May 14, 2003
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L ' Angleterre en face de ma grille d ' entrée .
England in front of my gateway .
It ' s not every day I have a British taxicab in front of my house photo M.FauquetApril 2003
Un jour d ' avril dernier je vis une chose étrange et inattendue parquée devant ma grille d ' entrée ., une chose impensable : un taxicab noir anglais . Voir une telle voiture en face de ma maison à Amiens , en France était merveilleux . Etait - ce un rêve ? Non , c ' était réellement un authentique taxicab britannique . Je pense que chacun connaît ces véhicules typiquement britanniques . Seul les Anglais sont capables de fabriquer de telles machines : c ' est leur génie . J ' étais aussi émerveillé que de voir un Bobby avec son casque ou un sonneur de cornemuse écossais dans mon entrée .
On a day of the last April I saw a weird and unexpected thing parked in front of my gateway , an unthinkable thing : a black English taxicab . Seeing such a car in front of my house in Amiens in France was amazing . Did I dream ? No , it was really an authentic british taxicab . I think everyone knows these vehicules so typically british . Only the English people are able to make such a machine : this is their genius . I was as much amazed as to see a Bobby wearing his helmet or a scottish piper in my driveway !
What a pleasure to get into . Photo M. Fauquet April 2003
An happy man photo Fauquet 2003
Ce taxicab venait d 'être acheté par une amie de ma fille ( celle qui porte un tricot blanc sur la première photo ) .Avec un énorme enthousiasme je montais dans la voiture à la place du chauffeur . Naturellement le volant était à droite ! Quelle étrange sensation ! A mon côté se trouvait un superbe extincteur en cuivre ave une grosse poignée .. Les Anglais ont le sens du travail bien fait .
This taxicab have just been bought by my daughter ' s friend ( the one wearing a white sweater on the first picture ) . Whith an enormous enthousiasm I get into the car and sat at the place of the driver . Of course the wheel was on the right ! What a strange sensation ! At my side it was a wonderful copper fire extinguisher with a big hand . The Englishes have the sense of the work well done
Puis l ' allais à l ' arrière . Quel espace ! 4 ou 5 passagers peuvent s ' y tenir . Ils sont séparés du conducteur
Par une vitre .et ils ont le loisir de lire les écriteaux en face d ' eux .ou encore de rêver aux charmes de la plage de Margate . Le taxicab venait du Kent ( Angleterre ) . Margate se situe près de Douvres et de Canterbury .
J ' étais enchanté . J ' aime les choses britanniques à l ' ancienne mode ..Et j ' ajoute que le nouveau propriétaire partait ce même jour avce ce véhicule vers le sud de la France . Incroyable . Vous voyez je n ' ai pas besoin de voyager à l ' étranger , il vient à moi!
Then I get in the rear . What a space ! 4 or 5 passengers can stay there easily . They are separated from the driver by a pane of glass and they have the leisure to read the placards in front of them or again to dream to the charms of the Margate ' s beach .The taxicab came from Kent ( England ) . Margate is situated near Dover and Canterbury . .
I was enchanted . I love the old British fashionable things . And I add the new owner was going to drive this vehicule to the south of France on the same day . Unbelievable ! You see I don' t need to travel abroad , the foreign things come to me !
The passengers have choice to read and are separated from the driver by a pane of glass . Photo M.Fauquet April 2003
Comments (93)
Haha...You sound like a boy at Christmas time. =)
That is so cool, Michel! Isn’t it wonderful when things like this happen unexpectedly and the surprise fills us with such joy? I'm so happy for you!
Fun! Would be nice to have that much room in the back of a taxi.
I had to chuckle reading this.. I take these black cabs so much for granted, seeing them and using them as often as I do, that I forget that they're so peculiar to London!!! You would make a great cabbie, Michel!!!
Wow... the car looks great... so sophisticated and cultured... I wonder how a machine could look that way, though
Take care and have a good day!
Fantasmagorique!!!!
Haha!! Quelle histoire drôle!! Comment sont les taxis en France?
I always love to read your posts. You're enthusiasm about even the smallest things always brightens my day. ~j
It is a beauty and the way she can make the turns is just great. I wonder if the new British they can still make such beauties.
Ciao
Carlo
Wow! Very classy!!!
That looked like a lot of fun Michel 
Oh how charming! I have been in those black taxis quite a few times. They are so neat!
How nice for you! Thanks for sharing the memorable event with us!!!
