May 27th
We are sitting in our reserved seats on the ship, en route to Britain. We are transitioning from the EU to a kingdom that decided to leave the European Union. I did not vote for Finland’s accession to the union. However, I would not advocate for leaving it either, at least not with the current information. If the union were to be dismantled, some unifying factors should replace the current divisiveness. I was among those who supported Nordic cooperation – even though Norway was already a NATO country back then. I valued Finland’s independent decision-making in relation to our neighboring countries, including Russia.
In my lifetime, I’ve learned that I can be right about myself – though I have often been wrong in that regard too. It is difficult and generally unnecessary to be right about others. Not even regarding one’s own child should one try to always be right – no matter how right I might be. Of course, when the child was growing and building her life, I, as an adult, might have been right based on my experience. But very often, I did not have to be the one who was right. Certainly, as a special education teacher, I often had to be right due to my position, but that is an entirely different matter!
I have no opinion on Britain’s choice. They have made their decision. The people have spoken – and that’s the end of it! Based on current information, there might be movements in Britain advocating for rejoining the EU. Somehow, it feels that the monarchy would collapse before the British start reversing their decision. And the monarchy likely won’t fall unless the royal family runs out of suitable heirs. No educational requirements seem to be necessary for that role! And there appears to be another generation of rulers growing up already. I have often pondered the need for monarchies! Why on earth do nations need their royals? Perhaps I might get some answers to this question on this trip.
Returning to France, I tried looking at maps and road signs for names I could connect to the times of the Roman Empire and Caesar. Where were those Gallic villages that resisted Roman rule, and where were wild boars roasted at village festivals with the bard tied to a tree?
We found castles on mountains flanking the valleys. Numerous ones were built, all on some rocky hilltop. After some contemplation, I got some explanation. Especially in the Alps and other mountainous regions, merchants on trading journeys had to pay transit tolls to the nobles living in the castles. Attacking those castles, perched on high cliffs, was nearly an impossible task. Thus, they could peacefully tax merchants and other travelers who had no other option but to travel through the valleys. Some of these castles have belonged to the same family for centuries – if not millennia. One can safely assume that such families often have above-average wealth. History shapes our present.
If I belonged to a wealthier class, I might have dined at high-end French restaurants more often. We indulged only once. But it was worth it. The food was good, and the wine excellent. The French know how to cook, of course, but I don’t find it so significant an experience that I would rave about it. On my list, warm smoked flounder, fresh gravlax, flame-grilled brook trout, grilled venison/roe deer fillet, and fingerling potatoes surpass the fare I enjoyed here. And nowhere in the world are berries comparable to those in Finland. This is true – I know it, and on this matter, I am right!
Portsmouth awaits the newcomers. There, we will probably have our passports checked, and we will immediately head to the local repair shop for Tellu. We keep our fingers, toes, hands, and feet crossed, hoping for efficient and speedy service from the mechanics so we can continue our trip. It would be nice to complete the final leg without unnecessary delays and additional costs.
We disembarked in good order with the others. Transitioning to left-hand traffic didn’t require any special maneuvers. We just had to start watching the other side mirror and remember to check for traffic coming from the right in roundabouts. Navigation is going brilliantly as usual. Eva is great at it. I try to drive according to her instructions.
We arrived at the Ford service center on time… only to find out that today is a holiday, and there was not a single worker present in the repair section. We’ll try again in the morning.
Next on the agenda was finding a place to stay overnight. Near Southampton, we found a decent spot, though the price was unexpectedly higher than the website indicated. The reason: it’s the weekend (Bank Holiday), when prices are higher than on weekdays. Market forces prevail in this reality too.
After securing a place for both the car and ourselves, we began searching for food. We spotted an Indian takeaway, Netley Tandoori, a few kilometers away. We drove there immediately, ordered our food, and chatted with the friendly proprietor. We promised to mention him and his establishment in our blog if the food was good. While waiting for the food, we walked around the block and found an open co-op store. We’re co-op people, so we went in to buy bread, a couple of cold colas, cotton swabs, and toothpaste (Eva wonders why I’m writing our shopping list here… Well, because some readers might be interested in that too!!!).
We picked up our food and headed back to the campsite. Two portions on the manufacturer’s scale equate to four portions for us! Well-prepared, suitably spiced tandoori king prawns with rice, sauce, and salad tasted great to us. We can confidently recommend ordering food from there for those passing through. Excellent food and very friendly service! The place’s contact information can be found via the link.
It’s nice to go to sleep feeling full. So, goodnight everyone!