Thursday, December 21, 2017

They went that-a-way

These directional signs are ubiquitous in France. They point the way to destinations all over the nation, both in cities and out in the countryside. You won't find many roadside directional signs with street names or route numbers on them. The way to navigate is to look for your destination, or a destination that's on the way to where you're going, and follow the arrows that point the way.

Directional signs in Paris.

For us Americans, who are used to following route numbers and the compass directions (our signs will typically say something like "US 101 North" or "I-90 East"), getting used to the destination system can take a little time. But once you've got it, it's pretty easy. Especially now that so many intersections have been turned into traffic circles. If you miss your turn, you just go around the circle again; no having to find a place to turn around farther down the road. Of course, it's still possible to get lost or to take a wrong turn. I've done it many times. But when that happens, you just drive until you find more signs. There's always one that points you in the right direction!

8 comments:

  1. Happy birthday, Walt, and many happy returns of the day!

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  2. Birthday? Are you another year older today?!? Happy Day!

    When we moved to LA in '82, many of the freeway signs didn't say N, S, E, or W; they simply had the freeway number and a city name in that direction. We got lost a lot. You had to know where you were going to get where you were going. And we did not.

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  3. Happy birthday, Walt. Jane Fonda is 80 today.

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  4. Happy Birthday, Walt! Enjoy your steak au poivre.

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  5. I love the basic simplicity of it quite frankly. Always reminds me of the scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz.

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  6. Yes, many happy returns for today, Walt. You weren't on my 'list' but you are now. Have a lovely day - please!

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  7. Happy birthday Walt, I hope you're having a good one.

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  8. elgee, thanks!

    mitch, thank you! If you don't know where you're going, how do you know you want to go there?

    sheila, I also share a birthday with Président Macron. He turned 40. I'm somewhere in between. ;)

    evelyn, thanks! We did! It was delicious!

    angiemanzi, hahaha!

    raybeard, thank you!

    jean, thanks! And yes, it was a good day!

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