05/01/2020 at 14:18 • Filed to: None | ![]() | ![]() |
Yes. I subscribe to tha idea of breaking up Texas and California into two states.
![]() 05/01/2020 at 14:23 |
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Well, there is a Paris, TX.
![]() 05/01/2020 at 14:25 |
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nice roads in france...good for cycling
doesnt get as hot as texas either....yet...
05/01/2020 at 14:33 |
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Spain is a lot like Texas with summer last year taking place from May to October. The roads are even better. The food is better than in Texas too.
05/01/2020 at 14:35 |
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Meh. There’s a Birmingham, Alabama too. But no British people will call it home.
![]() 05/01/2020 at 14:50 |
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But Texas and California are already two states.
![]() 05/01/2020 at 14:51 |
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Does Spain have BBQ and Tacos?
![]() 05/01/2020 at 14:51 |
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I’ve been to Paris a few times... I feel like it’s gotten worse over time. Maybe it’s just the “omg it’s Paris” feeling wearing off, but I felt like there were a lot less tourists and filth when I went around 2008 versus when I went two years ago.
On the other hand, visiting smaller places like Lyon or Dijon was fantastic, it’s closer to the France that I’ve always imagined. I wanted to go further south but I got the quintessential French experience since trains/TGV employees were striking. However, I witnessed zero burning cars.
![]() 05/01/2020 at 15:00 |
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And also for driving :)
Spain also has very nice roads for cycling (and driving) but its not a good idea to go cycling in the south during summer.
Majorca has a great amount of cyclo-tourists (more than i ever seen in France)
.
![]() 05/01/2020 at 15:02 |
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Well, there are at least a few British expats living there, so a small number do
![]() 05/01/2020 at 15:13 |
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“If I owned Texas and Hell,I’d rent Texas and live in Hell.”- General Philip Sheridan.
05/01/2020 at 15:17 |
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05/01/2020 at 15:25 |
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Well, Spain is one of the few European countries that hosts a Taco Bell network .
And bbq while not being something you’d call strictly traditional, the nice weather gives you you plenty of bbq opportunities.
05/01/2020 at 15:26 |
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I mean to split them into two states each.
![]() 05/01/2020 at 15:28 |
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I found food in France hit and miss, some of it I loved and some of it I could not bend my american mind to understand who in the world would eat medium rare lamb.
![]() 05/01/2020 at 15:30 |
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But TX is the land of freedom and prosperity, while France is a pinko commie socialist hell.
![]() 05/01/2020 at 15:34 |
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I can’t speak to Paris but I spent a few days in Grenoble and I LOVED it. I had zero interest in France, but we went for a wedding, and I was shocked at how much I enjoyed it. It was a pleasant surprise and we were going to go back to see my wife’s friend this year, alas that isn’t happening, but maybe next? Regardless, I’m looking forward to it.
![]() 05/01/2020 at 15:35 |
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Different is not objectively better. BBQ. Tacos. BBQ Tacos. Tex-Mex.
(Seriously, if you haven’t had a brisket breakfast taco, you are missing out on life. A proper one. Buc- ee’s does not count. )
![]() 05/01/2020 at 15:36 |
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Respectfully disagree, though I will gladly trade Lubbock for Paris.
![]() 05/01/2020 at 15:48 |
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Oh!
But that would mess up the star count on the flag.
![]() 05/01/2020 at 15:52 |
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Well, is it because to you it should be rare or because it should be well done ?
Traditionally lamb should be rare in France but as with beef almost everybody have different taste and at the restaurant you usually can choose how its done (surely its not always possible depending on the plate) and maybe because of the language barrier you were not asked on how you wanted it done or simply they took you for a British boiled-meat eater :)
I
always have to double-check the translation of those
different terms in English
as its totally different
than French, for example very
rare is bleu (blue)
,
rare is saignant (bloody),
medium rare is à point (at the point)
and well done is
usually called semelle
(sole)
.
![]() 05/01/2020 at 15:53 |
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I really want to visit smaller towns and places in France. Paris should be visited, but France is so much more and I need much, much more vacation time to see it all. I’m very happy that you enjoyed it, it’s a lovely country.
