It takes a Frenchman

I have made no secret of my love for Carbon County in the summe. I really think it is one of the greatest places in the world during this time.

It is also pretty cool when a person from an entirely different culture reinforces your beliefs.

Last week an excellent friend from France came to visit me on his world tour.

Where The Friendship Began

I met Didier several decades ago in Taichung, Taiwan.

He had been in the city (it is the third largest in Taiwan) about a year before I came. When I met him, he was making crepes in one of the few pubs that more or less catered to Westerners. It was actually a tea house that served beer.

The owner of this pub said he made more money off tea than beer or alcohol. I never forgot that tidbit of info and it made sense crepes would compliment tea more than beer.

So that is why my friend was making crepes in a Taiwan pub.

When I arrived in Taichung, the expat community numbered barely a 100. Needless to say, Westerners stuck out in this city of 3 million Taiwanese.

I can’t tell you how often I would be stopped in the street and asked where I came from. When people heard I was from Washington D.C. and Hawaii, I would be offered jobs to teach English, do commercials (all were categorically lame, but I got paid) or come to dinner.

Those early years Didier and I lived in Taiwan, Taichung in particular, were amazing because we were treated almost as celebrities. All because we came from Western countries.

He was in his early 20s and I was starting my 30s and the world really was at our feet in so many ways.

We became fast friends and his infectious positive attitude was always a pleasure to be around.

That hasn’t changed.

The Good Old Days In Taiwan

I remember us being recruited together to do modeling, which was hilarious. We learned to go down a catwalk, but, honestly, I never took it too seriously. Didier actually got some lucrative jobs from our experience.

I will say it again, Taichung really was crazy then for Westerners to live.

I remember being paid to go to a few different bars and drink beer and cocktails just so the owner could say Westerners frequented his place.

That doesn’t happen any more.

I was also one of the first bartenders to hit the town and I found myself in demand at night clubs and small bars.

I even found myself working at the first bar focused on Westerners. That place, Escapade, changed the whole drinking scene in Taichung.

Didier moved from cooking crepes to designing jewelry about a year later. He met a wonderful lady, got married and, about a year later, the two moved to France after their son was born.

His wife’s family were one of the most prominent Catholics in Taiwan. They built a convent next to their house and the father had even met the pope one-on-one. So Didier and his family came back to visit Taiwan often and when he did, we got together.

When I had my restaurant in Taichung (2002-2007), Didier guest bartended every time he came through. It was a blast when he was there.

The World Tour Of Eight Months

I was excited when I learned he was coming to visit on his world tour, although I could not believe he was taking eight months. I told him that was incredible, especially when I heard he was still receiving his monthly salary.

He explained it to me when he arrived.

In France, workers have five week vacations. His company allows him to bank two weeks a year. The other three weeks must be used in the year.

For 10 years he put aside two weeks and then bookended his five weeks from this year and last year. Pretty smart because it gave him eight months total.

He visited Europe, Asia and Australia for the past six months and the last two months were set be enjoyed in the U.S. and Canada. He has already spent three weeks in California and Oregon.

Didier stayed a little over a week with me and, as I had anticipated, was blown away by Carbon County.

Our first day together we went to the Steinley Cup.

Boy did he enjoy tasting all the chili.

He found the setting of Veterans Island charming and enjoyed trying the many local beers. After the beer fest was over, we went to the Wolf Hotel and he enjoyed this historic place immensely. I might add he made a few friends while there.

The second day, we hiked trails around Hanna. I know some secret spots that are spectacular if you like high desert. He loved seeing the herds of pronghorns and was quite surprised their closest animal relative is the giraffe (thank you Chili Rollison for teaching him that).

He thought it was fantastic I had deer coming onto my property to chow down on my gardens. I begrudgingly let a deer chomp on one of my bushes as he took pictures.

The Things You Do For Friends.

We went up the Fossil Museum House north of Medicine Bow where he got to see it up close. Then we went to the Virginian where he told me it was really like being in the Wild West.

Monday I went to work and left him to fend for himself around my house. He surprised me with totally scrubbing down my kitchen. I didn’t realize how badly it needed it until I saw how sparkly my stove and sink were.

When I had to go to work on Tuesday, I dropped him off in Saratoga to check out the town on his own.

He went to Firewater Public House for lunch and told me he had eaten the best fish and chips ever. Given that he had visited Australia and England, it was fairly high praise. My day ended up having me working a bit later than anticipated and he found his way into the Rustic Bar. He told me the people were amazingly friendly and it was the place he wanted to come back to on his last night in Carbon County.

We did.

Before that, we went to the Encampment Museum, hiked places around the Snowy Range and drove down back roads to Miracle Mile up north.

The guy made friends easily and by the time he left Carbon County, Didier had a few commitments of people coming to France to visit him.

I am not surprised in the least.

I enjoyed being tour guide because I knew the beauty of this land and how welcoming the people are that live here.

He told me I was right on both counts.

The Parting Of A Great Friend

Didier could not have come at a better time, not only because mid August is so optimum for weather in Wyoming, but because he helped me deal with the recent loss of a great friend.

I probably kept my sorrow to myself more than I should have, but as Didier and I sat out on my patio each evening, we would talk about everything, which included how life throws curve balls.

Our talks made me reach inside and face much I had been avoiding.

Once he started back up on his tour (next stop is Lincoln, Neb.), I won’t deny my patio has seemed somewhat lonelier.

What I have come to realize, it was not just his words that helped me get past the death of my friend.

As I was showing him the beauty of Carbon County and all its charms, I was also taking it in. It is impossible not to.

The tour I was giving him was actually healing me.

This is a land that can’t be taken for granted as it puts forth splendor. Taking in all the different looks of the Valley and the north gave me perspective on what life offers me day to day.

I guess I had forgotten how therapeutic our area can be.

Didier thanked me profusely, for introducing him to Carbon County and its people as he was leaving.

Truth be told; I have to thank him for having me out and about, allowing Carbon County a chance to gently heal me, when I didn’t realize how broken I was.

No doubt friendship, in Didier’s French words is “tres magnifique” (magnificent).

As is Carbon County.

 

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