Some American visitors to my house in France have been impressed by a market in a small and beautiful town nearby: the quality of the local produce, the good humor and atmosphere of conviviality, in short, the savoir-vivre of which the market seemed to be so fine an example.

The night before, in the nearest town of any size or importance, rioters had injured three policemen, and another policeman was saved from murder only by his bulletproof vest.

It is as if France were not only two countries, but two continents, the one of beauty, prosperity, and contentment, the other of ugliness, poverty, and seething hatred. This is an oversimplification, of course, for intermediate layers exist between the two extremes; nevertheless, it is the contrast between them that is so startling.

[I knew there had to be a backstory that we weren’t hearing, but oh, my goodness. ~ Beege]