HAVE to Love the French Willingness to Protest

In the tradition of French protests, Oyster farmers dumped over 12 tons! of oyster shells on government office doorsteps in Bordeaux, the capital of Aquitaine, a large oyster producing region of France. Can you imagine this happening in Virginia Beach?
In another twist in the ever-evolving effects of climate change and human environmental recklessness, oysters in France this summer are afflicted with a herpes virus. The oysters, a French favorite, seem to have weakened immune defenses, making them susceptible to the virus. French researchers are working to find causes and solutions to the oyster herpes crisis – all well and good – but unfortunately I fear it is not a local problem. The balance of the earth’s ecosystem is severely compromised. The French should know- when the “terroir” and “milieu” are not healthy, neither are the plants or animals.
So if you are traveling in France this season, pass on the herpes oysters, but love the French for their passion and spirit and look for multi-ton piles of oyster shells - I wish I had a picture of that! The abundant French markets in almost every village will have plenty of other delicious food to savor.