and a peaceful New Year
It's been a nice peaceful week, except for Acte VII of the gilets jaunes here in Bordeaux. Two to three thousand demonstrators gathered at the Place de la Bourse yesterday afternoon. We stayed at home and I followed the action on Twitter as some journalists popped on photographs and short reports.
This time the trouble was more diffuse and took in some of the most prestigious streets, like Cours Clemenceau, where the Auditorium is, Cours Pasteur, Place de la Victoire and, moving a bit further down market, Cours de la Marne.
This last was distressing because that morning Pat and I had popped out to our nearest good coffee shop, Oven Heaven, and the rioting was happening just outside. I sent them a little message to say we were thinking of them and hoped there was no damage or distress. They very kindly replied saying that the only real problem they had was burning dustbins in the street outside and that apart from that all was well.
I feel so sorry for the mayor and the town council. Every Saturday now for almost two months. The shopkeepers say they have lost a lot of trade. There were a couple of concerts we intended going to, our friend Patricia the percussionist was playing in a military band at the Fémina Theatre, but to get there we'd have had to cross the riots. And all this over national issues, not local ones.
This time the trouble was more diffuse and took in some of the most prestigious streets, like Cours Clemenceau, where the Auditorium is, Cours Pasteur, Place de la Victoire and, moving a bit further down market, Cours de la Marne.
This last was distressing because that morning Pat and I had popped out to our nearest good coffee shop, Oven Heaven, and the rioting was happening just outside. I sent them a little message to say we were thinking of them and hoped there was no damage or distress. They very kindly replied saying that the only real problem they had was burning dustbins in the street outside and that apart from that all was well.
I feel so sorry for the mayor and the town council. Every Saturday now for almost two months. The shopkeepers say they have lost a lot of trade. There were a couple of concerts we intended going to, our friend Patricia the percussionist was playing in a military band at the Fémina Theatre, but to get there we'd have had to cross the riots. And all this over national issues, not local ones.
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