La Tour Eiffel

La Tour Eiffel, originally uploaded by lusobrandane.

It's been a while since I last saw Paris. I suppose I will have to go again. Soon. But not before I visit Lisbon, which I must do before the end of January - both to join in the thrill (and I use that word very loosely) of the Portuguese presidential elections, and to host my annual Luso-Scottish Burns' Supper at some, as yet unarranged, Alfacinha location. Yes. The haggis, neeps and tatties will be winging their way over in the company of a fine bottle of 12-year old Macallan (The Malt).

However, I digress. Paris. I really must go back there and get it out of my system for another couple of years. I have spent much of my spare time over the past seven days watching French films - well, four French films, actually. (La Haine, Amelie, Delicatessen and Betty Blue, if you must know.)

I don't know if I have been trying to compensate for some deep felt Francophile need by watching these films, or if watching these films has sparked a desire. Cause or effect? Whatever. Now I feel all French. Just like my great-great grandparents (or should that be great-great-great grandparents?).

And that brings me to a small piece of interesting (yet useless) information that I recently had the luck to come across. It is this. From the middle-ages until 1903, all Scots had automatic dual French citizenship. What happened in 1903 to make our French freres (and soeurs) renounce us is unclear. Perhaps they just gave us up as a cause that was irredeemably lost to the English.

I heard that Keira Knightly has just been named British Personality of the Year. Personally, I think Gee Walker is more deserving. But why deprive a celebrity of their chance to shine.

Listening to:
Bob Marley, Exodus

Reading:
Albert Camus, The Plague