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| Why isn't it like this at home? | Why isn't it like this at home? |
| (1 day later) | |
| Why is it necessary for people to wax lyrical about a culture other than their own just to make a holiday enjoyable, asks Laurie Taylor in his weekly column. | Why is it necessary for people to wax lyrical about a culture other than their own just to make a holiday enjoyable, asks Laurie Taylor in his weekly column. |
| "La même encore," Gerald said to the waiter, waving his hands across our beer glasses. The waiter, I was glad to observe, decided not to understand Gerald's French and instead came over to our table for a confirmation of the order. | "La même encore," Gerald said to the waiter, waving his hands across our beer glasses. The waiter, I was glad to observe, decided not to understand Gerald's French and instead came over to our table for a confirmation of the order. |
| "La même encore," said Gerald again, indicating our empty glasses with an over-elaborate sweep of the hand. "Deux pressions." This at last seemed enough for the waiter, who nodded and disappeared back into the dark interior of the harbour cafe. | "La même encore," said Gerald again, indicating our empty glasses with an over-elaborate sweep of the hand. "Deux pressions." This at last seemed enough for the waiter, who nodded and disappeared back into the dark interior of the harbour cafe. |
| FIND OUT MORE Hear Laurie Taylor's Thinking Allowed on Radio 4 at 1600 on Wednesdays or 0030 on MondaysOr listen to it here on the iPlayer | FIND OUT MORE Hear Laurie Taylor's Thinking Allowed on Radio 4 at 1600 on Wednesdays or 0030 on MondaysOr listen to it here on the iPlayer |
| "It's funny, you know," said Gerald. "But down here in this part of Provence the waiters see so few English people that they're really surprised when one of them addresses them in French. They almost choose not to understand. That's the French for you. Fiercely independent." | "It's funny, you know," said Gerald. "But down here in this part of Provence the waiters see so few English people that they're really surprised when one of them addresses them in French. They almost choose not to understand. That's the French for you. Fiercely independent." |
| It occurred to me then, as it had already done several times during the fortnight's holiday in Bandol with Gerald and his wife and their two booming children, that it was not so much surprise which had occasioned the waiter's incomprehension, as Gerald's accent. | It occurred to me then, as it had already done several times during the fortnight's holiday in Bandol with Gerald and his wife and their two booming children, that it was not so much surprise which had occasioned the waiter's incomprehension, as Gerald's accent. |
| Even though the words he spoke were French, he had used exactly the same intonation for "la même encore" as he would have done for "same again, landlord", back in his local village pub. (The one in Kent with the personal tankards hanging up behind the bar.) | Even though the words he spoke were French, he had used exactly the same intonation for "la même encore" as he would have done for "same again, landlord", back in his local village pub. (The one in Kent with the personal tankards hanging up behind the bar.) |
| Taste of sunshine | Taste of sunshine |
| And this was only the tip of my concern. For although I'd been initially grateful when Gerald and his wife had offered me a room in their Provencal villa following my divorce, I realised after only a few hours in France the price I'd have to pay for my accommodation - complete acquiescence with my host's obsessively expressed opinion that everything in France was superior to its equivalent in England. | And this was only the tip of my concern. For although I'd been initially grateful when Gerald and his wife had offered me a room in their Provencal villa following my divorce, I realised after only a few hours in France the price I'd have to pay for my accommodation - complete acquiescence with my host's obsessively expressed opinion that everything in France was superior to its equivalent in England. |
| He wondered once again why the British chose not to bake this over-floury and frequently stale variety of bread | He wondered once again why the British chose not to bake this over-floury and frequently stale variety of bread |
| I didn't have too much difficulty allowing that the French trains were better. "Do you realise that if this train were running in England you could get from Euston to Manchester in less than an hour?" | I didn't have too much difficulty allowing that the French trains were better. "Do you realise that if this train were running in England you could get from Euston to Manchester in less than an hour?" |
| I was also happy to go along with his views on French motorways ("imagine how many road works there'd be on a stretch like this back in England"). His celebration of minor French towns ("imagine finding a place as small as this in England with its own town hall"). And the manners of French shopkeepers ("imagine how much better life would be in England if every shop assistant said 'bonjour' and 'merci'"). | I was also happy to go along with his views on French motorways ("imagine how many road works there'd be on a stretch like this back in England"). His celebration of minor French towns ("imagine finding a place as small as this in England with its own town hall"). And the manners of French shopkeepers ("imagine how much better life would be in England if every shop assistant said 'bonjour' and 'merci'"). |
| But I mentally drew the line at praising every identical piece of grilled fish that was delivered to my table in portside restaurants. (Was Gerald deliberately failing to notice the revolting splodge of overcooked vegetables which lay alongside the repetitive fillet of dorade?) | But I mentally drew the line at praising every identical piece of grilled fish that was delivered to my table in portside restaurants. (Was Gerald deliberately failing to notice the revolting splodge of overcooked vegetables which lay alongside the repetitive fillet of dorade?) |