05/01/2020 at 15:56 |
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It’s not the first time.
![]() 05/01/2020 at 15:57 |
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You know, I mean... the thing about Taco Bell. It is a bit suspicious that a firm whose mission statement says they
“take pride in
making the best Mexican style fast food” does not in fact have locations in Mexico.
![]() 05/01/2020 at 15:58 |
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You eat lamb well-cooked? Why?
![]() 05/01/2020 at 15:59 |
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Texas should want to break itself up... it would make Texans more powerful in congress.
![]() 05/01/2020 at 16:07 |
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Texafornia
![]() 05/01/2020 at 16:09 |
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Well, i actually am from Grenoble :)
To be fair visiting Paris without someone living there (as in all the biggest touristic cities) might not be the most interesting, i always enjoy more the non-tourist part of the cities a visit .
Grenoble is (in my non-objective opinion) one of the worst possible French cities to visit as a tourist as it has not much charm with its historic centre that isnt huge and magnificent as most of the city expension happend on the decade before the 1968 winter olympic , for being the flattest city in Europe meaning that most of the city is only in 2D (i always enjoy hills in cities as i am used not to having any) and is not exceptional in term of “night entertainment” (which i like to enjoy when going on vacacions) but its nice that you did enjoy it :)
—
I can reassure you that burning
cars are not a widespead phenomen and it doesnt happen all the time (and its sometimes
peoples who want to get
insurance money for a broken car
)
.
05/01/2020 at 16:15 |
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Well, the reason for that is the same for Pizza Hut not being present in Italy or why Italians aren’t usually thrilled about Olive Garden.
For most of the world, a certain type of food will be fine, if it's tasty and reasonably priced. But for the people who invented it and perfect it for generations, generic international versions of that food, just won't do it
![]() 05/01/2020 at 16:24 |
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I can see what you mean about Grenoble maybe not being the best tourist city, but it has it’s charm. I had some free time as I wasn’t in the wedding party, so I drove around and went to the Fort de la Bastille, and the Museum of the French Revolution in Vizille. I thought I was really having a good time and taking in the sites...
Wouldn’t you know it, the wedding party went to the Museum in Vizille for pictures after the ceremony, and guess where the reception was? The F ort de la Bastille.
I rented a Peugeot 206cc and had a blast in it. All the Americans there for the wedding were amazed I could drive stick and loved the “cute little car. ” The Frenchmen were also amazed I could drive stick, but derided my “hair dresser’s car.” But good times were had by all, and I do look forward to going back.
![]() 05/01/2020 at 16:24 |
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There are peoples who just can’t eat “bloody” meat, i definitely can’t condone such behavior, especially as i love very rare good beef and rare lamb.
A
s an example, when we are going to the restaurant with
work
colleagues
i am the only one that eat the beef very rare, 2 or 3 are eating rare, 4 or 5 medium rare,
one well done and one vegetarian ; the ones eating rare or medium-rare could usually eat the other way if required and are if i recall correctly they are
good with eating rare lamb but the one eating well done couldnt eat anything not well
done
.
A
nother reason to eat non rare lamb
would simply be if its a “plat en sauce” like a “
tajine d’agneau”
or a “
navarin d’agneau”
.
![]() 05/01/2020 at 16:25 |
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I would like to see more of it as well, though I’ve got a few other places on my list to get to first. But frankly I don’t think France would have ever been a consideration if not for that trip to Grenoble.
![]() 05/01/2020 at 16:38 |
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The last time i got to the parc du chateau de Vizille was for a wedding as well :)
And the bastille... for my brother wedding last year :)
The 206CC is indeed not seen as the most masculine vehicule but its still an extremly cheap “fun” car.
ps: at the middle of the picture is
the 3rd
longest straight line
“avenue” in Europe as well if i recall correctly (called
Cours Jean-Jaures then
Cours de la Libération-et-du-Général-de-Gaulle then Cours Saint-André)
.
![]() 05/01/2020 at 16:43 |
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Then we’d have to fight a war to decide who gets to be the “Lone Star State”.
