WHAT? Alcohol on Good Friday

Today was rather "ordainary", I was on a half day, so woke up around ten, pottered about the house till 11:30 when i had lunch, chicken tandoori, and a glass of red wine.... went to the post office, did a bit of browsing in the shops in the village, bumped into a friend, went for a beer on one of the few bars with a terrace, came home, prepared my clothes for work, took out the bins,and recycling, and headed off to work.


Dinner service went swimmingly, and we all decided among the staff that we would probably finish early, and head out for a jar or two after work.


I got a phone call, from that ould rock I referred to as home, and the voice said "what you up to".."yeah, just heading out for a few drinks with the lads", came my reply.


"WHAT!!! Alcohol on Good Friday?? That's not even possible, the pubs are closed". I had to reassure my friend that the pubs were very much open, as I'd already been in one today for a beer.



I find it refreshing to live in a country where you don't have to comply with the religious muck of others, and can live your life. After all, it is up to US to decide if we would like to have a glass of wine with lunch.


Ok, France is not a democracy, as much as the next country with a president, or "elected" government, but, hey, at least non hardline-catholics can have their red meat and cognac after dinner.

the beauty of a secular state. OH and I worked all day and kids were at school. In fact we hadn't even twigged that Easter was this weekend, I had it in my head that it was next weekend! Anyway kids did the usual easter egg hunt this morning and off to the seaside tomorrow and out on the boat. Joyeuses Pâques quand même ! ;-)

I loved that about Belgium, there was always something to eat, somewhere to drink, and either a shop, or a nightshop open at any time of day or night. Most countries are finding it hard to come to terms with the fact that not everyone workd 9-5, and not everyone has their "weekend" on saturday, and sunday.

That KILLED me, here first, the having to eat before 2:3à, or else go hungry, but now I take it in my stride, until my mother comes to visit, and hse can't figure out why I get so crazy if we go sightseeing at about 1PM, because I know she'll not be hungry till 3, and then she'll have nothing to eat, get cranky with me, I'll get cross with her, and there'll be a disaster.

i thought it was only up in the ski villages the pubs would be open, but, down in Thones too they were. I'd even forgotten it was easter week, apart from a work related question, as to why there were so many families in the hotel this week as opposed to couples, or businesspeople.

The holiday thing really bothers me, not everyone can know, and not everyone is prepared. In Australia every year, on the "Queen's Birthday", EVERYTHING is closed.no shops, restos.. so, as backpackers at the time, we went hungry, and went to work again the following day with no lunches. Pretty shitty considering that it was not, in fact, her brithday. They celebrate it twice, once on a fixed day, and another on the birthday of the actual reigning queen of the time.

Nordic countries love their beer,yes.

We don't need holidays to have everything closed here, There is nothing on sundays or mondays round here, and saturday morning, if you've not been to carrefour before 12, you can forget the last minute bits and bobs.