Gangs in Kensigton... or just Dave who lost his shoes?

While walking around Liverpool, I was suprise to see shoes dangling from electrical wires.
I remember asking Dave if he knew about it, and he answered :"Oh you found my shoes ? I couldn't remember where I had put them".

And I have just read an article explaining that in New York, shoes on electric wires is a way of defining the territories of American gangs.

A little like a border post... plus the odor.

Les casseurs or the problem of demonstrations...

Here are some pics of the "Place de la Sorbonne" which is the "Sorbonne square" in front of the Uni, but they have put this "wall" all around the student quarter. This walls are mainly due to the 'casseurs' unfortunately. Only students are allowed eventually to get in after showing your student ID, but we must be "escorted" by one of those guys below, and explain why we need to get in.

On the wall (have no idea how they were able to write on it, as I think -or I thought- that the police was always in front of it), it is written: Police everywhere, Justice nowhere.

Sorry for the poor quality of these pics but I was in a hurry, and i took them while I was walking.

Sortie ensoleillée ou vice cachée?

Stuck at home on a bright sun-shining beautiful Saturday because I must write an essay on a dreadful little tiny contract clause in 1996 .

…

Demonstrations and Counter Demonstrations ou plus de CRS que d'étudiants dans le Quartier Latin...

Just a short message and a pic to show what is happening in the street behind my Uni...
It's been two-three weeks now that the students' movement against the law I wrote about has taken a particularly important dimension...
After the occupation of the University of the Sorbonne last Friday, there is security and armed police all over the area.
Unfortunately, I haven't been able to take pics of the (massive) demonstrations taking place in Paris everyday, and particularly today....
And now these demonstrations include demonstrations against the law which usually are in favour of the occupation of the universities AND demonstrations protesting against the occupation of the Universities (in order to have classes again, which are called "counter demonstrations").
;)

"Grèves étudiantes"... A little bit of French politics...

As every friday during this second semester, I was supposed to have two tutorials.
But then, at the end of my first tutorial, the door suddenly opened and a man urged us to get out of the University as they were evacuating the building. Once all out, the big main door was unusually shut behind us.
Out of the building, we only get the information that classes due to take place in the evening are cancelled.
Police cars are heading towards the Sorbonne university.

In France right now there is a political problem between some young people and the Government. The Parliament has enacted a law (Equal opportunities law) which allows companies to employ young people below 26 years old through a work contract (Contrat Première Embauche = CPE = First Employement Contract) which gives them the right for a period of two years to fire those young people without having to justify themselves, and without having to make contributions to social benefits. It is a law which is intented to encourage companies to hire young people.
Some French were opposed to the law because of what it contained. But things got even more out of hands, when the Prime Minister Villepin decided to suppress parliamentary debate by using the article 49-3 of the Constitution, which permits the Government to bypass the National assembly.

Here are a few links I found in English related to the controversial law :
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4689498.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4781880.stm
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2006/feb2006/fran-f10.shtml

A la campagne... living a dangerous life...

Just spent a few days in the French countryside, eating traditional French food and just catching up with family I haven't seen since I left for Liverpool. Fortunately, we haven't been affected by the bird flu, but the authorities have just asked to keep chickens in a closed safe place.
Miam. Would my stomach be considered an official safe place ? ;)

On TV, they keep saying that if you cook the chicken before eating it, then it's safe. But who would eat raw chichen anyway ("chicken tartar")?

Anyway, here is a picture of some of my good friends there...

Sunny morning...

Ce matin, une impression étrange, encore un peu endormie ... de la lumière qui doucement éclaire la chambre à travers les rideaux orangés.
Une petite voix qui murmure, "un matin ensoleillé. J'avais oublié que cela pouvait exister".
S'étirer, lentement, dans le lit. Et pour une fois depuis longtemps, se réveiller doucement, emmitouflée dans les draps, dans le silence du petit matin, protégée du froid hivernal. Emerveillée par cette luminosité qui avait deserté la chambre depuis de nombreux jours.
Instant suspendu, un sourire, le temps qui s'étend.


I'm sorry, but I am so busy with a never ending essay. I am too tired to write in English:)
So here is the translation given by Google... ;)

"This morning, a strange impression, still asleep... The sun which gently lights the room through the orange curtains. A small voice which murmurs, "a sunny morning. I had forgotten that it could exist ". To stretch, slowly, in the bed. And for once for a long time, to awake gently, muffled up underneath the blankets, in the silence of the early morning, protected from the winter cold. Filled with wonder by the luminosity which had deserted the room for many days. Suspended moment, a smile, time which extends."

-picture taken in Liverpool, by Edge Lane, the evening before Chinese New year.

De Liverpool à Lutèce (et des pancakes pour la route)

Sunday February 5, 2006 was the day when I first tasted the pancakes of my housemate Dave a few hours before leaving to Paris (after having spent a semester in Liverpool)... Uhmmm... Which means : I spent a WHOLE semester in Liverpool sharing a house with one of the greatest and funniest couple I've ever met. Being housemates made me quickly realize that the lovely Jean knew how to cook delicious chinese food, but it also seemed to reveal that Dave was as talented as I was in cooking as we both would regularly set the fire alarm off when we would try to cook a simple dish...

But I had to discover a few hours before leaving for Paris that Dave Caveman actually knows how to make GREAT, "bloody" delicious pancakes.

Ggnnn...
Made leaving Liverpool even harder :)

Jean, Dave, Natalia, Adhara, Elena, Nathalie, Nina, Khany, Aline, Liam, Michelle... I hope to see you all very soon, and thank you so much for having been so friendly and nice... Meeting you and getting to spend some time with you made my stay in Liverpool really really nice. I will definitely try my best to come and spend a few days this semester...
I miss you, and
Merci beaucoup :) !