Post by kerouac on May 2, 2011 15:23:37 GMT -5
Just a tiny report about the French May Day tradition, yesterday.
As you know, May 1st is International Workers Day in most of the world, and the fact that it falls on Sunday this year is a real tragedy for countries observing the occidental weekend, since it is a bank holiday that most people will lose this year. (Not me -- I will get an extra comp day anyway.
)
But of great importance in France is that it is the day to offer muguet (lily of the valley) to loved ones, to ensure happiness and good luck for the rest of the year. Unfortunately, this year, the fantastic weather in the second half of April caused the muguet to bloom much too early. Professionals were able to refrigerate a lot of the flowers, but one of the main points of the day is that it is tolerated that absolutely anybody can sell muguet legally on May 1st, no questions asked.
While 80% of the lily of the valley is grown by professionals in Nantes, thousands of families take their battered cars to various forests of northern France to pick the wild flowers to sell. This year, a lot of amateur vendors still had to get their flowers from the professionals, pushing up the prices to record levels.
When I got up this morning, one of the first things I did was to look out of my window to see how many vendors were already in place. At 7:15, I could see the following people.
An hour later, I had hopped on a bike and was walking up rue Montorgueil near the center of Paris. It's one of the main market streets.
Florists do fancier jobs of course.
Frankly, I find it hard to imagine that a lot of these people earn enough money to make it worth their while, not to mention the territorial battles that are engaged all day long. I saw lots of the weaker sellers constantly picking up their bucket or little plastic tub as they were forced by other to move away to a more distant, less desirable place.
As you know, May 1st is International Workers Day in most of the world, and the fact that it falls on Sunday this year is a real tragedy for countries observing the occidental weekend, since it is a bank holiday that most people will lose this year. (Not me -- I will get an extra comp day anyway.
)But of great importance in France is that it is the day to offer muguet (lily of the valley) to loved ones, to ensure happiness and good luck for the rest of the year. Unfortunately, this year, the fantastic weather in the second half of April caused the muguet to bloom much too early. Professionals were able to refrigerate a lot of the flowers, but one of the main points of the day is that it is tolerated that absolutely anybody can sell muguet legally on May 1st, no questions asked.
While 80% of the lily of the valley is grown by professionals in Nantes, thousands of families take their battered cars to various forests of northern France to pick the wild flowers to sell. This year, a lot of amateur vendors still had to get their flowers from the professionals, pushing up the prices to record levels.
When I got up this morning, one of the first things I did was to look out of my window to see how many vendors were already in place. At 7:15, I could see the following people.
in front of the closed news kiosk where my Roma beggar normally positions herself
on the little square under my front windows
zooming in on the vendors in ambush at the metro station
orange vests for the French Red Cross charity sellers
on the little square under my front windows
zooming in on the vendors in ambush at the metro station
orange vests for the French Red Cross charity sellers
An hour later, I had hopped on a bike and was walking up rue Montorgueil near the center of Paris. It's one of the main market streets.
Florists do fancier jobs of course.
But the main legion of vendors consists of poor families, illegal immigrants, gypsies, ragpickers, the homeless, the unemployed.
Frankly, I find it hard to imagine that a lot of these people earn enough money to make it worth their while, not to mention the territorial battles that are engaged all day long. I saw lots of the weaker sellers constantly picking up their bucket or little plastic tub as they were forced by other to move away to a more distant, less desirable place.
Back in my own neighborhood near noon, business was in full swing.
These two vendors for the French Communist Party seemed delighted for me to take their picture.
So much for this year...
These two vendors for the French Communist Party seemed delighted for me to take their picture.
So much for this year...
)
Your patch looks much like my Swedish neighbors...
hahahha