What a beautiful car!
Some of the new taxis are not as nice as the old black cabs , I love the little seats to sit on the drivers side . Of course we English are strange drive on the different side of the road to most other countries
What fun! I am sure your daughter's friend is going to enjoy owning this taxicab!
I wish I could have seen it with you! It would be so much fun to own a taxicab like this one! Eccentric cars like this one don't come around my house very often, but at least I can se them on here!
thank you for taking pictures of it so that you could share it with us & I am very glad to read your blogs once again!
What a nice surprise that must have been. It sounds like it would be very fun to take on a long trip.
Wow! It must have been a dream come true
What FUN!
That is quite a machine.
Oh, Miles gets some pretty good licks in when we pillow fight. 
An amazing contraption the English Taxi Cab. Why no other Country hasn't copied it I will never know. The driver is safer, they are always being mugged out here, as we have ordinary cars and one can sit right next to the driver. Plus the luggage goes by the driver ,whereas over here they have to open the boot. I am sure you would soon get used to driving the English way, Matt soon got used to the other way on our trip and we had an English van . It seems strange to me to drive on the right, Thanks for your visits .You look quite young stepping into that cab, and happy. Glad you likened my rude poem to where you did, things do not come easlily to memory as I am not looking at what you said now. Dare I send it to BBC they seem to be ignoring me at moment, until I got my virus protection someone was using my name to send things that were being rejected ,so bad my computer wouldn't show me and I couldn't trace where they were from. Perhaps they got one from me thinking it was me. Thats all Mon ami ,Cheers Marjie
(Je pense les Français est pauvre cette fois. Je suis désolé.)
Je suis monté dans une cabine anglaise une fois quand j'ai visité Londres. Je l'aime! Cependant, je ne pourrais pas la conduire. Je regarderais la direction fausse l'arrêt du trafic.
Je dois également vous dire: J'ai un ami qui a été à Amiens. Elle a dit de dire bonjour à vous (elle est la dame qui a fait les costumes pour le jeu de Shakespeare à l'école de Byron.
Tres interessant!
I love these taxicabs too Michel!
. You sound and LOOK very excited in this blog 
. You're right....you don't have to travel to other places to experience these cars...they come to YOU! 
.
I love the old English cabs. I do believe a whole family could live comfortably in the back!! Michel I wanted to thank you for your kind support this week. Bless you.
Indeed, the English taxi is a strange and beautiful invention! I have driven on the right and on the left side of the car, and I prefer the left side...toujours. In America, the average taxi is yellow, although not always. And is not nearly so attractive as it's English counterpart! Bon photos, Michel!
That is truely a beautiful vehicle - I completely share your enthusiasm for it ... thanks for putting the pics up !
That certainly is a beautiful vehicle. It can stop in front of my house anytime.
I have never seen one before, but I bet they are comfortable to ride in. It is easy to see that you are thoroughly enjoying it. Thanks for sharing the pictures with us. 
Edie Rose
wow, dat Texitab is HOT! haha!!
classic and cultured!!
have a good day
Cela est une jolie voiture habile! Je consens que les Britanniques ont un talent pour créer les moyens de transport malins. Les Français ne conduisent-ils pas sur le bon côté, aussi? J'ai pensé toute Europe était le contraire des Etats-Unis.
Answer to CatInTheMist : In Europe we drive on the right except in UK where they drive on the left side of the road .
Well done Miichel believe it or not the factory that makes thes "Voitures" is less than 1 kilometre from my home. They produce them like sausages
Ron
I am starting to look for Mary Poppins! How quaint and wonderful! Will your daughter's friend drive it as a taxi? Have a good day!
Merci, Michel, pour partager vos belles photos et votre belle histoire!! Moi, je serais enchantée aussi.
Bravo, Michel!
Bravo....
How Grand! @-}-}- I always liked the English taxis. Last time I wa there they had red ones.!
The British have a way with making even the simplest products or everyday things strike entusiasm into the heart of many. Like their taxi cabs. Or phone booths.
thank u for asking me about My French Class!!
Im taking FrenCh I right now!
so it basically teaches the basic things in french, like Il, Elle, Nous, and some verbs, like parler, chosisis, prend,!
im doing all right now! i can read and understand some, but i have a hard time listening, and speaking!!
thanx for asking though1
i apreciated that
dommage que les Anglais ne peuvent pas conduire dans le côté correcte des rues...
mike
So Lovely of you to share, Michel!
