http://worldatwar.net/article/glieres/index.html - Article contributed by Alain Cerri
Fittingly, the plâteau has not been turned into a tourist trap - no cafés, no nothing, except a museum, and a couple of places where you can sit and picnic as it is pretty well frequented by hikers and history buffs alike! But get this! I had somewhat "over-cooked" the previous couple of days so we just threw all our leftovers into a cooler and took that with us for lunch. When I have a few people over, rather than setting the table, I just put out a very pretty ceramic jug with all the cutlery in it, so I took this as well. And you know how when you are out "slumming it" with your supermarket sandwich where the corners of the bread are all turned up and the people next to you pull out a three-course picnic? Well that was us!! Tee hee! Seriously, when the people at the next table saw us get out the pretty cutlery jar they must have wondered where the chandelier and the wine-waiter were!! Doesn't happen very often but it did feel pretty good, I can tell you!
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| Plâteau de Glières |
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| The resistance monument |
After lunch we headed back towards Annecy to visit the Jardins Secrets that I had visited with my friend last year. I have to say the menfolk were probably less enthralled than we women and to be honest the gardens were probably not as pretty as last time - different season I guess. Plus it was incredibly hot so while we enjoyed it we didn't stay much longer than hour as we just had to get out of the heat!
That evening we were invited to Jen's mom's house to have dinner with her grandparents and a few friends. It was somewhat awkward since only Jordan and I spoke both languages so we were seated in the middle of the table to do running commentaries. Still, it was a nice evening, even if the conversation didn't exactly "flow"!
Which puts me in mind of my sister's wedding many years ago when my mom and dad "dropped me in it". My sister married a Dane and his parents came over to England for the wedding. Now I know we assume that all Danes speak English - which is probably true of the younger generation - but neither of his parents spoke a word of it! So my mom, using logical thinking, landed me with accompanying them around when the bride and groom left because "you speak French"! Yeah mom - that makes a lot of sense! Still, they were sweet and we got through it in the end!
And on a totally different note, the other day I went to the market and since our town's market is one of the larger local markets, they always have one of those, what I call "everything for €1 stalls". Well, technically everything isn't priced at €1 but you can certainly pick up some good bargains. Anyway, I spotted a garlic press in what seemed to be the €1 bucket and it had the "cherry stoner" bit that I wanted too. I had broken mine ages ago so at €1 it was a bargain. But when I went to pay the guy he said "that'll be €6"! When I queried it he said that it was, indeed, €6, but he had an identical one at €1 in another bin. When I asked why the difference in price he said that the €1 press had been made in China and the €6 press in Europe so which did I want? Bugger it, I'll take the Chinese one - and seriously, they appeared to be identical!
Anyway, that wasn't the dilemma I was referring to in the heading to this post! The other night I was looking up the courses at the MJC (the local community centre) and see that enrolments take place on 7 September. I have seen a beginners pilates class on a Monday (same day as my sewing club, but there is no clash) and they have a "pilates+gentle gym" class on a Thursday, specifically aimed at exercises for your back. Now I don't have a bad back (and long may it last) but I am always up for any form of exercise that keeps it that way. So, my dilemma is, do I sign up for both of the classes, seeing as I already have my wonderful yoga lesson on a Tuesday and my commitment to going to my work's gym on a Wednesday? That would be four classes in one week! Do I actually have the staying power to commit to all these classes? I'm a Libran so you can only imagine my anguish! What to do? What to do? I know, I'll toss a coin! There you go - sorted! I'll sign up for both!
Do it. You'll meet new people and make new friends. Besides, as we grow older, good health is something you need to work at.
ReplyDeleteAnd there is this belief that everybody speaks English... they don't. I used to work with a woman who hates dealing with customers. "Speaky English," she says loud enough for them to hear. She doesn't know her grasp of English is peripheral at best.
I think you're right Dave. Growing older does nothing to improve your health does it, and when I hear my contemporaries with their health problems (not all of which are avoidable) I realize that I do take my good health for granted. And as for speaking English, my mom's solution was just to TALK VERY LOUD because obviously all foreigners are deaf! She never meant anything by it, of course, and indeed Welsh was the language she grew up with but her logic could be a bit hit and miss as she grew older!
DeleteHow fascinating! The Resistance were really quite amazing and fiercely loyal, weren't they? I think it's fitting that there's no tourist stuff - it's left as a natural memorial and with some history. Wonderful!
ReplyDeleteLanguages are so fascinating! I was having a conversation at work on Friday about them, and pondering their evolution the day before that. I don't think us English speakers fully comprehend just how difficult a language it is to learn - I would never presume to tell someone to 'speak English'. I hate it when people say that, particularly those who have no business saying it, like Dave's colleague above. :(
And, yes, to both! :D xx
We had to learn 2 foreign languages once we got to senior school. Mandatory French and optional either Russian or German the next year. I chose Russian (but I think I was the only one - hah). I always loved languages so it would never be a hardship for me. Now sciences!!!! Damn I hated the sciences!
DeleteDefinitely keep up the exercise classes as much as you can. Just read last week that lots of exercise helps prevent Alzheimer's! As well as a healthy diet.
ReplyDeleteI know you are very active aren't you and I have heard that exercise may help prevent Alzheimers. Frankly I don't think I do enough of it at the moment to make much of a difference which is why I think I have to step it up!
DeleteOk just my opinion...way too many classes to sign up for in one week. Can you do drop in? My grandfather was a French resistance fighter in the Pyrenees. He was Basque and a sheep herder and used to smuggle medicine and supplies to the resistance over the mountain. He is many years passed but hardly ever talked about those times so we know very little.
ReplyDeleteWow, fancy having a resistance fighter for a granddad! And I understand why he didn't want to talk about it much but it would have been wonderful to know and document his story wouldn't it. As for the classes, they are not "drop in" but they are not particularly expensive either so while I understand your reasoning (frankly that's probably my reasoning too) I really am aware that I need to step up the exercise because (a) I'm getting older and very much aware of it but more so because (b) I'm not moving nearly as much as I was when I was at work, oddly enough. You know, just running for buses and so on. I can always skip the Wednesday gym at work but … I REALLY want to commit to something and stick with it. I guess we'll see won't we!
DeleteIf you commit and decide it is too much, you can always quit. Nothing ventured, and all that.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the lovely photos and history lesson. Because of it I have fallen in many rabbit holes clicking and clicking. I do love learning new things though and am quite fascinated by the French Resistance. I like to think if I were in a similar circumstance I would be brave enough to join, but in reality who knows.
I guess none of us know how we would behave do we, but I think when you are defending your own home it adds another dimension doesn't it. This area, of course, is fascinating and full of resistance stories and moreover the locals knew the mountains where the Germans didn't. I'm not sure, with modern technology, how much this would be an advantage today but …. and I know what you mean about "disappearing down rabbit holes"! That's all I've done all day.
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