It seems contradictory.
I don't understand how people can claim to love the Tour de France but hate the country of France. It seems contradictory.
I joined a group on Facebook called "The Tour de France dominates my month of the July," and I think that I am its most literal member. The most recent conversation in that group has to do with Jan Ullrich's retirement from cycling, which was big enough news that even my non-cycling fan friends heard about it from someone other than me. The dialogue was mostly a sort of tribute to him, with people posting that they were sad to see him go, that they wished things had turned out differently for him, and that things seemed unfair. I never read followed his career closely enough to form a strong opinion about whether or not I think he doped, but I did post that I would miss his ferocious racing face.
Then someone posted something that didn't make sense. "The French ruin everything!" they accused. I tried to think of a response, but none seemed appropriate. How could I question his comments without looking like I was just causing trouble? And how could I do it within the Facebook-imposed character limit?
I guess I just liked my time in France. I didn't meet any rude people (no rude French people, anyway), and everyone I met was incredibly helpful and kind. We had a wonderful time.
What I really don't understand is how people who claim to love a bike race that celebrates an entire country by embracing it. Every day, the Tour de France goes through little town after little town. The people there aren't out to ruin cycling or Floyd Landis or Lance Armstrong -- they're there to watch the spectacle. What's damaging in that?
The Tour de France, with all of its corporate sponsors, is also a crash course in the French economy and commercial world. It's fascinating.
I also know that I'm terribly jealous of the friends of mine who have told me in the past twenty-four hours that they will be spending the summer in France. Nate, Erica, and Cat, I am terribly jealous. I'm especially jealous of the fact that you're going to be close enough to the Tour to go see it, even if you choose not to.
(Oh, but if you choose to, I will give you the inside scoop on the best way to do it.)
I joined a group on Facebook called "The Tour de France dominates my month of the July," and I think that I am its most literal member. The most recent conversation in that group has to do with Jan Ullrich's retirement from cycling, which was big enough news that even my non-cycling fan friends heard about it from someone other than me. The dialogue was mostly a sort of tribute to him, with people posting that they were sad to see him go, that they wished things had turned out differently for him, and that things seemed unfair. I never read followed his career closely enough to form a strong opinion about whether or not I think he doped, but I did post that I would miss his ferocious racing face.
Then someone posted something that didn't make sense. "The French ruin everything!" they accused. I tried to think of a response, but none seemed appropriate. How could I question his comments without looking like I was just causing trouble? And how could I do it within the Facebook-imposed character limit?
I guess I just liked my time in France. I didn't meet any rude people (no rude French people, anyway), and everyone I met was incredibly helpful and kind. We had a wonderful time.
What I really don't understand is how people who claim to love a bike race that celebrates an entire country by embracing it. Every day, the Tour de France goes through little town after little town. The people there aren't out to ruin cycling or Floyd Landis or Lance Armstrong -- they're there to watch the spectacle. What's damaging in that?
The Tour de France, with all of its corporate sponsors, is also a crash course in the French economy and commercial world. It's fascinating.
I also know that I'm terribly jealous of the friends of mine who have told me in the past twenty-four hours that they will be spending the summer in France. Nate, Erica, and Cat, I am terribly jealous. I'm especially jealous of the fact that you're going to be close enough to the Tour to go see it, even if you choose not to.
(Oh, but if you choose to, I will give you the inside scoop on the best way to do it.)
posted by Lij | 8:54 AM
2 Comments:
Amen, sister. Preach it! (in other words, I agree with you)
France is full of a bunch of snobs. They hate Americans for no apparent reasons, and thus, we are forced to rename our favorite foods they've given us, like Freedom Fries and Freedom Toast and Freedom Vanilla Ice Cream. They are lazy people and they smell bad. Who want to have a bike race THERE, anyway?
That was all sarcasm, obviously, and I am disappointed that the one summer we're going to France is the one summer you're not. We'll be sure to take you up on some of your tips.
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