PARIS H3 "AWAY WEEKEND" AT ETRETAT "Je hashe donc je suis"

Hash Trash 650 & 651 Date: Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 June 2006
Hares: Slack Mac, Aqua Sex & Cum Again
Where: Etretat
PARIS H3 "AWAY WEEKEND" AT ETRETAT "Je hashe donc je suis" Where else, but in France, would you find a menu of a five-course dinner included in the registration form of a hash event? The event was Paris Hash House Harriers' "Away Weekend" on 10 - 11 June 2006 at Etretat, a fashionable seaside resort in Normandy, three hours drive from Paris. There were several choices given for the main courses. I ticked 'roast beef'. But later, chatting with Christine from Versailles at a Dhaka run, I e-mailed the Hash Cash, Isabelle "Sharp Shooter" Merle, to change my choice to 'fish fillet in cider' and 'tarte tatin crème fraiche' for dessert, these being specialties of the region. She made the change and registered me, and also arranged a lift for me from a posh western suburb of Paris. She did an excellent job in making the logistic arrangements, accommodation for the 30 participants at the Hotel d'Angleterre in the heart of the little town, and the dinner.
WAR AND PEACE Etretat's claim to fame is for its white, luminous, Dover-like cliffs; beautiful pebbled beaches; cattle farms and forests, ideal for hiking and cycling; cider, seafood and goat cheese (the cheese factory in the nearby village of Camembert has existed since 1791). It is located near the port of Le Havre, where the river Seine meets the English Channel, after passing two very long, modern bridges. It is also not far from the Normandy Landing Beaches of D-Day, 6 June 1944, the War Cemetery with 9,387 graves, and the Memorial and Museum at Caen. Millions visit, to pay homage and hope and pray for peace, which still eludes the human kind.
Pascal, who drove me to and from Etretat, is not a hasher. He is the friend of Marianne "Blond Ass" Toth, who along with Rachel "Blair Witch" Johnson (a young British lawyer) were the two other passengers. Pascal does not run or drink; but is the proud owner of a Volvo car, drives well, and is an amateur movie cameraman. He went round the trails on both the days, forced to run, with his heavy instrument protruding in front of him. His naming as "Apparatus Giganticus" at the Sunday circle could not have been more appropriate.
SATURDAY RUN # 650 The Saturday run was to start at 2 PM from the front of the Casino on the beach, but started at 2:30 from the Hotel itself, due to a last minute decision of Mismanagement - leaving the hares in the dark, and three Hungarians stranded at the Casino! The RA of Sans Clue H3, Mike "Green Pussy" Hall also did not run, claiming to have hurt his leg. He was duly dealt with at the circle for the 'lame' excuse. Incidentally, the previous RA, Frank "Gorf" Weyn, is now a FRB with us in the Dhaka hash.
The hare was ex-GM Malcolm "Slack Mac" Mc Donald (his 40th trail set for PH3) and co-hare Chris "Aquasex" Nicol. There was a Long and a Medium trail. Both started in the opposite direction of the beach, going uphill and through forest, farmland and forest again, to a 'Beer and Chocolate Stop' in an opening where both the trails met. Someone did a nationality count - seven French, seven Brits, and an assortment of Germans, Americans and Australians and one Bangladeshi. There was also Mahesh "Arrogant B*tard" Chougula from India. Young Mahesh smokes, drinks, jokes, and works hard electronically to keep the European skies accident-free. A FRB, Carl "Cupid Stunt" Ganase, of neutral Caribbean origin made a sombre statement. "Sixty-two years ago", he said, "there were more Germans than British at this spot." A moment of contemplative silence followed.
The trail picked up again, through the forest, out in the open, towards the beach. We went along the top of the cliffs with a panoramic view of the beach and the sea, the English Channel to be precise - the French call it La Manche. We went down to the pebbled beach. Some took a dip in the cold water, some waded, and others waited. Then it was long uphill again, to the top of the cliffs, passing along a golf course with the same panoramic view; down, up and down again, back to the town. It was nearly 6 PM, but the Northern sun was still hot and high up in the horizon. The circle took place right on the esplanade by the beach, in full view of the curious tourists passing by or sitting in the café terraces. It was conducted by the Grand Mistress, Ursula "Likes a Long One" Lehner, with German precision. Then it was time to return to the hotel, change, and go back for dinner at a seaside restaurant at 8:30, later changed to 9:30, due to yet another Mismanagement stuff up.
When we re-assembled, the harriettes were all dressed up trim and proper, I could hardly recognize them. We each had our individual menu of choice, printed by name, in front of us. There was aperitif and white and red wines. A few whined that the red was not as good as the white, but in the end not a drop of either was left. This 'On On On' was in sharp contrast to the wild barbecue I attended a couple of weeks earlier at the garden of a hare in Houston, Texas, with slender bikini-clad harriettes dipping in and out of the Jacuzzi and pool, and much splashing and dousing. It will also be in contrast to the Chinese 'On On On' that I am looking forward to join a couple of weeks hence at the 30th Anniversary Run of Malacca Sunday hash, where ten sets of chop sticks would pounce on a dish no sooner it is laid on the table, the courses numbering from eight to ten. "Unity in Diversity" is the essence of HHH! Our French dinner ended past midnight. A few who went over to The Highlander, the only bar open in town that late, I understand, had difficulty walking the few steps back to the hotel.
SUNDAY RUN # 651 Having done seven hours of trail laying and running on Saturday, Slack Mac was up early Sunday to lay again. Some people never have enough! His co-hare was the On Sec, Zsolt "Cum Again" Putnoky, the Hungarian who had started hashing in Sulawesi, Indonesia. Adviser-Hare-on-bike was Jean-Paul "The Pope" Himber. The Pope is a senior member of Paris H3. He has now retired from hashing and spends the summer months cycling in Entretat. We went about 5km by car and started the run in the woods. It was an A to B run with a break for picnic lunch. It was almost a feast, with several French delicacies, mostly home-made. After lunch, a short walk took us to the nearby village for a surprise. It was a pre-arranged 5km ride on a unique "Velo-Rail" or "Cyclo-Draisine". A century-old unused railway line is being use for tourist purpose, with trolleys taking five passengers each, two cycling and other three just riding. The cycling was not too hard as it was a slight downhill and scenic ride to the town. It was a dramatic and enjoyable ending of the run. Bravo, the hares! The circle, mainly for thanks-giving to the hares, cooks and organizers, for farewell, and for one naming, was held at a quiet road intersection near the hotel.
Merci beaucoup à tous pour un weekend unique.
On on, Juned "Rail Jerker" Choudhury nishatch@bdcom.com

article on Etretat weekend with photos under Destination:France on pages 56-58 at the following website.
Rail Jerker
from Jim Edens <jimedens@aph3.com>
Subject: Asia-Pacific Harrier iDigital Edition1
Dear Friends,
HOT NEWS: The Oct-Dec 2006 iDigital Edition of Asia-Pacific Harrier magazineis now complete. You may take a look at it here:
http://apharrier.idigitaledition.com/issue.php?issue=1
Your comments and suggestions are most welcome.
Best regards,
Jim Edens
Editor-in-ChiefAsia-Pacific Harrier Magazine
-The most comprehensive coverage of running & HHH events in the Asia-Pacific region International edition now in 42 countrieswww.asiapacificharrier.com