It is a beautiful automobile.
what a lovely car! i wish taxi cabs in america looked like that!
*emma
I love it!!!! I wish we had taxi cabs like that here!
Oh! quelle belle voiture ! Comfort maximum !
Etrange que toutes les villes de France et d'ailleurs n'aient pas encore adoptés ces modèles si sympathiques et si pratiques...
Superbes images pleines de bonheurs
Bon voyage !
Wow, what a nice surprise for you Michel.
the taxicab looks pretty and special...
c'est trop beau! you don't have to travel to see such lovely foreign things.
this sunday will be my last french class for the first module. i'll be enrolling myself for the second. i can't really speak/write in french that well yet since we're still on the present tenses of the verbs... and i'm still familiarizing myself with the conjugations of the irregular ones...
but i'm having a grand time learning! le langue française est trés jolie! 
...Michel, how wonderfully exciting!!! I too love the English taxicabs! Great pics, thanks for sharing - you've put a smile on my face.
MuSe
Oui, L'anglais ont des choses tres belles. Leurs traditions et leur culture sont merveilleux!
a londres, on pense que il est un honeur a conduire un taxicab noir!
That car is soooooo cute!
What a wondeful surprise that must have been
Glad you like our taxi's Michel, such a classic peice of British design
What an AWESOME picture of you with the car! I have seen those cars in movies!! How fun!!!
That is truly a neat old taxi!! I can imagine that it will draw looks everywhere she goes. I've always loved classic cars of all sorts.
Lisa
Lucky you!
How wonderful!
have a nice weekend!
Hugggssss
hey michel,
wow! great things just appear on your doorstep. that's really cool. you know, i'm always hoping somethins extraordinary like this to happen. but's it's been the same old. day in day out. glad to hear you had a fun time exploring the car. it's a vintage.
Certainly something to smile about Michel.
i have never seen one! how very cool, michel!
4 or 5 people in the back......that's so amazing! it makes a lot of sense!
thanks for sharing
That fancy beautiful car is wonderful!!
whoa~! what a tyte car!!!
welcome back michelle 
C'est extrèmement amusant, ce taxi anglais! Et il est venu à toi! Quel plaisir!
Mais est-ce que l'amie de ta fille conduit ce taxi partout? Avec le volant à droit? Drôle!
Tu a parlé des ventouses. C'est très interessant. C'est précisement la même chose que le métod chinois! As-tu ésayé? C'est efficace sans doute!
Amazing. Waht a joy to see such a thing in your own home! Yes, there are very unique, but we who live in London forget how unusual they are. Best wishes, Tom
Merci bien pour tes réponds détailés! Ce me semble que la France a beaucoup de semblances avec la Chine... le médicine et le gastronomi, par exemple. Les deux cultures sont très vieilles och riches
.
À propos des bouteilles, est-ce que tu peut poser les fotos de ta collection à l'avenir? Elle me fait curieuse. Bon weekend!
Is it not strange to have the driver on the right? It was quite an adjustment for me last year to drive in England. The hardest part was parking. I am sure your friend will have many admiring glances for this fine automobile.
In friendship,
Carol
What a beautiful vehicle!
I am with you in expressing such memories ....England was like going home for me when I visited & riding in the back of a cab was like taking a ride through history.
Puck - the remembering spirit {*_*}
That is indeed a nice British car. It must feel funny to drive on the right hand side after so much practice using the left! I also enjoyed your Good Friday post and the pictures
What an awesome car! I'd love to have one ... however, I'd probably want to lower it, but on some big tires and wheels and adda 10,000 watt stereo system in it. Not a bad idea at all.
By the way, welcome back, my friend!
DG
I hope you got a ride!
rr
Black London taxicabs and red double decker buses are recognised almost the world over - perhaps they are symbols of our wonderful English eccentricity?
You sound so excited and thrilled at being able to see, touch and experience this black cab - your blog really made me smile this morning
So stately! But what will the neighbors think? hahahaha So next you'll be treating us to tea time and showing us the English bulldog you've acquired for a pet ?!!
That is a gorgeous taxicab. Most of the ones in the US are ugly and yellow lol..
how fun!! what a wonderful experience you had, michel!!
Oooooo! I want one!
The black taxi cab is very English isn't it ? we have them in all our towns as they are so versatile. They are supposed to be able to turn in the space a small coin would take or" on a sixpence " as we say here.
