Welcome to my new look column. Those who have followed my column over the last few years will know that I have historically written about the previous month and the happenings therein. My new column is looking at the here and now, and the exciting events happening in the near future.Well, here we are in … Read more
One of the problems of living in Hong Kong, though not everybody would see it as such, is that barely four weeks after one’s Christmas bells have fully jingled along comes Chinese New Year and another sizeable dollop of festive gluttony. So this can literally prove a heavy time of year in which great discipline … Read more
La République En Marche ! is the political party founded by Emmanuel Macron. When something is en marche it is on the move. En Marche! was the title of my first French textbook in 1953. As I type Monsieur Macron may still be en marche, but he is not having an uneventful journey. Fortunately the … Read more
Welcome to my new look column. Those who have followed my column over the last few years will know that I have historically written about the previous month and the happenings therein. My new column is looking at the here and now, and the exciting events happening in the near future.Right now, it is late … Read more
Around the middle of January our local shops are full of pancake paraphernalia: crêpe pans, electric crêpe makers and free crêpe recipes appearing in the supermarkets. A little early for Pancake Tuesday, surely? Well, yes: they are in fact gearing up for La Chandeleur, February 2. Digression: I can never resist an excuse for a … Read more
Welcome to my new look column. Those who have followed my column over the last few years will know that I have historically written about the previous month and the happenings therein. My new column will be looking at the here and now, and the exciting events happening in the near future.Well, it was addio … Read more
I am typing this on 30 December in the lull between festivities. First there was Le Réveillon on Christmas Eve, with champagne, foie gras and oysters. Christmas Day came and went, with turkey or goose and bûche de Noël and, for new expats, the baffling absence of Christmas crackers, not to mention mince pies and … Read more
Okay, maybe not Greek but the subject of Chinese had me spouting similarly when I first landed in Asia many years ago, especially the written form which has remained a source of fascination not to mention great torment ever since. At least the Greek alphabet is vaguely familiar via algebra and physics, so learnable methinks; … Read more
Advent, the traditional run-up to Christmas, begins on 1 December, but the big sales drive starts soon after La Toussaint on November 1. The Christmas market season starts on December 1. Here at Maré le Bas the dates to remember are Corbigny (8/9 December) and Lormes (15 December). The Corbigny Christmas market was held in … Read more
Benvenuti and Welcome to all my Lovely Followers, If you are new to this column I should tell you that each month I reflect back on the previous one, which in this case is October 2018. My aim is to bring you lots of fun things, and not too many serious ones.Overall, October was a … Read more