I'm John Batchel. I welcome my good colleague of many years.

Simon Constable, writing

for the Wall Street Journal and Barons and other distinguished publications, and also an Englishman

in the south of France. So Simon is my eyes on paradise and also is capable of helping me

understand the various football clubs and their attached cities back in England and how that is often

contributing to the politics of the moment. We address, however, first the paradise part of

Simon's assignment. Simon, last we talked, you were in the foothills of the Pyrenees after a

vigorous climb to 2,700 meters, something high,

and you were looking above the clouds. You're now returned to Albi. How is your weather in

paradise? Good day, too, Simon. Good day to you, John. Yesterday, it was a downpour,

and thank goodness that has stopped today it's just cloudy started the

day at 36 Fahrenheit ended the day at the high of 46 Fahrenheit with clouds all day so not terrible

not wonderful but I'll take it And the weather prospect here is wintertime.

This is your winter. We're under a foot of snow with flakes every night. And it can be minus three in

the morning for me and the Spaniels. Minus three Fahrenheit, Simon.

I don't ask you to translate.

It's cold here, but it's New England.

This is a typical south of France winter.

Have you heard the farmers tell you that?

Yes, this is typical.

It's very similar to how it was last year and the year before.

The only difference was when we had negative Celsius days, which was kind of a shock to us.

...