Tuesday, 25 August 2009

"No more worries for me and you, for a week or two."

It seems the CiF columnists aren't enjoying their breaks as much as they deserve to, the poor dears.

First up is man-hating feminist fruitcake Julie Bindel, who has had to suffer other people's children in Tuscany:
I am used to middle-class kids behaving outrageously, living as I do in what child-free residents call "nappy valley" – an area of London teaming with young parents and their expensive double buggies and nannies, but holidays tend to bring out the best and worst of all of us. Next door to me right now sleep a total of 13 people, all of whom gather around the pool each day like locusts swarming on an oasis. Five of them are children. They have this game where, just as we (I am here with my partner, two friends and their two teenaged, considerate children) take out our books for a peaceful read or slide into the water to cool off, they dive-bomb in the pool together screaming at the tops of their voices. They take over the whole (large) pool in a way that prevents any of us from swimming a length.
Next, via Longrider, James Bennett bemoans the fact that the French don't want to work all hours god sends so that a chippy Englishman can get served 24/7/365:
Ever since the 35-hour working week was adopted in February 2000 under prime minister Lionel Jospin's socialist government, France has become a nation of languid retailers, invisible tourism employees and workshy shopkeepers. Try and find a cafe open in peak tourist season on a Monday, Wednesday or Sunday in Normandy and I'll break into the Louvre and deliver the Mona Lisa to you by hand. Even if you do manage to catch someone selling something in a shop or restaurant in France, they'll probably turn you away as they shirk off for a two-and-a-half hour lunch break.
Oh dear. What a shame...

Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
at

8 comments:

  1. Longrider25 August 2009 at 08:42

    "Teaming" eh? Is that even a word?

    They really are a pair of arrogant snobs, though, aren't they? Perhaps they should holiday together...

    ReplyDelete
  2. Old BE25 August 2009 at 09:01

    Damn, Longrider beat me to it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Mike25 August 2009 at 09:01

    Miss, please don't excite yourself that much again. I like it when you laugh but remeber that time with the nappy and the Holy cow.

    Just remember...deep breaths, in through the nose and then out.....

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oldrightie25 August 2009 at 09:32

    The London bubble is saggy but still not burst! Self-centered arrogant supplement obsessed pillocks. SOPs for short.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sue25 August 2009 at 10:32

    It's the same here in Spain but it's easy to get used to and nice and chilled when you do :)

    Perhaps Ms Bindel should consider Saga Holidays..

    ReplyDelete
  6. JuliaM25 August 2009 at 10:36

    ""Teaming" eh? Is that even a word?"

    I'm guessing she meant 'teeming', though it's the 'Grauniad, so who knows? It could have been a sub editor trying to be helpful...

    "Perhaps Ms Bindel should consider Saga Holidays.."

    Ouch! ;)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous25 August 2009 at 11:08

    It's one of the reasons I loved working in France...everyone shirked off Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for a two hour lunch. On Fridays, more often than not, we never even went back to the office.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Stan25 August 2009 at 17:33

    Back in the days when I used to travel a lot in Europe, the fact that French cafes (or Spanish bars or Greek tavernas) were not the least bit like English cafes, pubs or restaurants was one of the pleasures of travel.

    Now they are pretty much all the same everywhere you go - so if you come across somewhere that is different ... well, vive la difference, old son.

    ReplyDelete