![]() 05/01/2020 at 16:44 |
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Isn’t that Chile?
![]() 05/01/2020 at 16:46 |
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It was room temp and still going baaaaaaa when they cut into it. When I have eaten lamb in the past it is cooked “medium” aka mostly pink.
![]() 05/01/2020 at 16:47 |
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True, but we’d have to at least convince Puerto Rico to join too so we could have an even number. Otherwise, the type setters would have a fit.
![]() 05/01/2020 at 16:49 |
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I think that’s going the other way?
Think about mixing all that red with all the blue! It’d be the biggest swing state imaginable. Everyone would ignore New Hampshire and Iowa and only campaign in Texafornia.
![]() 05/01/2020 at 16:51 |
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Now yer trollin’ me, Pardner!
![]() 05/01/2020 at 17:03 |
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Well, with all my nonsense i a
ctually forgot to mention that we
call the “correct” way to cook
lamb
“r
osé” which c
ould also be used for a roast-beef for example
but would be unusual to qualify a steak for example probably because one is for oven
slow cooked
meat and not the other
.
![]() 05/01/2020 at 17:26 |
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I was just in France earlier this year. I whole heartedly agree. I’m not a huge fan of Texas, whereas I’m a huge fan of champagne haha
![]() 05/01/2020 at 17:34 |
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That is pretty wild. Though I imagine both are popular wedding related spots.
The 206CC was fun as an American because we have nothing like that over here. Especially with a small diesel. When in Rome, and all that. I really wanted the Citroen DS3, but that was way outside my price range for a rental, the 206CC was enough. I could have gotten something like a VW Polo that would have been fine for like 1/4 what the 206CC cost to rent, but I wanted the authentic French car experience.
Also, I didn’t know about Cours Saint-Andre, that’s interesting.
![]() 05/01/2020 at 18:28 |
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Both spots are close to the city, with a nice view
and easy to access
which makes them good spots for these events
.
While the 206CC are definitely not the best to drive (they are sensibly heavier than the non CC version and mostly underpowered to have real fun)
, Polos are definitely worse
;
if i still have multiple cars next time you visit i could
lend you one
.
![]() 05/01/2020 at 19:45 |
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Merci
![]() 05/01/2020 at 22:30 |
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Thank you, I may take you up on that!
![]() 05/02/2020 at 03:16 |
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Some of US actually went to Marjorca to drive, last year. For a few days in very late October, very early November, when 99% of the tourists are gone.
Are you located in France? We (as in, Oppositelock) had a 15+ people meet there around Easter 2019. You're certainly welcome to join us next time, whenever this Corona thing has died down.
https://oppositelock.kinja.com/europpomeet-mallorca-a-trip-report-1839782936
https://oppositelock.kinja.com/easter-oppomeet-2019-france-a-report-1834330469
![]() 05/02/2020 at 03:25 |
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“On the other hand, visiting smaller places like Lyon or Dijon was fantastic, it’s closer to the France that I’ve always imagined”
This is typical. I was in Tuscany last year. I strongly preferred the ‘unknown’ parts of Tuscany to the tourists traps like Florence.
I’m from the Netherlands. My only advice to tourists visiting the Netherlands; skip most of Amsterdam and visit a few of the surrounding cities, like Leiden, Utrecht, Den Haag (the Hague), Haarlem, and on and on. All if them within an our of Amsterdam, just as charming but not a tourist trap. Or travel slightly more than an hour and you have places like Deventer and Groningen, which are great as well.
![]() 05/02/2020 at 10:02 |
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Went in Maj orca in late march last year so it was also fortunately not the tourists season but a bit cold for those who like it a little warm, Andalucia at this period of year is definitely a better choice if its important to you.
We did rent a metalic blue 116d (or was it a 118d?) that did have the exterior M pack (unusual for a rental) as well as the gear knob and steering wheel but not the seats ; we did more than 1000Km during the week ( i recognized most of what you visited) .
—
Y
es i am in France (in Grenoble
) and
maybe i’ll join you next time
:)