxis. Boarded up buildings facing the marina.

Me to my boyfriend: Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to live in France.

Comments

[inbetween-girl.livejournal.com]

I am absolutely moving to France as soon as K leaves school!

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Take me with you!

[inbetween-girl.livejournal.com]

It won't be for eight years though.

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

You do realise it's been 8 years since I met you? ...time does fly...

[inbetween-girl.livejournal.com]

Gosh! I suppose it has. I met you before I got together with Ed and that will be 8 years in March. Anyway, I'll make sure we have the guest room ready when we finally move across the Channel. :-)

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

And you guys can also count on a guest room at our place in Brasil if you ever feel like visiting!

[millionreasons.livejournal.com]

Southsea in Portsmouth is a bit more charmant; it's where the students hang out.

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

I'm afraid the students in this country are completely overwhelmed by des gens pourris...

[sparklielizard.livejournal.com]

Yeah.. Portsmouth, well, yeah. I lived there for four years when I went to university and for a while after graduating. It's fine for students! :P

Neither of the above suit me at all. I agree with your interpretation of St. Malo - there are places in the UK like that too and whilst it's nice to think we might aspire to it, the reality is that we'd be shunned for being ourselves.

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Not only shunned... but bored too! London is just right for me. If I had to leave here it would probably be for somewhere as equally big.

[odetothepillow.livejournal.com]

Ever since I went to Nantes at the beginning of the year, I've been thinking that I might enjoy living in France too. Maybe Lyon (though I've never been)?

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

You move there and get a house big enough for my boyfriend and I to join you!

[zenithed.livejournal.com]

Either you conform or you stick out and have no friends.

I know what you mean, I always notice in Paris that there are lots of people dressed immaculately but identically. I guess that's just fashion all over though.

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Fashion is dead in France.