Some family time
The kids are off school. The students are on vacation. The sun is shining. I'm only preaching once on Sunday (and I COULD use the message I did in French last Sunday...)
So I am taking some time off and spending it with the family. This sometimes means us all being in different rooms doing our own thing (families get to that stage, I guess). But this afternoon it meant us going into Bordeaux for a kebab. One of the students had recommended this kébabberie which is super-bon and pas cher du tout. I asked her where it was and got brilliant directions so we all went in to Victoire and walked round the Capucins market to the designated place. For 19 euros we had our four kebabs with salad and chips (served in a big wrap rather than in a pitta bread) and four canettes (two cokes, two ice teas, guess who had what). The owner asked "Vous êtes d'où ?" and I said my usual. 'On est de Pessac'. "Oui, mais vous avez un accent." 'Ah oui, le Pays de Galles.' "Aha, la reine Elizabeth ?" He gave us two free espressos on the strength of that. Cheers, your majesty !
Afterwards we followed our noses to the Flèche St Michel and thence up Cours Victor Hugo past the kaftan shops and halal butchers to the Hotel de Ville where we got the tram home. This is a really different kind of area of Bordeaux, narrow streets, funny cafés, lots of North African folk. An ideal place to do muslim outreach.
In fact once we did just that by accident. One Friday a student and I placed ourselves outside the student refectory just behind Capucins. He was by the door, I was in the middle of the road. In my defence I must point out that lots of French people are pretty dark with curly black hair. Anyway we had a great time leafleting - the road was really quite busy and people were very willing to talk. Then a friend from the language school came along. We talked for a while, till he said "Well I must dash or I'll be late for the mosque". It's just down the road !
One café had a notice that said (from memory...)
On accents - last week one man said "Vous n'êtes pas de Bordeaux ?"
'Non, je suis de Pessac.'
He looked startled, then said "Ah bon, c'est l'accent de Pessac."
'Oui, c'est ça', I said, finally realising what he was getting at.
Later on a lady : "Vous êtes Belge ?"
'Non, je suis Gallois. Et vous, vous êtes d'ici ?'
"Non, je suis Portugaise".
It sort of took the edge off her thinking I was Belgian...
So I am taking some time off and spending it with the family. This sometimes means us all being in different rooms doing our own thing (families get to that stage, I guess). But this afternoon it meant us going into Bordeaux for a kebab. One of the students had recommended this kébabberie which is super-bon and pas cher du tout. I asked her where it was and got brilliant directions so we all went in to Victoire and walked round the Capucins market to the designated place. For 19 euros we had our four kebabs with salad and chips (served in a big wrap rather than in a pitta bread) and four canettes (two cokes, two ice teas, guess who had what). The owner asked "Vous êtes d'où ?" and I said my usual. 'On est de Pessac'. "Oui, mais vous avez un accent." 'Ah oui, le Pays de Galles.' "Aha, la reine Elizabeth ?" He gave us two free espressos on the strength of that. Cheers, your majesty !
Afterwards we followed our noses to the Flèche St Michel and thence up Cours Victor Hugo past the kaftan shops and halal butchers to the Hotel de Ville where we got the tram home. This is a really different kind of area of Bordeaux, narrow streets, funny cafés, lots of North African folk. An ideal place to do muslim outreach.
In fact once we did just that by accident. One Friday a student and I placed ourselves outside the student refectory just behind Capucins. He was by the door, I was in the middle of the road. In my defence I must point out that lots of French people are pretty dark with curly black hair. Anyway we had a great time leafleting - the road was really quite busy and people were very willing to talk. Then a friend from the language school came along. We talked for a while, till he said "Well I must dash or I'll be late for the mosque". It's just down the road !
One café had a notice that said (from memory...)
Le Coin.
Ouvert mardi à samedi
de 11h à 23h
et à midi
ON Y MANGE.
Ouvert mardi à samedi
de 11h à 23h
et à midi
ON Y MANGE.
On accents - last week one man said "Vous n'êtes pas de Bordeaux ?"
'Non, je suis de Pessac.'
He looked startled, then said "Ah bon, c'est l'accent de Pessac."
'Oui, c'est ça', I said, finally realising what he was getting at.
Later on a lady : "Vous êtes Belge ?"
'Non, je suis Gallois. Et vous, vous êtes d'ici ?'
"Non, je suis Portugaise".
It sort of took the edge off her thinking I was Belgian...
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