Wednesday 15 June 2016

Day 7 - Calm before the storm

Day 7

Miles Travelled - 2

French word of the day - Avec (With)

Another short update today. No football and no particularly humorous incidents. 

Little bit of sightseeing today instead. Went to my third cathedral of the trip (a basilica at the top of a massive hill in Lyon). I have a standard routine, which I repeat at any cathedral, and which is as follows, starting from the point of arrival at said cathedral :
1) let out a little gasp and say to my travelling companion - "very impressive isn't it?"
2) go inside 
3) repeat step 1
4) take the opportunity to sit down on one of the many seats for ten minutes 
5) leave 



After that, and after another little beer stop (I'm going to miss these in particular) my Dad and I took a boat trip down the Rhone for a circular tour of Lyon. 8/10. 

We then had more beer and a pizza in a tourist trap before sharing a bus back to our hotel  with a bloke from Swansea and one another from Northern Ireland, where we pondered upon the mathematical possibilities that could lead to us both qualifying from our groups. It certainly beats work. 



At this point I should point out that I have been using my GCSE French to the maximum throughout this trip. There's been more 'Je voudrais', 'Un xxxxxx sil vous plait', 'Merci beaucoup' and 'Ou est la toilettes' than you can shake a stick at. Even when the French have done that thing where they smile and then calmly reply to you in perfect English, I haven't been dissuaded, and carry on using my broken French, always leaving them with a hearty "Au revoir". 

Unfortunately, I haven't had any opportunity to 'provide directions to someone who asks you where the town hall is' nor to 'write to your pen pal Pierre in La Rochelle to tell him about the unfortunate accident you had whilst skiing'.

The low point came tonight though when I confidently ordered 'Un Sprite Avec Un grande Biere' only to spend the subsequent minute desperately trying to convince the barman not to pour them in the same glass. Think I might just go back to pointing and speaking English slowly instead. 

Anyway, it's a 4.30am alarm call in the morning, with a 400 mile trip to do to Lens by midday, so I'll sign off. 

Two more days to go. 

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