I made it back from Corsica this weekend, but only after our ferry was delayed 10 hours, meaning we got home at 1 a.m. on Sunday morning, so we're pretty tired here. What's more, I still haven't finished writing up the last days of my trip to Thailand, so here goes before I totally forget!
On the last night in Thailand our guide took us to a lovely restaurant high up in the hills above Krabi. I wasn't particularly hungry so got distracted by a young man leading his girlfriend to a lovely vantage point, then getting down on one knee and asking her to marry him. She gasped in surprise and we all cheered, thinking how lovely that was. Well turns out there was a photographer just out of our line of sight and apparently they weren't happy with the "spontaneous shot" so went through the whole thing maybe another 10 times over the next 20 minutes, surprised gasp and all! C and I wondered aloud at what point it would be appropriate to no longer cheer and I had to laugh when C said the photography session would probably last longer than the marriage at this rate - but maybe we are both just old and jaded!
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| The Hilltop Restaurant! |
The next day I flew from Krabi to Bangkok where the Novotel Hotel very kindly upgraded my accommodation from a standard room to a suite - it was just a pity I didn't get to spend more time there to enjoy it, I guess, but by this point I was glad to be on my way home. Thailand was lovely and I only saw maybe two "dubious" couples of a very young Thai girl walking along holding the hand of an older pot-bellied western man, so that side of things was better than I originally thought it would be!
Anyway, after a few days back home I was off again to Corsica (which was just lovely), but I want to sort out my photos etc. before writing about that! So in other news I had to be up and out again the next day as I had accepted an invitation to an "old fogies" lunch starting at 11.30! It was a lunch organized jointly by my village and the next village over and as a fairly newly minted 65 year old I was now on the invitation list. And you know what, it was really good! The two associations had worked really hard setting up tables for around 150 people. The food was excellent and they had a group of young kids (the local village youth council) running around with the aperitifs, collecting plates and generally doing a great job!
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| The youngsters did a wonderful job (and don't they look cute in their French sashes)! |
My elderly neighbours who recently moved into more secure accommodation were also there, but I don't think it's going too well! They gave up a house and community which they both loved to move into a very small apartment in a seniors' living community, and all this for the not insignificant sum of €2,300 per month! He is very definitely missing his workshop, his beehives and his garden and she is missing the contact she had with neighbours they have known for over 40 years. I hope things work out better for them as time goes on but so far it doesn't look great. And then to top it all I heard that one of our younger neighbours kinda insulted another set of neighbours (the Bs) by saying that rather than doing all this renovation work on their home maybe they should just sell up and move into an elderly community like the first couple!!!! The B family are maybe not even quite 70 yet, are extremely fit, go cross country skiing and hiking and K (the younger neighbour) had the gall to try to compare them to two 90 year olds with dementia. I must admit I burst out laughing when I heard that because if you were going to pick a fight with anybody in this community, they should be the last couple on that list. I found it funny and hope they do too (eventually). If not, watch this space! Things just got interesting!
I'm looking forward to hearing about Corsica. And 70 is far too young to move into a retirement community, and the renovation should add equity and a higher selling price when they do sell.
ReplyDeleteThis couple can be very difficult, although I've alwas gotten along with them. AND, as I say, they ski and hike in the mountains so for K to suggest they move into a "seniors" place is just insulting!!!! Heck she'll probably suggest the same thing to me next time she sees me! As for Corsica, I loved it. It has mountains, beaches, history and wonderful food, so I'm going to try to write it up quicker than I did Thailand. Still, I'm glad I finally got Thailand done as I do enjoy looking back over these things!
DeleteIt's funny how age is in the eye of the beholder. I used to think 60 was senior citizen,now I think it should've prime if life. Your community dinner was cute-nice job kids.
ReplyDeleteHeck 30 can be old in some cases can't it??? But certainly since I've been here I've found that (health permitting) 60 is just a spring chick!!!! And the lunch was lovely. We left as the dancing started as we both wanted to head to the grocery store before they closed, but as far as I could tell from the parking lot it went on for hours after we left!
DeleteThe Hilltop Restaurant is just gorgeous. It sounds like Thailand was a big success. I can't wait to hear about Corsica. The neighborhood party looks so nice. That is awesome that they do that. How rude of your neighbor to say that about your 70 year old neighbors. Some people just never think before speaking.
ReplyDeleteThailand was lovely, as was Corsica so I'm really pleased about both trips and they have given me wonderful memories. As for insulting the neighbours, I can't think of anyone WORSE to make an enemy of. Proof that it was quite shocking is that I now know about it and I wasn't there when it happened!
DeleteIt's hard giving up your home and independance but I am sure the couple could not physically keep up home maintenance etc. My old co worker has fractured both hips, still lives at home but I know her kids would prefer she moved into a condo (though I haven't heard any of them offer to move her into their homes, lol!) I am glad you're back in one piece, albeit tired. That couple re-doing their engagement shoot, LOL. My friend proposed to his now wife and she told him she wasn't happy with the proposal either :/ I am not sure if he re-did it, but I guess you want it to be perfect.
ReplyDeleteI think the husband could most certainly have continued to live in the house (he still rides 40-50 km a day on his non-electric bike), but the problem was seemingly early dementia in his wife! So sad. I hate to think it but I think being stuck in "a box" might be the end of both of them!
DeleteWhat a lot of forethought and planning and work were put into that luncheon. And the children are adorable. Sounds like they were hard workers, too.
ReplyDeleteYour story of the proposal in Thailand slays me. I'm sorry but the first thing my mind thinks is- what a load of BS! And the whole marriage will have been based on a rehearsed illusion. Not the best way to begin. What are these young people thinking?
Everyone at the lunch did a wonderful job and I think it's great that the kids are so involved so young. The young man in the dark suit in the middle is the "President of the Youth Committee" and gave a great little speech! As for the proposal, at first it seemed nice (if schmalzy to my taste but then I have simpler tastes) but once we got onto the ninth or tenth shoot, C and I were fit to bust. I guess it's the Facebook or Instagram perfect life that everyone wants to present to the world when in reality life is anything but!
DeleteShit just got real!
ReplyDeleteCould well do! As I was sitting next to a woman I know quite well she was telling me that this one doesn't talk to that one and this one ignores that one. It's becoming a real Peyton Place!
DeleteI love the cuties who served you. What a great idea. Neighbours always keep us entertained too.
ReplyDeleteThe kids did really well and I agree, it's a great way to get them involved in village life. As for the neighbours, I never used to hear a lot of this stuff as I was working. Now I get to know about quite a few of the undercurrents, but it mostly just goes straight over my head, thankfully!
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