LIZ SAYS: (photos to come later)More strikes and now the high school kids have joined, they are much more destructive, they try to riot. When adults march it is more like a parade with big balloons and chants. If they thought about it, they wouldn't be supporting a lower retirement age because it will just bankrupt their retirement, but the long view is not a teens strong suit.
Tom will be in the US around Thanksgiving, if planes are flying out of France. Right now the fuel to the airports has been blocked, so who knows. We are not suffering, We just have to get up, check the news like other people check the weather, find out about the strikes and either get groceries, or venture out or stay within walking distance of the apartment.
We are near a lot of food outlets and essential shopping, so no biggie.
We see signs of the kid's destruction and marches,eggs thrown all over their schools and the like. But, so far so good.
Now, we are on our way to Rouen and its environs for Frederic’s 40th birthday party.
Leaving Paris was easier than we thought. The traffic was thinned due to gasoline shortages, but we could get a taxi to the train station. And the train did run on time. The strikes are taking on a more ferocious tone since the high school students have been asked to join it. They are more prone to vandalism. All of that is out in the suburbs, far from us.
The most recent march started in our neighborhood and it was almost festive. Lots of balloons, face painting with union logos, home made giant puppets, flags and music.
We ate lunch on the route and watched the strikers March by, some would stop in and eat lunch, then resume marching. It was all rather amazing. The restauranteur was delighted as he had more business than he could handle. The starter de jour was a great combination of fresh asparagus, soft boiled eggs, red onion and a huge 5 inch by 2.5 inch by half inch thick piece of bacon-like meat they call lardon here. We didn’t have to venture too far into the lardon, the point was made by its just sitting on the plate.
I took some pictures as we walked the half block back to the apartment.
The French people we have talked to say that this is more anti-Sarko than about the retirement age. They seem to have realized that he is quite right wing and they don’t like it.
This morning the riot police moved in and stopped the blockading of some oil refineries. That got a bit violent, but it brought up the point that the French say they have a constitutional right to strike. Sarko says strike does not mean blockade. Interesting. If the workers don’t go in to work once the way is cleared they risk going to jail for 5 years. Ouch!
It is all very fascinating, the ideas, the difference between strikes in the US and strikes here. I wonder how far the people are willing to go. One thing is sure, they want the petrol thing settled by next week when kids go on vacation. After all, its vacation!
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