They are snail shells I see on my plate, aren’t they? I asked myself the rhetorical question. Very large sea-snail shells with a metal hooky thing next to them. Gulp. We’re having dinner with some of our closest friends in France and this is the entrée. I love trying new food, I really do, but in the same way that mice, cockroaches and other pests do not feature in my culinary proclivities, sea-snails have not exactly been on my bucket list either (except for “get me a bucket!” after eating them). For French people though all snails are a...

  It’s not something you’d see in Australia so I loved the image of the hunky guy holding a lead attached to….a tiny, itty bitty, fluffy cute doggy. It makes perfect sense really, are women more likely to come and pat a pit-bull or a cute pocket-dog? Great way to start up a conversation and hence become  a chick magnet. But tiny dogs were not exclusively seen with young men, they were everywhere: in peoples’ pockets and bags, carried under arms, snuggled between their owners feet on scooters and peeking out of baskets on bicycles. You’d see small dogs on...

  The only odd thing about the Fête des Rois was that my husband had to duck under the dining table! Initially we thought it was a joke, we’d just enjoyed a lovely dinner with friends and when time came to eat dessert, he was duly sent southwards. The Fête des Rois is a religious celebration held in January to commemorate the arrival of the three wise kings to the newborn Jesus. It dates back about 2000 years. French people get together for dinner and have a cake called a galette for dessert. It’s made from layers of puff pastry...

  It may seem like a good idea at the time but it will go horribly wrong. They don’t hug back. Do you know how it feels when you put your arms around someone and they remain stiff as a board? It’s more fun than getting a Brazilian, but not by much. After several months of being back in Australia where hugs are 100% kosher I got used to greeting friends this way. We returned to Paris for a visit and in a moment of exuberance and joy at seeing one of my friends again I hugged her. Twice. She...