Viva La France!!!

Well Hello visitors and welcome to our site! I'm Jermaine and today I believe I will be talking about one of the finest and cultured countries in Europe, France. I was fortunate enough to visit this great country roughly two years ago and to be perfectly honest it wasn't what I initially expected. When I first went I had many misconceptions of what the French were like and what the country was like. I had always believed the French were so very different to the culture and society I was accustomed to in the UK however, of course, I was wrong. France is a fair sized country made up of what I would call medium sized towns and a handful of large cities. However, my experience may be some what biased as I visited the rural part of France which was beautiful. I stayed in a town not too far from Paris called Châteauroux which is a fairly modern town that still had a side to it that was more traditional. There was one side of the town which seemed to want to hold onto its history and heritage. On this side the streets were narrow, the paving primitive and some buildings even looked tattered but amidst all of that, surprising it was pleasing to the eyes. It was because these were conditions that you would never see in the UK because although it all looked old, it was very clean and thankfully there was no litter or dog’s mess. It was all very traditional and historical. However the other side of the town was almost like a miniature Oxford Street, it was such a contrast. Now although I could very easy settle into the environment and my surroundings, the French cuisine did take some time getting used to. There were some French delicacies that were not too my liking like frogs legs or escargots (snails) because I would often find my self thinking "I'm eating a Snail" or "I'm actually eating part of a Frog". I do remember quite well when my French family would often make jokes and humour about the lengths I would go to avoid eating it. But after days of protest I gave into their requests, and I did try both dishes. I thought I would never hear myself say this but I would recommend the snails. At first the taste is a little too oily and rich and I actually thought I would have to swallow the whole snail without any sauce or seasoning but thankfully the snails were served with a lovely cheese and herbs sauce. So for any adventurous readers out there, try escargots and I’m sure the taste will surprise you!! The French language was probably one of the hardest things to get used to but then a French person could say the same about the English language. I found it most difficult because the French do talk very quickly, and with such an accent that it was often very hard communicating with them. At the time I could speak fluent French but in Châteauroux, they spoke so quickly that it really put my linguistic skills to the test! What I must say however is that the language can sound like music to the ears if spoken correctly. I have heard it is the language of love but whether that is true remains to be seen. Overall I would have to say that in the week I spent in France, was probably one of the most interesting and diverse experiences I have had in a long time. I was able to meet new people, try new foods and experience a new culture and considering how inexpensive it is to go to France, I would most definitely recommend it to anyone who hasn't been.