Annecy IV

Back "home" to Annecy the three friends journied. A 500+ KM trip completed in probably as many hours. Getting out of Paris to the south was problematic, as the outer ring road was littered with accident sites and the traffic growled us around till we could peel off to the south and away towards Dijon and on to Annecy. We did not stop to pick up any mustard. Ally snoozed and so did her mother. I took a power nap at a wayside stop before powering off down the highway again at 130+ kmph. What a blast! Only cost 45 euros on the tollway, but there was only one pay station, so we weren't held up for too long there.

Arriving at about 7:00 pm, we went for a walk with Ally down to the lake. There was evidence of another festival or other in evidence, as tractors had obviously run back and forth across the grass in one patch. It was all churned up. We headed to a newly-constructed stage, where a band was rehearsing and checking the sound for a concert to be held in the next little while. This was a seriously good band, with every one of the band members exhibiting a quality of music generation that defied belief. Guitar riffs to die for. Vocal gymnastics from the lead singer (male) that would put Julie Andrews to shame. A bass player and a drummer who were really, really, REALLY good. Ally and Dear Jude have gone to do some serious shopping, so I have been able to sit and some quality time with you, blogging. I have set them the task of finding out the name of the band, so that I can relate it to you on their return. We are pretty sure that the Office de Tourisme will be able to tell us.

All the above re Annecy only adds to my determination to return to this place at some time in the future. You should plan to come too. There is always something going on. Just to remind you, there are the water sports, the snow sports, the cycling, the tourism and the cultural events. Annecy is one of three finalists for the 2018 Winter Olympics. Sadly for their hopes, we were in Stary Smokevic in Slovakia when they were in the midst of their bid for the Winter Olympics a few years ago. They were unsuccessful. Let's hope that it all works out for Annecy and they are not held here. It would be a shame to risk the conversion of this lovely backwater into a tourism-dominated city. But perhaps I am being a little too selfish in this wish.

To demonstrate how much Annecy means to me, I have just now added the word to my dictionary on the computer so that it does not always appear with a squiggly red line under it!

Currency valuation relativities are best learned, I now believe, via the sport known as 'shopping'. This morning, Ally and Dear Jude were hard at the computer/iPhone, looking up the value of the euro against the pound and the Australian dollar. This is education in its rawest form. I recall scouring text books and studying flat out in the bowels of the Baillieu Library in FIN211, or some other subject, and still couldn't get it. These expert shoppers and wielders of credit cards develop an innate understanding and knowledge of the loss of confidence of the euro in favour of the AUD in NO TIME FLAT! One can only stare in amazement and disbelief. [It has been determined that there is JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF TIME in Paris next Saturday to pick up that pair of boots while ole Groombles takes the car back to the airport before we leave for London on the Eurostar.]

It's lovely and sunny outside. Last week, while we were in Paris, it teemed with rain here. You can see this in the muddy patch on the grass where the last concert was held. It wasn't there at the time of the animated film festival. [By the way, did you know that Fantastic Mr. Fox took out this year's honours?]

I had better get cracking with the lunch, so that the girls can tell me all their adventures in the shopping mall. I'll get back to you with the name of that band. I am sure it is a famous one ...

Hoo rooster!

Groom