Morning all. Wet and windy, so not very nice at all. Mme has been very busy wrapping up Christmas presents for the family in the UK. I am not very good at it unless it is retangular. Our daughter who lives near to us was very pleased to know that we could deliver the ones that she has as it will save her a lot on postage. The last time we acted as a delivery service we had finished so I thought as we had reached our hotel in Newhaven ready to catch the ferry back the next morning. Mobile rings and it is my brother-in-law in Watford telling me that he has somehow got a box of presents that should be coming back to France. We agreed to meet at Gatwick for a coffee and collection of the box, so that was my evening gone. I hope that there will be no such mishaps this time. Enjoy your day if you can without Watford playing.
Just seen this. https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/18039867.donald-trump-will-attend-nato-summit-grove/ Watford grinds to a halt?
Just been looking at the news from around France as to what is actually happening in the protests today. Generally not a lot. Leaflets being handed out at toll booths, some of which have been opened to allow motorists to pass without paying, and a few roundabouts having some banners erected, but no hold ups. The only place that has more serious disturbance is Paris, where the police report that about 200 of the Le Pen rent-a-mob and 100 of the extreme left rent-a-mob are creating problems. The demonstration was agreed by the police in the same way that happens in London, and the vast majority were happy to just march. However the extremists have started on their rampage of destruction, and the police are out with the tear gas on them. Of course it is the disturbance that will be talked about in the main, not those who wish to make a protest peacefully. The debate over fuel prices continues, but the more talking with government that takes place the less disturbance we see. As one TV report says "the protests have withered away".
I was amazed by the Guardian report yesterday how serious the riots have been. 2,500 demonstrators have been wounded, 1,800 police officers injured, 24 protesters have lost an eye, five have lost a hand because of excessive violence by the police. The protesters are complaining about increasingly poor rural areas with low-paid agricultural workers, significant unemployment and feeling of being forgotten. One protester complained about social houses being sold off causing people to live in nearby forests in tents. This level of violence is accepted as the norm, thankfully the UK does politics in a much more genteel fashion.
Warm wishes to all who are ill. I have just gone through the last days posts.. Really puts politics in its place eh...
Morning all. Dry at present and it looks as if it might stay the same as I travel north. The boot is full so all the other things that we are taking will have to sit on the back seat. Our hotel is only a couple of hundred yards from the ferry port, so once I have made it to Dieppe that is my driving over for the day. Enjoy your day wherever you might be going or doing.
On the high seas after a very good dinner in the restaurant. Might be tempted into a nap now. The staff and security are great fun at Dieppe, even understanding English humour. Met a small yellow vest protest which was more like a carnival than anything else. Lots of smiles and waves, and no hostility whatsoever. I hope that Border control is equally happy, although I have learned not to be too friendly with some of them.
