France - Life beyond the croissants...

Sometimes from our sleepy villages and slow siestas the world could almost pass us by.. thats why its not a bad idea to find out whats going on in the news from time to time - to remember we are in 2008, living in a supposedly democratic society, its an olympic year and many people in the world are at still at war, suffering terrible famine or fighting the backlash of natural disaster.

China are boycotting Carrefour after the fiasco with getting the olympic torch through Paris. They have over 100 hypermarkets in China so this will undoubtedly affect finances. There have already been protests outside some of the stores and the Chinese are taking it as a very serious insult from France.

Nicolas Sarkozy (Mr Boombastic for those of you who watch Headcases - The new spitting image) is not helping the situation with his refusal to rule out a boycott of the opening ceremony. But Im sure his wife will look good in her kimono eh!?

And sadly, just last night half a ton of canabis was seized coming here to the South of France from Morrocco... in a helicopter! - these guys are high tech and they have money to jet set in private helicopters - I am surely in the wrong game with my green fingers! 600000 euros worth of smoke that will not be hitting the streets of Marseille and Cannes this summer - bit of a shame for the mellow laid back vibe really!

Well off out to the real Marseille, to face the long queue in the supermarket even at the swipe and go counter - I actually think they have programmed their checkouts and tills to work slower to suit their pace of life.. Next stop this morning to get some forms filled out by various members of the community (doctor, mairie, bank, insurance - this is just to get an application for my son to get to Lycee in September - though you really would have thought this would be mandatory, and perhaps done for you in the education system - oh no! another folder of paper commences! lol)

oooh oh oh got to go - everything still shuts at 12 you know! and soon it won't reopen til 3pm because of the intense heat! ah siesta life!