Ed Halliday's Blog - Posts Tagged "france"

So here we are in Autumn! I could have sworn that Spring only started a few weeks ago. Never mind, Spring will be back soon enough and then I can miss summer completely once again. In the meantime, however, we are in the midst of that very dangerous season called Autumn. Why is it dangerous? I hear you ask. Well it's probably not dangerous everywhere in the world, but here in the little corner of France where I live it is exceedingly dangerous at the moment. This is due to a very French obsession which manifests at this time of year shortly after heavy rain. You can drive round any blind bend in any country road at the moment and find a car, abandoned rather than parked, stationery at the side of the road. There are thousands of cars littering the smallest roads making driving a bit like being in a demolition derby! The reason for this? Champignons! otherwise known as mushrooms. The quest for freshly picked fungus is a major pastime here, with knowledge of particularly fertile patches of forest guarded like Fort Knox! As locals abandon their cars near their favourite spot there is much fervent glancing around by the pickers who want to make sure no one is following them to their treasure trove.
Don't get me wrong, I like mushrooms! I just don't fancy scurrying about in full combat uniform to find them, and this is something that really confuses me. Why do the mushroom pickers wear Khaki camouflage? Do they feel the need to sneak up on the mushrooms? Do Fungi have legs and run away if they spot someone coming? If anyone has knowledge of running mushrooms please let me know!
Anyway, winter will be here soon and they will all go back to shooting wild boar, so the mushrooms will rest easy and the roads will become driveable once again!
Bon apetit, as they say over here!
Cheers, Ed Halliday

Author of:- The Expected Demise of Bernard Fish, The Grinning Dog, Burnt Toast and Bent Noses, the almost perfect plot, pigs in paradise

I think I can speak for everyone when I say that the happenings in Nice 2 days ago were as horrific as they were tragic, and my heartfelt condolences go to all those affected. As many of you may realise from my scribblings, I happen to live a short drive from Nice, and although I don't frequent the city very often, it's often enough to make me count myself lucky that I wasn't there on Thursday.
I happen to live in a tiny village, however we do have a large community of North African origin. Let me be clear, they have always been nothing but welcoming and friendly towards me, a fellow immigrant, despite my pale skin and ginger hair. I have for many years, and do still, count many of them as close friends, but there is an atmosphere of mistrust brewing. Many of the local French talk in huddles and whisper about how many Tunisians live in our peaceful little village. There are sideways glances and muttered remarks, and many who ask which side my allegiance lies.
We have all seen the immediate effect of this, and previous terrorist attacks, when watching the nine o'clock news, but there is a more profound and longer lasting effect that is yet to come to fruition, and it is rather frightening!
Cheers,
Ed Halliday
Author of:- The Expected Demise of Bernard Fish, Burnt Toast and Bent Noses, The Grinning Dog, the almost perfect plot, pigs in paradise