new thread
Hi,
It's me in the Bordeaux fun-fair in France. I'm a fun-fair enthusiast and it's where I spend my holidays, 3 weeks in March and 3 weeks in October riding amusement rides.
My nickname comes from this:
- Jesus for long hair and beard
- Forain. It's a French word that designates people owning and operating amusement rides in fairgrounds. It's the same pronunciation as “foreign” that comes from the french word “forain” and means stranger to something.
I always have my hair tied for safety because it could get caught by ride mechanisms and cause severe injury and if I leat my hair loose it tends to tangle. I had loose hair just for the photo.
Fun fact:
An episode of the TV series Highlander was shot in a hotel, next to this place. I remember that in the episode the characters says “we go to Bordeaux” and we see them at the hotel window with the theater/opera of Bordeaux opposite the the hotel. It's a 90s TV series where the main character, Duncan McLeod have long hair; tied in a ponytail most of the time. I had watched this series when aired on TV and found his style super cool with his ponytail. Sadly in the lasts episodes of the series he went to short hair, we see him cutting his hair in one of the episodes.
I'll try to find this episode.
Hi Jesus,
These are cool photos, thanks for sharing, and thank you for explaining about your nickname. I had assumed that was your real name, but your explanation clears everything up. I naturally thought that “Forain” was a last name, and your explanation is certainly interesting. I need to brush up on my French, lol. I did take French in high school, but that was 55 years ago, lol.
I always enjoyed the series Highlander, but haven’t watched it in ages. I should check to see whether one of the streaming services carries it.
On a side note, and related to our new site, I was happy to note that I was able to change my avatar by myself. Vincent, in his earlier post, mentioned that he had changed his, and I checked things out and realized that I could change mine easily. Good thing, because my old one was some 15 years old.
David
Hi David,
Interesting, you have learnt French. It's not an easy language, I can say that grammar and conjugation were our worst nightmare at school but I'm not so bad at writing.
I always enjoyed the series Highlander, but haven’t watched it in ages. I should check to see whether one of the streaming services carries it.
As a long hair, you can only enjoy it! The series is a mix of several styles: adventure, fantastic and kind of time travel. And because action takes place in present it's more easy to identify to characters.
He also live in a barge, I was a boat enthusiast and had study shipbuilding, I was imagined do the same. These types of boats are common on rivers and canals, initially intended to carry goods before trucks exists, most of them were converted to habitations. But I wouldn’t live in Paris like the series because it's dirty, too much concrete and I'm feeling like if I'm in a foreign country in this city.
Hi Jesus,
Actually, in Canada, French is our second official language, although the majority of French speakers live in Quebec. French is a required subject in both junior and senior high, although we focus on the written language, and less on the spoken. To become truly fluent, University level French is required. We also have French Immersion, including in my city, where children can elect to go to a French speaking school and become fluent that way. I wasn’t too bad at French, but lack of use over so many years has caused me to lose a lot of my former knowledge of the subject.
Sadly, I have never been to Europe, although my Mom was from Scotland, and my Dad met her during the war. I know that I should endeavour to make that trip overseas in my lifetime, but I’m not terribly fond of travel.
I should check out the streaming sites, since I distinctly remember it being available at one time, although I don’t know whether it still is now.
David
I went to Canada, in Quebec, in 1993 when I was little. It was a nice trip but the worst part was the eight hours of plane, just boring and noting to do.
Hi Jesus,
Interesting post, and as like David mentioned, I had no idea the story behind your name but have to admit its cool that it actually has real meaning so thanks for explaining that.
That event your attending sounds like its huge and very popular. I did check out that link you included and saw it was a street view but if you could do a short video just to get a better feel of what its like and the surroundings would be fascinating.There are all sorts of events or festivals like that here during the warmer weather that are quite interesting since they all have a certain theme making each unique.
As for the first week of the new mlhh it appears to be working well and those who have logged in appear to like the new format.In time, of course, it needs to be updated in regards to obsolete information but for now its doing well.Also a new banner for the site would be awesome.Hopefully we can recruit a web designer who can come up with something.Anyway great to see you here posting and sharing your interests as that has always been a great aspect of the people who joined here as not only was it about long hair but our interests too.Cheers.
Mârk aka Hairball
That event your attending sounds like its huge and very popular.
It's a fun-fair with amusement rides and various games, I think you call this a traveling carnival in the USA. This fair exists since 1853. You have many photos here.
I did check out that link you included and saw it was a street view but if you could do a short video just to get a better feel of what its like and the surroundings would be fascinating.
On the provided link, on right you have the theater and on left, the hotel. It's more a palace than a hotel, five stars rated and probably the most expensive hotel in the city.
I rarely go into the Bordeaux midtown because it's complicated, it's always congestionned! By car you are stuck in the traffic and public transportation are overcrowded most of time. I work in Bordeaux but not in the midtown, more on the suburb and I spend two hours in traffic instead of 30 min when it's not congestionned.
I had to find this episode but Wikipedia says that these TV series have 119 episodes, it would takes a very long time to watch all of them! What I an certain is that he had his ponytail so, it eliminates lasts episodes when he had short hair. And I don't think that this episode belongs to the first season.
Another issue was that I had a TV in my bedroom with an indoor antenna and most of time image was in black & white due to poor reception, it was still analog television. I think I've spend most of time trying to find the right orientation of the antenna than watching TV!
I've also always wanted to have his hair tie he used for his ponytail, I find it cool. These movie props were sold by the official shop but I can't find them on Ebay, you can see them on this page.
Hi Jesus, wow watched that video and have to admit some of this rides are nuts! Do you do them all? Have to say you have to put a lot of faith in the equipment and its maintenance to go on some of them. Also went through most of the still photos and the one thing that strikes me is how neat and orderly an event that size is kept.I see very little trash littering the ground.I can see why you like doing these but you have to be really into it to take on some of those rides.Overall looks like a blast as even though I haven't been to one oif these in the US in years I don't remembering them being this large and unique. Thanks for sharing.Cheers!
Mârk aka Hairball
I ride all these rides, I'm not scared at all!
The fairs in Europe aren't the same than in the US. Each ride is owned by a family and they are all independents not like in the US where it's a family or a company which own all of the rides of the fairground. Fairgrounds are generally clean here, I don't know how it is in the US. The main issue of this city square which is called “Place des Quinconces” is dust. It's gravel and when it's dry with lot of people walking, it creates lot of dust that ruins everything. Your hair becomes like sand paper!
Hi Jesus,
I was never a big carnival attendee but looking through your photos and watching the video makes the experience very attractive to me. If I was ever out your way during that time it would be a blast to attend that.Not sure I'd do all those rides but still fun to watch.Cheers.
Mârk aka Hairball
