Entente cordiale?

Help me out here.

Thousands of ‘migrants’ are congregating around ugly Calais, apparently destitute but equipped with wire-cutters and determined to get into the Tunnel to Blighty.

OK so far?

Why? What’s wrong with Spain, Italy, France (etcetera ad nausem) where they entered the fabled EU?

Send answers please to a jobsworth in Brussels who will reply after les vacances, peut-etre.

Living with the Han 2: other than that it wasn’t so bad.

I walked through Huzhou last Saturday in a desperate attempt to change money. I did not expect a good rate of exchange or stellar service, but I did expect it to be possible. After all, even with the rise of touch-pay mobile phones and nearly-universal use for bank cards it is still advisable to carry some cash. My efforts were futile. Most banks only exchange money on weekdays and only for their customers. The one bank that will exchange currency on weekends for non-account holders is the Bank of China but they require extensive documentation and special residence papers. At that point, I had neither. In frustration I quietly returned to my flat with a small pile of cash in hand that might as well have not existed. I went to sleep nervous. The internet installer was supposed to have come the following day and I could not pay him. At around 1 AM I woke up and decided to give it a last go. A bank was 2 blocks away and they had a secured cash machine. My losing streak broke – my account was open and I could withdraw cash.

Continue reading “Living with the Han 2: other than that it wasn’t so bad.”

And another thing

Mayor Boris has proved his proletarian potential by giving his goodwife a ride behind him on his bike.

Billedresultat for boris on bike pics

But the only acceptable second seat on a bike is the croggy – or for the posh lot, the cross bar. The lady is then safely embraced and close enough for canoodling. Ladies’ bikes are useless for the purpose of course, which explains why modern females ride fellas’ bikes.

My pic shows Boris offering a couple of ladies a ride.

Yes, I know what I said……

But some news can’t be allowed to pass without comment.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/denmark-bans-halal-and-kosher-slaughter-as-minister-says-animal-rights-come-before-religion-9135580.html

At last a gubmint has found the stones to do what has been crying out for attention for decades.

Supernaturalists use their ‘faith’ to ‘justify’ everything from female genital mutilation to polygamy and the cruel slaughter of animals for food. Frankly I don’t care about their weird practices in general but I care very much when there are innocent victims, either human or animal who/which are given no choice in the matter.

Hurray for commonsense and b*gger the protestors! Yes, you too, rabbi!

Living With the Han 1: Spite and Malice From a Thousand Li Away.

My grandparents and a family friend, an eccentric Pole of partial German parentage, drove me to Konz Hbf. I felt little when I left. To say that my efforts in Hunland were in equal measures frustrating and frustrated is to verge past the point of understatement. Yet, I could not manage to muster much enthusiasm for China. The process thus far has been long, costly and drawn-out. That my nerves were already taxed to the breaking point led me to having a certain measure less patience than I normally would have had. Still, it seemed as if things worked out in the wash.

Continue reading “Living With the Han 1: Spite and Malice From a Thousand Li Away.”

Almost Family – A Short Story

Then he lost a leg.

By this time he’d become accustomed to this. It had ceased to embarrass him but it had caused a bit of hysteria from the crowds intent on their Christmas shopping, because he looked so human, he supposed. He’d stepped awkwardly on the edge of the kerb and it just parted company with the knee joint. He picked it up and stuffed it into his rucksack, and hailed a passing taxi home.

Continue reading “Almost Family – A Short Story”

Off To The Mountains

Hip Hip Hip Hooray

We’re off to the Pyrenees
Tomorrow, not today
To test out our poorly knees

Hip Hip Hip Hooray

We’re going to escape the heat
I tell you where we’ll stay
A place that little can beat
A country very small
Where Catalan is spoken
Where mountains stand very tall
And the Euro is just a token

So see you when we get back

Next weekend hopefully
That’s if we don’t lose our track
And end up in the Alps 🙂

Janus: The best I Can Do For Tonight – Prawn Stew

This is one of our favourites – Protein-Packed Prawn Stew

It is an ideal meal after a hard day out walking or when time is short as it is high in protein and is ready in just 15-20 minutes.

A fresh baguette is also a must for mopping up the tomato sauce.

DSC_0187[1]

Preparation time is short – 15-20 minutes.

Continue reading “Janus: The best I Can Do For Tonight – Prawn Stew”