Euro 2014 - English (Anglais), French (Français), Franglais

I've really enjoyed dusting off the old French and getting a chance to make use of those ancient language skills.  However, such things don't come back very easily.  However, I can report that my Franglais, the bastard child that freely combines English and French is coming along great! 

For those of you who are not conversant with Franglais here are some examples of de-I's upcoming French/English/Franglais dictionary.

English

                        I’m going to town

French

                        Je vais en ville

Franglais

                        I’m going en ville

English

                        How’s it going

French

                        Comment ça va?

Franglais

                        How va’s it?

English

                        I need to give way (in this intersection)

French

                        Il faut ceder le passage

Franglais

                        I have to cedez le passage

English

                        Let’s go up there

French

                        Marcheons la bas

Franglais

                        Let’s marcheons there

English

                        I have to pay this with a credit card

French

                        Il faut payer avec une carte banquaire

Franglais

                        I have to payer with a carte

English

                        That’s expensive!

French

                        C’est cher!

Franglais

                        That’s cher!

English

                        I’m so sorry

French

                        Je suis désolé

Franglais

                        I’m so désoléd

With a bit of practice you too can master Franglais!

Euro 2014 - The Tides

The northern coast of Brittany has some of the most dramatic tides in continental Europe.  In our little area there are parts at high tide that are totally covered which at low tide are dry for miles out.  This was dramatically brought home to me the other day when I went for my morning hike.

Remember these pictures from my first post on the hike?

Here are those same scenes taken a couple of mornings ago at low tide.

Along with another view

And just to show you fast things change, here is one of those views taken just 45 minutes later on my way back with the tide starting to come in.

Euro 2014 - Signs, Signs, Everywhere Signs

A regular feature of every de-I travelog is my interpretation of local signage.  You can tell all kinds of things out by seeing what various cultures highlight as dangers, warnings, and advisories.  Of course in the typical American view, the French are a bit of a mystery anyway.  So here are some of the ones that caught my eye after I did research on what they really meant.
 

Beware of Giant Lemmings Leaping Here!

DANGER

No Violent Exclamations While Swimming!

Bikes With Spikes In Tires May Not Go Here!

Please Hike With Your Posture Erect and Correct

Parking Reserved For Motorized Prams

It Is Forbidden To Leave The Yellow Brick Road

Table Dancing Strictly Forbidden!

And the one that really stumped me

At first I thought it meant

"Adult Males and their Female Children May Cross Here"

But that struck me as odd.  I never saw one with and adult female and male child or adult male with male child or adult female with female child.  Then I did some research and found it means:

"Older Men With Younger Mistresses Allowed Here"

Ah, that makes much more sense from a French view point

A Short Note On Auto Names

I take a lot of grief about my Volkswagen Tiguin which honestly has a weird name.  But at least it is not a:

Or a:

Euro 2014 - Family Bliss Edition

We were very fortunate that the #3s were up for schlepping down from Amsterdam with their 2 and a half and 1 month in tow to spend a long weekend with us.  This was saying something as the 3s don't own a car living in Amsterdam and all so no one is really used to traveling long distances in a car.  They broke it down into two segments arriving on Friday and going back today, Tuesday.  It was very lovely having them here.

We didn't do a lot.  Wife and I played a lot with 3.1.  We did our turns holding 3.2 and interacting with her.  We did go out to eat a few times...it is the de-I clan after all.  Mostly we enjoyed being together.

Wife and 3.1

As I mentioned during our stay in Amsterdam, 3.1 just loves Wife and Wife is sooo patient playing with her.

Playing hairdresser

"Grandma, I think this hairband is going to be just the thing for you"

"Let's just adjust it a bit"

"That didn't hurt did it Grandma?"

"I'm so proud of you"

Hanging on the beach

We were lucky to get some nice days

#3 saving our bacon and getting us a last minute reservation for Sunday lunch

Daddy and daughter enjoying the water and (what for Hollanders is rare) sunshine

Sunday Lunch

Cafe Pesked on the coast

My grilled bar

Wife and #3 both had Breton Lobster

3A had Moules Frites (mussels with fries)

I tried one and they were great

A pear tart

Crème brulée

The best, Wife's Chocolat Fondant

A kind of molten chocolate cake

The 3s in Tréguier

We went into Tréguier to do some shopping and to indulge #3 in her desire for galette, a main course buckwheat  crèpe 

#3 and 3.1 in matching Breton black and white striped blouses

I wish I could have captured a picture of 3.1's face going into the cathedral

She was just wide eyed

There was music playing and she was happily humming along

Wife and 3.1 listening to cathedral bells

Nothing defuses a meltdown better than some vanilla ice cream with a Breton flag on top

Baby Cuddler and Baby

Wife showed time and again that her baby cuddling skills

And when you can get the one month old to be interested in doing accounting with you it's just plain magic

3.2 in post nursing, totally satisfied, milk induced coma

#3 and 3A - thanks for making the trip! 

Euro 2014 - To Earth's End

Finistère (which means end of the earth) is the very tip of Brittany and is the furthest west part of mainland Europe with the exception of Spain and Portugal.  Last Thursday we took a drive out there to see a part of it.

Breton Coast Cliffs

 

 Point Pen Hir

More Neolithic Menhirs

Pointe des Espagnols

View of the City of Brest from the Pointe

Panorama of the Brest Roadstead 

 We totally were running out of time

Thank you Inter  Marché where we were able to buy picnic lunch

French Cheetos for the road trip

Church at Argoal