That annual light and sound extravaganza that is La Fête des Lumières de Lyon starts today and continues until Sunday. Impressions of this year's event in the next few days...
Meanwhile I was given a small insight into the French way of doing business today. Not that's it's a method restricted only to France, but anyway, I was taking the car back to the garage we rent after a painfully expensive service this morning, when I bumped into the owner of the garage. He has previously asked us if we'd be interested in buying it, but having taken the decision to do so, he's been remarkably difficult to get hold of since. Probably something to do with the fact that he appears to spend most of his time in Costa Rica.
I thus grasped the opportunity and asked him about the garage. Yes, he was still interested in selling, but not in any hurry. Then he asked how we would finance the purchase. Not sure, I said, probably get a mortgage.
"Ah, you couldn't pay cash?".
Maybe for part of it.
"Ah, because you see, I don't want to pay capital gains tax."
Ah, I think I see. In that case, the price would be a bit lower, perhaps?
"Ah, no. It's a very good price. Garages round here are highly sought after."
Hmm, quite why he thinks we'd do him a favour by pretending the garage cost less than it really did without any gain to ourselves I don't know. His price, by the way, had mysteriously gone up by 1000 euros. Perhaps a demonstration of why he's a good businessman. I wonder if Costa Rica is one of those tax havens...?
