Life in France

I just came back from my weekly language exchange with my friend Caner, during which we wander around Strasbourg and repeat ourselves for an hour or so.

Today we ended up around Place Broglie, where the old city hall is. As we talked, we became aware of a manifestation making its way towards us. Curious, we intercepted it.

And lo, I witnessed my first post-modern political protest, a genre that had to have been invented by the French. For the small group was dressed in their Sunday finest, hats and all, chanting “Sarkozy, we love you” and bearing signs reading “No taxes for the rich!” and “Culture is a waste of time!”

Amynah tells me that the nattily attired group made it down to View of the Marching Fishes Street, by which time they had changed their chant to an expression of affection for the police. This was probably much appreciated by the many bemused flics keeping an eye on the proceedings.

Caner and I were suitably bewildered. Were they remarkably honest Sarkozy supporters? A leftist parody of Sarkozy’s voters? A rightist satire of leftist views? Caner asked me what it could be about, my answer to which led to me embarking on a five minute explanation of what “too clever for their own good” means. I concluded with what I hope was a decent approximation of a Gallic shrug and “I don’t know guy, it’s your country.”