I usually remember it, but being a bit sleep-deprived today, forgot until the announcer on the morning classical radio program explained why they had an all-French program scheduled.
How is everyone celebrating? A Napoleon is sounding mighty yummy right now…but alas, none to be found in the Chicago Loop that I know of.
Instead of a Napoleon, I’d much rather have a nice, thick slice of Marjolaine instead. Sadly, I don’t think there’s anyone within 20 miles of here would have anything of the sort.
Bastille Day shares a very special date with my personal history: the day that the divorce to my first husband became final. I thought that was a pretty good co-winky-dink.
I think I will light candles for poor Madame du Barry and the Princess de Lamballe . . .
There’s this lovely palace right down the street that’s just dying to be stormed…
Not a half-bad idea: the French could help liberate America twice!
Thanks, ** Eva Luna **. Unfortunately, I didn’t celebrate anything since I’m ill. The more frustrating being that I didn’t watch any firework, something I’m very fond of (on the other hand, I’ve been hearing them for 48 hours non stop).
There’s a Rush song in here somewhere. Maybe Coldfire could stop in to identify it.
Anyway, I think perhaps I’ll have some Pastis tonight and complain about my forty hour work week or barricade a road with some tractors in mock sympathy. Actually, some French wine would be easier since I actually have that laying about the house.
I’m fed up with these ignorant prejudiced statements. We don’t have a forty hour work week. We’ve had a ** 35 ** hour work week for several years now.
Stop accusing us of being workaholic!!! :mad: That’s an undesevered xenophobic slur!!!
I thought about storming a prison in honor of Bastille Day but the heat index today was 110F, so I stayed inside. I think prison storming should be more of a fall event anyway.
clairobscur I don’t think Shib was trying to slam France. I think he was alluding to the fact that France has a 35 hour work week and he was going to complain about the American 40 hour work week.
I know…I wasn’t really pissed off, either.
Have fun storming the castle!
Last night at French class at the Alliance Française we celebrated Bastille Day with some lovely (Australian) wine and sang La Marseillaise…Allons enfants de la Patrie, le jour de gloire est arrivé.
Heard this story on the radio today:-
We used to do the same thing in our local Alliance Française. Besides our own, La Marseillaise is the only other anthem I can remember entirely.
Congratulations to the French.
Well, sorry, but my particular French friends are workaholics, the whole darn extended family of them. They have a family business near Fontainebleau, and it’s the only way they’ve managed to keep it afloat during the last couple of economic downturns. Poor Laurent leaves home by 8 am and gets home after 9 pm. His wife hates it, and she and I would both love it if you went to his office and told him how un-Frenchly he is behaving. 
According to Jerry Pournelle (and I have no reason to doubt him on this), when teh Bastille was stormed it contained 8 people.
http://www.jerrypournelle.com/view/view318.html (scroll down)
Brian
*8 prisoners, that is
Yes, and I was taking the piss anyway as I have worked with many actual workaholic (or at least very hard working) French when I lived and worked in Geneva and Frankfurt. Everyone knows that all generalizations are untrue.
BTW, I was wholly unable to find pastis at any bars in my area, or even a bartender who knew what pastis is. Freaking yokels. Maybe in Tampa.
Actually I find quite ironical too that troops such as the ** Kings ** Troop of the ** Royal ** Horse Artillery and the ** Household ** Cavalry are parading on Bastille day.
I don’t remember the exact number, but indeed it was something like that. And none of them was detained for political reasons. Besides, the Bastille was to be demolished soon. It was only a symbol (and weapons were kept there, which isn’t the last reason explaining why the Bastille was stormed).