Rememberance

It's a good idea to have a holiday to remember the dead, although I'm a little surprised that the French don't have a special cake or pastry to celebrate the day.

The Montparnasse cemetery is a awash in chrysanthemums and heather the two preferred floral choices as they are hardy plants and potted giving them a longer life than cut flowers. Their autumnal colours reflect those of the remaining golden green leaves on the trees and contrast with the headstones and tombs.

My French friends were surprised that there was no equivalent holiday on the Anglo-Saxon calendar. "What so you do to remember dead relatives?" "You go to the cemetery on the anniversary of their death." That's a lot of visits to the cemetery, having one day is simpler. Ahh... the French can be so practical.