“The local advertising industry was in bloom.” As another summer season began the pace of live in Provence accelerated a bit. Adverts filled the windscreens of cars, amongst which was one inviting to donate blood. Peter and his wife took the plunge. At the time they got to the village hall in Gordes, the rooms were already crowded with as well sober volunteers as with some men in inebriated condition. What amazed them was that contrary to England where you usually get a cup of tea and cookies, the food and drinks were in surfeit, prepared to wine and dine those who suffered the depredation of an injection. “Hundreds of liters had been collected that morning in Gordes, but the other statistic that interested me- the number of liters that had been drunk- was nowhere to be found, a tribute to medical discretion.” Another interesting thing we find out in this chapter is the ingrained social 
behavior of the Provencal people. You have to go to great lengths to get used to the quaint daily rituals and become one of THEM (the Provencal people). Why go to great lengths? The rules for social behavior are deeply enshrined in the heads or Provencal men and women. Shaking hands is not just a simple handshake. While men are known to be “prone” to a whole palette of handshakes and are at the risk to suffer bodily damage, women have to be good in maths. Kiss once, twice or three times – who knows? Mayle says: “It is hardly surprising that aerobics never became popular in Provance.” A trip to Aix, a university town, reveals another set of rules one should apply to while going to a café.
behavior of the Provencal people. You have to go to great lengths to get used to the quaint daily rituals and become one of THEM (the Provencal people). Why go to great lengths? The rules for social behavior are deeply enshrined in the heads or Provencal men and women. Shaking hands is not just a simple handshake. While men are known to be “prone” to a whole palette of handshakes and are at the risk to suffer bodily damage, women have to be good in maths. Kiss once, twice or three times – who knows? Mayle says: “It is hardly surprising that aerobics never became popular in Provance.” A trip to Aix, a university town, reveals another set of rules one should apply to while going to a café.One topic is covered through the whole book, namely the renovation of their 200-year-old farmhouse. This made me think about their financial situation. They must be filthy rich, or am I mistaken? I mean, not only did they move to France and bought a house (I suppose it wasn’t that cheap) but also were embellishing it to perfection. Besides, trips to the neighboring villages and diners in unique and venerable restaurants couldn’t be that inexpensive either.
VOCAB
§ excitable - a class of excitable ten-year-olds
§ perilous - a perilous adventure / journey
§ perfunctory - They only made a perfunctory effort.
§ furtive - She cast a furtive glance over her shoulder.
§ Convalesce - She is convalescing at home after her operation.
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