Sing a Song of Sixpence.

Some years ago Six years after I met Bruno Remy he was standing down from the Arch de Triumph in Paris about to visit a brother south of Paris who had returned from Kinchasa in the Congo he had been working with UNICEF.
Bruno was looking in the Window of an Antique Book Shop at Maps and in the reflection he could see the Arch de Triumph one of the Maps was of Paris as it had been many years ago. He had difficulty placing his old accomodation and the University he had studied in on the Map and it was then he came up with idea of his book ; Le Marais L'histoire de La Ville (a history of Paris up to that point The Middle Ages) now in abridged form as The Kings of the Marias by Bruno Remy.

Many night and years passed and on the way back from work or to the shops at the weekend or just out walking we would greet Bruno and his gardening wife and say "Hi Bruno how's your Book coming along". Like a Mole it was tunnelling beneath Paris following old building placements and relating them to Paris as it is found today.

We had Honeymooned in Paris having Overlanded from Glasgow on July 5th 1974 and stayed at the Hotel D'Angleterre near Pigalle . Our interest in Paris was accentuated when Brian Armstrong my work collegue from Guildford moved to Paris in 1980 he was the only member of the Church of Scotland in Woking where we were living at the time, whom I knew at that time and I relied on him for news of the next Reformation.

Eurostar brought even more interest and the common steady commentaire came from our bridesmaids Sister whio actually lived and worked there so each time she phoned we new things were all right.
Francs at the time were the Currency but Euros were now in Vogue and also the Price of Photo a French Contemporary Photo Magazine I bought sometimes on the way home from the British Museum where I now worked.
"If your ever pasing one of these Antique Bookshops" Bruno said one day to me "Could you buy something relative to France if you can find any bargains" I said I would and bought one day a French language book in 3 Volumes from a Set called  in Fench A Dictionary of Sex? Little did I know of its contents.

He thanked me and laughed and not long later left the Village to go to Mets and then Luxemburge - a most charming and well travelled couple to have as neighbours and friends ; here is their Xmas Message:-

Dear Ian, Long time since we were in contact with each other. How time flies by so fast Trust you are fine. We wish you a joyous Christmas and a very happy and healthy 2013.




We'll be spending Christmas with Ariana, Gregoire and adorable Anouk in Strasbourg. They moved to that beautiful and medieval city early this year. (you probably did visit it with Jackie). They like it there as it is so international. Andrew, Martina and little Milan (almost two years old and very active) will be there coming from Prague. The Remy family reunited at last.



How about you Ian? Will you be spending Christmas in Scotland? Please convey our best wishes to Jean. We'd love to hear from you, Ian. Let's stay in touch. Love from Zaga and Bruno.

Andrew runs Ok Karaoke in Prague and Ariana is owner and Sculptor of an Art Sculpture Gallery in Saltasbourg.(Mostly fine Sandstone Works and Bronze) http://www.ariana-remy.eu/  if you had Sixpence you could Sing in Prague along to Tommy Steele and also buy a small work form the gallery this Xmas.

MERRY XMAS.