What an exciting day!

First in on the 9am bus to the prefecture to change the address on my car registration papers. There's no point going earlier because they reserve the early morning for small businesses. So the bus set me down at the bus stop (Préfecture). But could I see it? That bit of Bordeaux is all big offices - so I got out my map. Now if this street is, and if that junction is ...

Well after walking completely round the block I saw a sign for the prefecture and followed it. Then tried to enter through the policeman's entrance, went round the block again to find the public entrance, opened my bags for the nice police-lady to check for bombs and followed the signs saying carte grise. This is what you have to do:

1) go to the front of queue A to get a numbered ticket

2) go to the back of queue A to chat about popping to the toilets, about how many people were in front of you (103), about how you should have brought a picnic and to wait to -

3) get your documents checked at reception. This bit was fun. My pièce d'identité is my driving licence, which is in Welsh, though it does have a European Flag on it. The chappie looked at it and said "Where's this from?" I said, Wales, the United Kingdom. He was a little thrown by the words trwydded yrru, so he turned and showed it to his colleague. "Is this a valid pièce d'identité?" "Where's it from? Ukraine?" Well anyway they decided they were happy with it.

4) sit in queue B and wait for your number to come up (reminds you of the WW I trenches). At this point we all swapped numbers because those whose documents were checked and found wanting gave their numbers away - so I moved from 418 to 403, and the lady next to me swapped 458 for 418.

5) give your documents to the lady behind the counter. She tells you to -

6) go to another queue (C) and wait for them to call your name. Now I had never before heard any French person call my name, so I was a little worried in case I wouldn't recognise it, but there was a chap sat near me who was just before me in the queue so I knew my name would be shortly after his.

7) go when called and collect your new registration document.

So it all worked perfectly and I was out just after 11am. Just about 75 minutes in all. Very genial, and I read some of my book and read some passages in Ephesians while I was waiting.

(French administration reminds me of a big company I used to work for, where people argued that they were unique, nobody did anything like them, and so they had to have these really complex computer systems because they just worked in a complex way that could never ever ever be changed or streamlined in any way so tough. I won't name the company, but if you have ever worked for them you will know exactly who I mean!)

Then to the Student Centre for the prayer meeting. Sammy, the pastor, was due to be leading this, but while we waited for him he phoned to say he was unavoidably delayed in traffic and would be late. At this point there was just Fiona and myself so we decided that I would "lead" it. Then four church folk arrived in quick succession, so I read the opening 10 or 11 verses from Ephesians 2 and made some very brief remarks before we shared matters for prayer and prayed. Sammy arrived, but he also had to leave early. We had prearranged that I would close the prayer meeting, but in the event it was one of those prayer meetings that sort of closed itself. It was a good time.

Then home. I decided that I would catch the bus at Victoire so I could give the legs a bit of an airing. We seldom go into town, and I always see something new I hadn't noticed before. This time:

a) Bordeaux has a Kentucky Fried Chicken place!

b) and three small cafés called "the French coffee chop" (in English.......)

c) and a young chap riding a Velosolex. I took a picture of him, so I'll post that later.

d) and a young chappie with a whited out face and a board round his neck saying "jeunesse sacrifiée", sacrificed youth) tied to a traffic light with clingfilm. Beside him sat his comrade, who had presumably done the deed with the clingfilm. Three men of the sappers and pumpers were advancing on them in a friendly manner as I watched. By their demeanour I think they hoped to talk him into letting them unwrap him and taking him home. Or something.

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