Hi!!! I finally got a new post up other than my intro. No, this is not a bakery post so continue reading.
Well there a lot more than French bread that I liked. It was all of the good times that I had when was there. It was actually a while back when I traveled there, though I remember a lot of the events like it was yesterday.
The first city that I visited was Toulon. I guess it was just like any other city in France. I was there with my buddies and one of the first things we did was go out and look for stores to do some shopping.
Now, I wanted to parlez vous, so I had my little French translation book with me. Now this was before smartphones were so readily available. Those pocket translators were available but I could not really afford the extra cost. Besides the that little book would work just fine.
So we strolled up and down the alleyways of Toulon, looking for some of the newest fashions France had to offer. Now, it was not that I am such a fashionista, but I was single and I really did want to look like I had the world at my feet.
So I head into this shoe shop, with a little apprehension, but also excited because I was going to try and use the few words that I learned in French, I look around at all the style and then my eyes catch these purplish pointed shoes.
Now looking back at it I do not know what was wrong with me! Damn, were those shoes ugly.
Now before I even went inside the store, I practiced how to say my shoe sizes in French a bit. I practiced a few more term, to the point I felt I could barely get through the transaction.
So back in the store, I pick those ugly shoes that I am going to where into the clubs. Thank God that was the style back then. I am also glad that the style went the way for polyester!!
Oh, and I forgot to mention, was that in France, they do not use the English system of
measurement. They use the dreaded metric system. So not only did I need to say the shoe size I was looking for in French, but I needed to convert my size into metric.
Now remember, at that time, smartphones did not exist, so you had to do things like this the old fashion way. You needed a calculator!!
If you did not have that you could get these converters that were made out of paper. Is kind of a slide ruler of sorts,
So I am in the store, look at the different types of shoes that were in stock. I remember so vividly the lady practicing her broken English and my with my bastardized French. I really have fond memories of that time and really enjoyed my interaction with her.
So we went through the customary haggling that one would go through when you are in a foreign country. At the end of everything I was the proud owner of the ugliest shoes in the world!
The drama of purchasing the shoes, definitely was not the only thing that I experienced in France. I know in this blog, I will speak about my other adventures that I had. It really helps me to lay out the happening of my life and I also enjoy sharing these moments with everyone.
I will Like I said in my first post. I will also share some of my happenings at home. They thing is,that I think posts like these will probably be more interesting.
Until next time!!