Photos et lettres des Philippines, de France et d'ailleurs

This July’s weather will be remembered as one of the worst we have ever experienced in Paris. Yet it was still under the sun on July 3 that we met our Paris friends for a barbecue at home.
Our friendship dates back to 1975-77, when I lived in Paris and was still single. Since we continue to meet regularly always with a great pleasure.

(Our Parisian friends. From left to right, Jean-Philippe, Colette, Henri, Carole, Jacques, Dhana, Françoise1, Françoise2 and Kathy)

On July 16, it was under a cloudy sky that we attended the Elodie and Maximilien‘s wedding ceremony. Elodie is the daughter of neighbors and a childhood friend of our children and especially our daughter Christelle with whom she made part of his schooling. It was a beautiful wedding and the evening rain did not detract from our enjoyment and the happiness of the newlyweds.

(Elodie and Maximilien's wedding. From left to right, Dhana my wife, Alexis our son in law, our daughter Christelle, Elodie the bride, Maximilien the groom, myself and Fabrice our son)

On July 23 it was the turn of our son Fabrice of inviting in our house the entire teamwho participated in the creation of his e-commerce site Mangawear which aims to sell on the Internet a collection of T-shirts and other clothing inspired by Japan and its Mangas cartoons. After some delays, this site should be online very soon and I hope its success will reward two years of hard work.

(The Mangawear team)

(The Mangawear visuals)

http://www.mangawear.com/

At the end of the month our entire family left for four days in Northern Brittany to attend the family reunion of our Breton friends. The family members and guests came from everywhere, France, Philippines, Canada and United States.

(All the family and many friends of Susan and Marissa)

We staid as usual in the little house of the Trémazan shore that Susan and Francis always lend us.

(The Trémazan shore)

On the evening of July 28, we began our feast with Marissa and Jerome in their house in Lampaul-Ploudalmézeau that they have already bought for future retirement.

(The dinner at Jérôme and Marissa's house)

The next day was the D-day with the barbecue of a whole roast sheep at Susan and Francis’ farm. Unfortunately for Francis, an incident occurred when the metal bar on which was skewered the lamb of 38 kilos broke. Fortunately Emile, former chef saved the situation by carving the lamb. The legs and shoulders were cooked in the oven and the rest of the animal on a giant barbecue.

(Emile carving the lamb)

(The giant barbecue)

(A meal washed down with plenty of wine)

(No feast without Karaoke for Filipinas)

The eating, drinking and singing party lasted for twelve hours and when the time came to go to bed, only my daughter Christelle was able to drive the car to take us back to Trémazan.

On Saturday 30, my wife and I went to Saint Pabu for a drink with friends who lived before in our village of Vexin.
In the evening we were invited in Porspoder to a pancakes party initiated by the Susan’s adult students who in addition to force-feed the ducks for foie gras, teaches English to children in elementary schools and adults of retirement age who still want to learn a foreign language for fun and travelling.
The dinner was held in a private campsite and in addition to pancakes; we savored fresh fish and vegetables from the garden.
Finally all the ladies got dressed in traditional costume with bigouden caps and with the men wearing Breton hats they all started dancing a boisterous gavotte (Breton folk dance).

(Bigouden hats and gavotte folk dance)

Sunday, July 31, was the departure date for part of the family. For lunch we finished the left-over food. It was 6 pm when we parted but not without a few tears for the brothers and sisters of Susan, whose last meeting dated back in 2006.
It is early in the morning of August 1^st that we left Trémazan to return to the Paris region. I had regrets not only to leave our friends but also my new two beautiful sweethearts living in the farm of Anselme, Francis'brother.

(My two sweethearts)

Today is August 15 the weather is still unusually sullen though a little better and Wednesday my son Fabrice will leave to Manila then Boracay, the Mecca of the Philippines tourism.
I will follow this coming Saturday and I will wait for him in our Mag-abo house where he has not been for four years.