Scandinavia

After a week back home with the kidz Mondo is back on the road again and travelling further north into the heart of Denmark. Early coaches and flights together with a 130 km drive have brought me to the old quiet University town of Odense on the island of Funen. Being clean and well maintained it feels stereotypically northern European to me and the tan veneered room in a modern clean and ubiquitous hotel means that whilst I am sure there is character to the place and its inhabitants, it is presently keeping itself charmingly and discretely hidden. I shall endevour to find it. However working long hours may mean that this quest takes a little time.

Strolling into work

Well it has been a long day and Mondo is a bit bushed. The start this morning was a little later than will be the norm and coincided with the school run. Unlike dear old blighty though there appears to be a little more traditional approach to the whole affair with parents walking les enfant to school; or in the case of one little girl, carried by her suit wearing father while she dozed gently resting her head on his shoulder. Other walked leisurely while conversing with their little mites. This should be compared to the average school in England where the surrounding 300 yards is jammed solid by motor cars driven by indolent mums and dads ferrying their rotund gameboy engrossed cherubs, dreaming of that magical parking space next to the gates that may save them the nightmarish task of walking more than dozen strides to and from their vehicle and no doubt looking forward to their morning break when they’ll consume a Special K snack bar while wonder how they’ve put on yet another 4 pounds.

Other commuters and sometime pavement users included those leisurely cycling into work, adopting a freestyle approach by using both road and path to make the most of crossing lights and minimise both journey time and the risk of contact with motorcars. For whilst it is accepted by drivers that pedestrians and cyclists will sometimes need to traverse traffic, it is also assumed that you know the rules and that any collision will not be personal and would be entirely your fault. Hence you share your path with statuesque girls drifting past on their cycles or may have to stand aside as a gendarme peddles towards you across the narrow footway on a bridge over the Seine. I have yet to see the narcissistic lycra clad peddlers or those fans of folding bikes who represent what is left of Britain’s utilitarian cyclists.

It should also be accepted that once in the office the working day should not be rushed. You may start your presentation at nine to assembled Germans, Brits and Antipodeans but you should not take it personally that your French colleagues may choose to join you over the next 20 minutes or so. It is simply a matter a cultural norms and why should these be changed for you?

Monseur Mondo disembarques

This week Mondo is mostly spending time with the Parisians and contrary to popular fables they are neither rude nor obnoxious (in complete contrast to a rather unpleasant gentleman I had the misfortune to be behind passing through security on the way here - more of him some other time). This may be in part due to the weather that has bathed the city in unseasonally pleasant sunshine and warmth or it may be down to the fact that outside of the office I have attempted albeit very poorly to practice my rather poor française on their cultured lug holes and not resorted to assuming they’ll automatically jump at the joy of being conversed with in English.

After a somewhat long day of commuting and working, the stroll across the Seine to the apartment was refreshing and everything that you want Paris to be. Pavement cafés with beer and coffee being leisurely supped. Canopied tabacs selling stacks of Gaullois and Gittannes. Cars moving in a slow procession down narrow streets lined on both sides by small Renaults and Peugeots while scooters and motorbikes weave their way effortlessly through a seemingly impenetrable interlocking mass of vehicles.

The apartment is small but functional and on the premier etages of a block of flats set back from the road by some small shrubs from the narrow pavement. A single bed, whicker chair, small desk and chest of drawers make up the high ceilinged living room that doubles as a bedroom. This is reached through the hallway that also doubles as a galley style kitchen. Off the bedroom is the bathroom.

The heating had been on all day but coolness was introduced very pleasantly by opening the tall apartment windows that overlook the internal courtyard, complete with 1 foot high cast iron ballustrade and a windowsill you can perch on and read a book if the mood take you. All in all a very pleasant retreat to come back to.

This evening’s meal was a simple baguette, butter and cheese affair with a glass of wine – after having observed so many clichés but one it would have been a shame to spoil it all by not indulging in a couple myself.

Back on the road and heading in a different direction

Hi y'all

Well Mondo and C44U are back and this time we're keeping it real. Mostly.

After a rather tempestuous time in ol' Mondo's life it time to straighten things out and get back to basics. So it's back on the road and time to travel off around Europe in search of sponds and things. One of the many, many critisms levelled has been a somewhat lakadasical approach to staying in touch with nearest and dearest. So this may suffice in some way for you those who are interested to keep abreast of my thoughts and deeds.

Cheers to all and remind me if I owe you a pint or something more.