23/7/2013 - 24/7/2013
Ouzouer-sur-Trézée is a very strange little one-street town. Although the marine is full of boats, nearly everything in town is shut. It is holiday time afterall! This is what we have noticed everywhere: the French seem to avoid business opportunities if it interferes with their lifestyle. The only places open are 2 bakeries. Even the local post office is shut.
The excitment about the birth of Kate and Will's baby hasn't penetrated here either. Our friend Jane, sends us photos from the announcement at Buckingham Palace - in the local paper it is mentioned in a small paragraph on the right bottom corner!
The marina here is nice with picnic areas under shady trees and clean showers and toilets, electricity and water - all free. But the town doesn't benefit from this, as there is nowhere to spend our money.
Spending all the time at the marina, we meet a diversity of people: Ken & Katie from UK & Scottland, Ilse and Helmut from Cologne, (now living in Witzhelden very close to where I come from), and their rescued staffy, Lucy. We also met a couple from New Zealand and a French couple, who entertained us with tirades of English we were unable to understand, wishing they would have spoken French to us instead!
In the evening of day 2, I got caught in the shower complex together with 3 squealing French boys as a fierce hailstorm was whipping down. The boys ran from the door to an overhanging roof opposite and back again, getting belted and drenched. Fun to watch and I learned a new word:"grêle" meaning "hail".
Found on the closed door of the town hall (has it been closed since 1940?):
To all French
France has lost a battle!
But France has not lost the war!
The government forces were able to capitulate, the resulting panic, forget their honor and deliver the land of bondage. Nevertheless, nothing is lost!
Nothing is lost because this war is a world war. The mighty forces of the free universe have not given up. One day these forces will crush the enemy. And then, on that day France must be present in the victory. Then it will regain its freedom and its size. That is my goal, my only goal!
Therefore,
I call upon all Frenchmen, wherever they are, to join me in the fight in the spirit of sacrifice with confidence.
Our country is in danger.
Let's fight together to save it.
Long live France!