Talkfest

I read an excerpt from a book yesterday which questioned the suggestion made a few years ago that claimed, among other things, that women speak 20,000 words a day, while men utter just 7,000. I had heard this assertion, and had commented in light of my personal observations, particularly noticeable with runners – if two women are running together (particularly if one of them is Marie) you can hear them coming before you see them – if a man and a woman are running together, the woman is usually talking while the man is, well, listening I guess – but often if you see two men running together there is not much said. Which I thought supported the assertion.
But here, the talk tables may be turned. One of the most common sights is a group of retired age men just sitting and talking. Animated. Really discussing things. I’m going to go walking now and see if I can find some to photograph. I’ve spotted a lovely group that sit outside the library cum music school each morning…
Well, the road works outside the library has moved that group on,

but found these two sitting in a park. This evening I have been sitting in a café right at the end of the riva – it’s a working men’s café – full of sailors and fishermen - the whole place was full of tables of men (we were the only two women in the place). They drink coffee or a beer, but don’t stay all night. There is a corner of men playing cards, and there is a petanque thingy, you know what I mean, but the point I am making is that it is men, gathering to talk with each other. The real point I am making is that I don’t see this at home. Some of them have their children with them, usually toddlers – they come in between 6 and 8 in the evening, have a coffee and go again. I see women (the yummy mummies that we have talked about before) in the mornings in the cafes using up their word quota, but this isn’t different from in NZ – and middle aged women meandering along the riva. Correct me if I am wrong, but this (male) phenomenon is non-existent in NZ ¬ unless there is a TV with a game of some sort and a bar to lean on. So, these guys are pushing the boundaries on the 7,000 words each day…. (I wanted to take a photo but thought that my friend Lara may be mortified, so you have to picture all of these rustic fisher type men chatting away..)

Oh, and while I was wandering this morning, I thought that it was time to visit the Franciscan Monastery because, well because it is there, and though I’m not a religious person, I love the quietness of these old churches.

This one was built in 1400 and restored in 1614. There is a shell collection in the cloister which is apparently worth visiting – and I say apparently because even though I plaintively poked my nose through the gates, the nun who was sweeping the paths ignored me completely. The shell museum is open between 11 and 12 only – and it was about 1 ½ minutes after 12. These guys seem laid back on the surface, but if it closes at 12, it closes. Jasno.