Marie
Wow! How very exciting! We have nothing like this in the States, of course... we have mostly ugly yellow cars with large signs on top.
It is, as always, good to see you back on Xanga.
Aww, how exciting for you! That car looks really cool
I'm sorry I haven't commented lately, I haven't been on Xanga as much. But thanks for always being so nice and commenting on mine, it makes me smile.
Much love,
~OxOxSavannahxOxO~
How much is the fare to Paris?
wonderful pictures, I like the picture of you getting into the car, that is a nice car, I need to get myself a new car. I jsut got my new drivers License now all i need is a car.
I like the look of the car, it looks like an old one.....
What a very cool taxi
You look like a little boy all excited!
marvelous. sight seeing in the same place you see everyday. how grand is that?
bonjour michel. ca va bien, n'est-ce pas? i must say that i'm a major fan of anything british, as well as french. i love british history and architecture. in fact, i love anything british!! from the union jack flag to the foggy streets of london, i simply ADORE the british. british cabs are extremely well built and they are quite the artwork. i would like to own one myself, but it would be too much of a hassle. you are lucky that you live in france. i would love to travel to europe one day. the landscape is tres magnifique! simply breath-taking. c'est beaux photos michel! the last one made me feel as if i was in the cab myself!! =]
Our dog is pampered a little bit...but the alternative to us finding her is that she would probably have been put down - so she deserves a little love and compassion. Almost all of our pets had the same risk of being euthanised - we saved them all from that fate.
I remember those big, black taxis. The glass window separating the driver from the passenger are for the safety of the driver - as quite a few drivers were mugged by delinquents on the streets of London.
Thank you for dropping by my LJ site - it is good to hear from people on Xanga every now and again.
Ah! Here I am, another foreign thing coming to you! Your pictures of the taxicab remind me of being in Scotland 4 years ago at this time, and riding in my first British taxi in Edinburgh. What a wonderful trip that was, and what a lovely, lovely mystical tour! There were people everywhere full of love and warmth, much like yourself! Hugs, Claudia
The car looks enchanting and I would not mind riding in it myself. Of course it would take me awhile because our steering wheel is on the left. But I still would like to try. Take care.
That was a great blog. The old taxi cabs like this one were lovely. The newer ones look a bit silly like Noddy cars.
btw, they aren't English, they are British. Please don't take exception to this, it isn't meant in any way as a criticism of you or your posts. I am Welsh. We Welsh, Irish and Scottish get a bit fed up with everything from Britain being attributed to the English. England is only one of four countries that make up the UK or Great Britain.
hey michel,
you don't want to make yourself feel miserable thinking of the past right? we have to look towards a better future. hopefully. eh, you love jazz music too? what bands do you listen to? every saturday i'll go listen to a live jazz band. it's a form of therapy. definitely.
CrYsTaL
)
Tu sembles tres content dans le taxicab. J'aime aussi les taxicabs anglaises. C'est bizarre l'a voir en France!
Merci pour les comments. Oui, j'aurai 21 ans le 14 juillet
La derniere annee j'etait a Paris pendant juin et juillet, donc j'ai vu le defile au Champs Elysee, et les feux d'artifices a cote de la tour eiffel. C'etait magnifique!
AH!
What a great idea buying a car with personality!!!
The English really do know how to make things look good, you are correct.
Smart girl that one in the white sweater, and what fun for everyone she ever drives or even visits!
ps- je ne peut pas ecrire tout en francais, ma tete ...ooohhhh ma pauvre tete. Mon cerveaux ne function pas si bon, le bebe dans moi il/elle utilise tout mes cerveaux je suis certaine!!
having fun?
you look so happy at taxi side!
thank you ever so much, dearest Michel, for your lovely and appreciated compliment in my Guestbook..
Now I know why you asked me the question on my site! What a brilliant looking vehicle! Yes, I rode in one during my visit to London in 1987. I love classic cars, and seeing your phots here is a treat! Thanks for sharing the pics, Michel. Cheers, Neil
You look good behind the wheel. Guy
haha...Michael...you are too funny;)
J'aime les voitures!! J'ai fait un project de transportation. J'ai eu la chance d'interviewer un homme qui a possédé un "chariot avec des roues." La voiture étais belle. Il nous a laissés monter dans sa voiture et j'étais ainsi dans l'amour avec tout le moment. L'homme était beau aussi.
Une belle voiture et un beau homme...j'étais très contente.
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