| And I could only sit in silence while he broke off a lump of baguette at supper and wondered once again why the British chose not to bake this over-floury, largely indigestible, and frequently stale variety of bread. | And I could only sit in silence while he broke off a lump of baguette at supper and wondered once again why the British chose not to bake this over-floury, largely indigestible, and frequently stale variety of bread. |
| I also had to bite my tongue, as I was given the news that there was something special about drinking French wine in France, that only the French could make proper goats' cheese, and that only in French markets was it possible to buy tomatoes with that special French taste. | I also had to bite my tongue, as I was given the news that there was something special about drinking French wine in France, that only the French could make proper goats' cheese, and that only in French markets was it possible to buy tomatoes with that special French taste. |
| Break free | Break free |
| For two weeks I was also forced to ignore the foul manners of French drivers, the dog excrement on every pavement, the abysmal quality of French music and popular entertainment, and a degree of bureaucracy which had me queuing for a whole half hour at the local post office in order to retrieve a fax that had been sent from home. | For two weeks I was also forced to ignore the foul manners of French drivers, the dog excrement on every pavement, the abysmal quality of French music and popular entertainment, and a degree of bureaucracy which had me queuing for a whole half hour at the local post office in order to retrieve a fax that had been sent from home. |
| Do they taste so much better? | Do they taste so much better? |
| As I finally waved goodbye to Gerald and what he liked to call his "famille", I allowed myself to wonder why he and so many others found it so necessary to embrace and partially invent a culture other than their own in order to make a mere holiday enjoyable. | As I finally waved goodbye to Gerald and what he liked to call his "famille", I allowed myself to wonder why he and so many others found it so necessary to embrace and partially invent a culture other than their own in order to make a mere holiday enjoyable. |
| "A bientôt," Gerald shouted from the villa door as I heaved my case into the backseat of the taxi. "Goodbye," I shouted back. And the very word seemed like an act of liberation. | "A bientôt," Gerald shouted from the villa door as I heaved my case into the backseat of the taxi. "Goodbye," I shouted back. And the very word seemed like an act of liberation. |
| Below is a selection of your comments. | |
| Sorry but a french would not say "la même encore". You could say : "une autre bière pression s'il vous plait". That would have been much better :o)emilie, France | |
| Interesting article. My ex-father in law (hence my wishing to remain anonymous) behaved in a similar fashion after he moved to the south of France. He would constantly talk about the amazing wine, fantastic weather and superior lifestyle and remained completely oblivious to any contrary evidence (his house was next to a cowshed and had a massive problem with flies, but we were not allowed to talk about it!). He became quite a bore in the end...Anonymous, London, UK | |
| I fail to see the problem with speaking the French language in an English accent. French people speak English with a French accent, that's never raised an eyebrow.Dylan, Bradford, West Yorkshire | |
| I agree totally. We have family living in France and every time we visit they spent many hours waxing lyrical about how things are so much better in France than in the UK - the weather, the food, the manners, even how many trees they have (as if we in the UK live in a cold and desolate wasteland being unbearably rude to one another). Most of their exclamations are widely inaccurate and they too seem to ignore important facts such as the terrible bureaucracy, lack of service in terms of no shops or banks being open for more than a couple of hours each day, and that the food is bloody awful if you don't eat meat!Anon, | |
| As a Dutchman living in N-Ireland I am always amazed to hear people talking about The Netherlands as if it were heaven on Earth. It's always that we are so "tolerant" and "forward-thinking" etc. Having lived in the UK before and now living here I can safely say that you will find the same forward-thinking and tolerant people here as well. Not to mention the superior countryside of Northern Ireland. Richard Kolk, Belfast, Northern Ireland | |
| Having lived and worked in France for many years, I find many things are better here (public transport, health service, food, etc.) but also there are many worse too (the endless bureaucracy, french driving, constant strikes to name just a few). But there are 2 things that makes life in France so much better than the UK; one is the number of days holiday I get and the other is the fact I can retire at the age of 60 instead of having to work until I drop. The French definitely embrace the concept of you "work to live" not the other way round. Barry Hunt, Paris, France | |
| Agree entirely. It seems that there is this real cynicism about the UK. When I went to Australia a few years back I got heartily sick of both people in the UK and ex-pats in Oz insisting 'I wouldn't want to come/go back to the UK' or asking 'So, you looking to emigrate?' or even 'Oh why did you come back?' on my return. Why should I have to defend a decision to remain in a country I actually like living in? (even if it is a bit of a mess!)Laura, London | |
| It's funny because it's the complete opposite when you live abroad - unlike when being on holiday where you think everything's great, you begin to miss the way things are done back home and start your sentences with "well in the UK we do it this way" and "why don't they have this"!! Kirsty, Madrid | |
| Sorry to disappoint, but French bread is better than the rubbish we eat over here, as long as you eat it the way the French do; fresh every day. It doesn't contain preservatives and 'improvers' and is intended to be consumed on the day of purchase. And French fruit and veg is similarly a world away from the stuff found in the UK - fresh, grown locally and very tasty.Graham, Sheffield UK |
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