May 28th 2010

Ceriale – Camping Baciccia – ACSI2010-1735 - continued

Friday starts overcast but warm, We cycle into Albenga, which is quite a large town. It is an Italian seaside resort, but not a package tour destination.

It has an extensive medieval centre, with numerous piazzas joined together by dozens of very narrow streets and alleys.

After the exploring we retire to a bar for a much needed drink (what a surprise).

We are served with beers which are 7.4% alcohol, quite strong stuff. We are also given salted nuts, olives and crisps as part of the deal. There is much discussion of why it is, that, in the UK, we cannot have 24hours drinking, without the streets being awash with vomit and drunks, but in the rest of Europe, they can drink all day and all night, with never a sight of a drunk.


In the afternoon, we have lunch and relax (quite how it is possible to relax, when doing nothing in the first place, is a good question).


While Bryan practices his Saxaphone, Joan does watercolour painting, and Kathleen does the crossword, I read yesterdays Daily Mail and ponder I gain from these campervan trips to various countries.


One obvious point is the exposure to other languages, and I feel I am beginning to become proficient in a second language. Unfortunately, the second language is not French, Spanish, Italian or German, no it is FemaleSpeak.


I have become fluent in a few phrases (of FemaleSpeak), which I will share with you, and which may be of particular interest to any male readers.


“Do you fancy a cup of tea” – translation – “Would you like to get up from your seat, where you are reading the newspaper, and put the kettle on, because I would like a cup of tea and do not want to interrupt my crossword puzzle”


“Goodness! It is four o’clock already” – translation – “it is time to begin preparing the evening meal, but I am doing my crossword, so would you care to stop whatever you are doing and prepare some vegetables, cut up the meat etc etc”


“I will make a cup of tea” – translation – “I will put the kettle on, then I will play my guitar and forget all about the tea, in the meantime, you can wash the dishes, dry them, put them away, finish making the tea, and bring me a cup”


“I feel thirsty” (usually spoken when lying on sun lounger) – translation – “will you put down your book, at this interesting point in the story, pour me a drink, preferably cool and alcoholic, and put it down in easy reach of my right hand, so that I do not need to move”.

After our evening meal (and putting the kettle on), Kathleen entertains anyone who within earshot.