J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by AllyG

Val Thorens

Sorry, I had to go out for a bit and do some work.

Stewart - you mean you really can speak French? I was sure you were using one of those translation sites when you said, in French, that you couldn't see the point, because I don't know what expression they use, but I wouldn't have thought it was the same as the one we use.

It's the ski technical language I'm most stuck on, with French. Like, for example, what is a parallel turn in French?

Edit - I've just found the answer to that one, on the French version of the esf website - it's 'En virages parallèles' (not so hard really!).

Ally

Stewart,
I bet you pinched that off one of those translation websites. Writing French on here is very difficult because you can't do the accents unless you go into Word first and then paste it back in.

You shouldn't be so rude about the French. For one thing, I want to be able to ski in France without everyone being really cross with all the 'English' for being rude about the French. And for another thing, all the French I've met have been perfectly nice, ordinary people.

I am ski-ing with the French in the afternoon because there aren't any lessons in English during the afternoon, and I don't want to ski on my own or with my daughter because she skis too fast for me. We were okay in Tignes because luckily I am just as good on ice as she is, but once we're on a decent bit of piste she disappears at about 100 miles an hour while I'm very carefully ski-ing down and remembering to practise all my new techniques.

And I know perfectly well that I could have googled Gothenburg to see where it was before I answered, but I like it when everyone gets so cross about my lack of geographical knowledge. It makes me laugh. :lol: :lol:

Tony, ski-ing with the French is an excellent way of making me concentrate on the language. I learnt more in a week last time, than in about a year of French lessons at school.

Ally

No Tony,
They were real French people in a french market. We have a farmer's market in our local town every other Friday, and every year just before Christmas, the French come over specially and do a French market.

I bought some French goat's cheese as well as the brioche, and there were loads of other things for sale - like boar's meat and about 20 different sorts of olive dishes.

But I was very disappointed that I couldn't understand what the guy said once he got into a real flow of French. I very carefully said what I wanted, in pretty good French, and I suppose that enouraged him to believe that I really could speak fluent French, and he just let loose.

It is a bit worrying, because I'm practising for my French ski-ing lessons, and at this rate I won't understand a word they say. I can see myself ski-ing off in the wrong direction, or whatever. Oh well, I still have a few months to practise.

Edit - just saw your last Tony - Gothenburg, something to do with Batman?

Ally

Stewart,
I don't drink alcohol, but I do drink a great deal of tea. £4 for a cup of tea is absolutely scandalous! Something must be done about this at once. Where on earth is Gothenburg? If it's in the EU I will write to my Euro MP immediately.

I have a cup of tea at the moment, thank you. I went to our local French market today and practised my French and bought some brioche, so I'm having tea and brioche. I must admit, though, for all my French lessons, I was totally lost when the stallholder rattled off a whole lot of stuff very fast in French.

Ally

Pablo,
I'm sorry, but I really haven't a clue. However, knowing you it would be another Scottish one, if you haven't run out of different Scottish resorts yet.

How much is a cup of tea?

Tony,
I checked these Ryanair prices myself, and they look okay. Out of curiosity, I looked at Stanstead to Salzburg, going out on 2nd Jan, back a week later, total discount price after all extras, only £50 per person. That's about the same as we paid Bristol to Geneva return in October. By comparison, Feb half-term flights (which aren't on special offer) cost about £320 return per person.

Ally