Mid-week update

I thought I'd give a little mid-week update to you all rather than writing a bloody novel late on Sunday night (to avoid the sensation of last-minute uni essay job) containing a bit more about my day-to-day experiences  of this amazing place and my thoughts on the various branches of French culture compared to ours and others as well as talking about cycling and sport in general.

I know I'm a bit late for mentioning this, but better late than never, the Australian doping scandal really did shock me and is damning indictement of where sport really is at across everywhere as well as the revelations coming out from the Operation Puerto trial and the match-fixing stories that concern even games in Western Europe, cycling has shown that it is merely the tip of the iceberg. At least this sport is going a hell of a long way to combating the issues afflicting it, or should that be 'have previously afflicted it' with over 30% of all drug tests being blood ones, by the far the most effective test and where the likes of Mark Cavendish will, during a year, get tested into triple figures. Compare this to Novak Djokovic, who, at the time of speaking, had not been tested at all for the past 6-7 months. An absolutely huge and disgraceful disparity!

Here's all the links to the relevant articles:

• http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/21415819 Australian doping
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/tennis/21330805 Andy Murray's view on doping within sport
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/tennis/21139622 Novak Djokoivc's stance too
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-21227052 Operation Puerto trial

Australian sport has been further hit by the report into their dismal performance in swimming at London 2012 that was published today whereby the whole squad was described as toxic, here's the link to the article; http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21501881

Having said all this we have seen some great cycling so far this year and hoepfully there will be much more to come. Likewise I'm pretty chuffed that I've got into Le Route Bretonne this Sunday, a big French Elite totalling 110miles, where those that do well often turn professional by the end of the year, as well as racing a good, hard local race, Le Melrandaisse, the day before. Can not wait for these races!!

Also I would like to further comment on France; their garlic is amazing and cheap as to be expected, with even the worst stuff costing half price, but having as much flavour as the organic garlic over in Britain. The same goes for the olive oil too. Their honey and jam is quite expensive though, if you buy French, but then again it's organic and the flavours are gorgeous. Interestingly the cheaper honey is exported all the way from Romania of all places, but I bought honey from the Champagne region, unfortunately or fortunately it didn't taste like champagne, however it is the loveliest honey I have ever had the pleasure to try.

Furthermore what's great about Brittany is that it is still a massive agarian area with a similar climate to Britain, but just not as harsh in the Winter, this means all the root vegetables, apples etc... we grow, they also grow too, but as I live right next to the fields that supply the supermarkets around here as well as what is sold at the market, I know where it's come from with the benefit of them also not having any or as many chemicals put on them to help survive the Winter.

Thanks to Hamish Graham I can now watch some British T.V. via the website filmon.com, which is brilliant because it also includes a channel called FilmOn Football, basically shows all the best and worst stuff from the first 10 years of the Premiership, probably the best 10 years of football ever. I have since become addicted to this channel and I can't help, but wish the football today was more like that, I now feel very old for saying that.

Another one of my friends, Graham Howell has also set-up his blog and basically what I did during 2012 and what that has led me to do in 2013 he also wishes the same, it's a great blog check it out here at http://grimcycling.blogspot.fr/

Finally I would just like to say how humbled I was reading this article, have a look; http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-21499068