July 4, 2005
Independence Day
Well, it's July 4 and we're in Reims, France. We were very close to marking the occasion by checking out a show here in town where they set pantomime performances to music by Debussy. And go to hell if you think I'm making that up. But unfortunately we got back too late from the Champagne vineyards around Epernay.
I guess this all means I'm not going to make it into John Wayne's corner of heaven. The good news is, we are driving a Ford. But . . . it doesn't look like a Ford.
Posted by FLOG at July 4, 2005 8:42 AMSo American manufacturers save the aesthetically pleasing models for the overseas market...hrm....
Posted by: Timothy at July 4, 2005 9:27 AMYes. Even the Ford minivans look good here. Apparently we Americans don't demand design. Instead, we demand nice cupholders. The cupholders in our EuroFord suck balls.
Posted by: FLOG at July 4, 2005 12:25 PMIsn't the Ford Focus pretty small (Corolla-sized)? But even they are a far cry from that weird MiniFord you've been cruising around in.
Random question time: is gas over there really $4 (US) a gallon?
Posted by: Brandon at July 6, 2005 3:49 PMGas goes by the litre. It was about 1.29/euros per litre through France and Germany, which would be about $1.60/litre. There are 3.7854118 litres in a gallon. So gas costs just about $6 per gallon. Yep. Plus it costs about $15 in tolls just to drive 80 miles across France. Germany, thankfully, had no tollroads. I suppose they would cause horrible accidents what with all that speedracing.
The Ford Fiesta was very small, about like a VW Golf, but miraculously roomy inside.
WWB: No, not consciously referring to that, though I foggily remember it. All I know is, we have much to be thankful for. Cupholders, straightforward toilets, cities laid out in orderly grids. Well, maybe not that last bit for you.
Posted by: FLOG at July 11, 2005 7:59 AMStraightforward toilets? There's no way that EuroCrappers can top their Japanese counterparts.
Posted by: Brandon at July 11, 2005 2:11 PMWe shall have to compare notes some time. It's not that EuroCrappers are very exotic; it's the variety in design and effectiveness that's noteworthy.
Posted by: FLOG at July 12, 2005 9:25 AMPassen Sie auf sitzpinkel!
Posted by: Timothy at July 12, 2005 4:58 PMI don't think anything's going to top the toilet I found at the Homeikan Inn.
Posted by: Brandon at July 13, 2005 5:07 PMWasn't there a new post here earlier this afternoon?
Posted by: at July 21, 2005 5:04 PM