Well, today was another first. My first Aquagym session at the swimming pool up the road. I turned up as advised 15 minutes before the lesson and found a long queue waiting to pay and go in. The numbers for Aquagym are apparently limited, but not limited enough! More later. Anyway I paid my 9 euros - 6 for the lesson and 3 to get into the pool. Rather expensive I thought but I shall go at a quieter time and work out the tariffs and take my passport to prove I am a personne agé and qualify for a reduction.
First of all there is a place for taking off shoes. I noticed that many people had flip flops with them and I shall take mine tomorrow. Then into the changing area with cubicles and lockers. Into my costume and under the shower and then through the footbath and into my horrible rubber hat (absolutely obligatory) and then into the pool. A third of the length of the pool is roped off for Aquagym and half of that section is too deep to stand in so over 30 people (all women) for crammed into an area that is barely large enough for us all to move about. I got in at the shallow end and didn't fancy doing the session barely covered by the water, so I squeezed my way through the crowd and then realised I was in too deep so had to wriggle back again. It was like doing exercises in a crowded train! A man stood at the front and mimed the exercises, occasionally shouting above the music. There was a lot of bumping into people, and sometimes kicking! However, it was a solid 45 minutes of movement, so I'm sure it did me some good. It was also amusing to see more than one older gentleman, in close fitting, skimpy trunks, take their time as they stood at the side of the pool in front of the class gently towelling themselves, first facing us and then in profile. Doing us a favour I suppose!
Then home for a bite of lunch and off to my second French class. Bradley is still silent, the American, Jeremy, is still shy, the Spanish hairdresser is tongue tied and the two young women are smiley and getting friendly. Bradly and Jeremy leave without even saying goodbye. Perhaps they are depressed. I learnt something important today. I was taught that baiser means to kiss (and Peter confirmed his from his schoolboy French. Jean fell about and told me that it means to f**k. Oh well. I must have had some interesting conversations over the years.
It turns out that Lorena, the Spanish girl, has a friend working in Norwich as an au pair. She was very excited at the coincidence. The friend is coming to visit her soon. That's two people with a connection to Norwich, a Vietnamese and a Spaniard. Que le monde est petit!
After the class I went to the butcher's for something for supper and the baker's for a baguette, and the grocers for some fruit and the wine shop for....well, guess! And all a few hundred yards away.
No comments:
Post a Comment