Caroline’s Lit

Il etait une fois une ratoune qui n’avait pas de nom. Elle etait la 501eme ratoune nee a l’animalerie “RonRon”. C’est tout ce que Lili savait sur l’identite de son rat qu’elle venait d’acheter avec ses economies. Elle avait mis de cote chaque piece qu’elle gagnait en lavant la voiture de Monsieur Bergues, son voisin. Elle avait reussi a rassembler 10 euros. C’etait assez pour adopter un rat, lui acheter une cage et des graines.
Maintenant, elle etait sur le chemin de la maison avec son petit rat, tout mignon. Arrivee chez elle, elle scandait : ” J’ai un rat ! J’ai un rat !”. Pierre, son frere, lui demanda alors :” Comment s’appelle cette chose?” Lili hesitait a repondre puis finalement dit :” Je viens de l’animalerie et cette chose comme tu dis, n’a pas encore de nom.” Pierre partit en criant d’un air moqueur :”C’est donc une chose!!” et il lui fit une grosse grimace. Lili etait furieuse et alla en parler a sa mere, Betty. ” Maman! Mon rat n’a pas de nom et Pierre se moque de moi mechamment.” ” Mais enfin Lili ! Calme-toi ! On va bien trouver un nom pour cet adorable rat.” repondit Betty. Lili se calmait en entendant les mots rassurants de sa maman. “Pourquoi pas l’appeler Felix ? ” proposa Betty. ” Oh Non ! C’est pour les chats !” repondit Lili. ” Nestor ? ” ” Mais non ! C’est pour les chiens ! Comment as-tu trouve mon nom, maman ?” ” Oh, c’est une longue histoire ma petite, mais puisque tu insistes… Ton pere et moi avions plusieurs noms en tete que nous avons listes. Ensuite, nous avons fait part de nos choix a nos amis et a la famille. Nous avons garde le nom que les gens preferaient. Et c’est ainsi qu’on te nomma Lili.” ” Ca, c’est vraiment une bonne idee !” dit Lili tres enthousiaste a l’idee de faire un sondage a l’ecole pour nommer son rat.
Le jour suivant, Lili etait determinee a trouver un nom pour sa ratoune. Son rat etait une femelle un peu peureuse, d’un pelage resplandissant couleur beige. elle reflechit alors a des prenoms feminins representant au mieux son caractere. Elle finit par ecrire cinq noms : Pupuce, Raty, Bellotte, Pepeche et Discrete. Contente de cette liste, elle la mit dans son cartable et partit a l’ecole. Elle se donnait deux jours de sondage pour trouver un nom. En chemin, elle rencontra Alex, un camarade de classe. L’occasion se presentait a elle. Elle lui demanda alors le nom qu’il preferait. Il repondit que c’etait difficile a dire car il faudrait qu’il la voit. Il pensait que nommer un animal depend du caractere de ce dernier et de son apparence aussi. Lili lui proposa alors de passer a la maison apres l’ecole. Elle s’en voulait de ne pas avoir pris une photo de sa ratoune. Elle le ferait le lendemain.
A la recreation, elle retenta son sondage. Pour l’instant Pupuce etait en tete suivie de Pepeche. Elle demanda meme l’avis de son professeur, Madame Lenotre qui opta pour Pepeche. Pupuce et Pepeche etait alors exequos. Elle attendait avec impatience le choix d’Alex. La recreation finie, elle se dirigea vers sa classe pour une lecon de Biologie sur les animaux domestiques. Madame Lenotre fit un sondage dans la classe pour savoir le nombre d’eleves ayant un animal a la maison. Sur vingt eleves, treize leverent la main et dirent le type d’animal qu’ils avaient. Lili etait la seule a avoir un rat. La maitresse leur expliqua alors qu’ils allaient presenter leur animal la semaine suivante. Aujourd’hui, ils allaient discuter du contenu de la presentation. Toute la classe decida qu’il fallait presenter le nom, l’age, l’espece et le mode de vie. Lili etait contente de savoir qu’elle allait presenter son rat, mais elle etait inquiete car elle n’avait toujours pas de nom. Il fallait absolument qu’elle ait un nom avant la presentation. La cloche sonna et mit un terme a la lecon de biologie et a la journee de classe. Lili allait enfin connaitre l’avis d’Alex, son meilleur ami.

Il etait une fois un ours qui avait dormi tout l’ete. Il s’appelait Philippe. Il dormait profondement depuis six mois. Dehors, les premiers flocons de neige pointaient le bout de leurs nez et chantaient : ” Philippe, reveille-toi … C’est bientot Noel !” Mais Philippe ne voulait rien entendre. Il ouvrait un oeil puis le refermait. ” On est bien mieux au chaud a dormir quand il fait froid dehors.” pensait-il. Les flocons s’inquietaient car Noel arrivait et ils se demandaient qui allait preparer des biscuits au miel si Philippe ne se reveillait pas.
Ils deciderent alors de chanter de plus belle. Toute la foret pouvait les entendre. ” Reveille-toi, Philippe ! C’est bientot Noel ! ” Mais Philippe continuait a dormir. Toute la foret pouvait entendre ses ronflements ” ZZZzzzz”. Un renne qui vivait non loin de la en avait marre de ce vacarme. ” Ce n’est pas possible ! Vous allez arreter d’embeter tout le monde ! Ca suffit ! ”
Il decida alors d’aller frapper a la porte de chez Philippe. ” Phil ! Phil ! Reveille-toi enfin !” Mais Philippe ne repondait pas. Le renne, Eclair, ouvrit alors la porte, prit Philippe par les epaules et le secoua pendant cinq minutes en disant ” Tu vas te reveiller nom d’un chien ! Tu ne veux quand meme pas reveiller les chasseurs. Je ne veux pas finir en buste de decoration dans un salon !” Philippe se reveilla enfin et grommela:” Tu m’embetes! Les chasseurs ne vont pas venir ! Ils preparent N-O-E-L !!! Mon Dieu !!!! C’est Noel!” ” Et oui ! Les flocons n’arretent pas de te le dire depuis des jours, mais Monsieur prefere dormir en ronflant.” repondit Eclair. ” Oui, mais c’est si bon de dormir.” dit Phil. ” Bon assez de bavardage Phil.” ” Oui, je sais ! J’ai des biscuits au miel a preparer. Viens ce soir les deguster avec les flocons.” “Entendu ! Pour rien au monde je ne manquerai tes celebres biscuits au miel, Phil.”
Les flocons et Eclair passerent un agreable Noel a deguster les bons biscuits au miel de leur ami dormeur, Philippe.

There is something that no one in France would miss to eat on January 6, a delicious KIng cake. Tonight, I am going to share with you its origin, how do French people celebrate l’epiphany, and which countries do celebrate it.

On January 6, French people eat a King cake called “la galette des rois” to celebrate the Epiphany. The King cake has double origins : christian and Pagan.
The Epiphany is a Christian celebration for the arrival in Bethlehem of three kings. Melchior, Gaspard and Balthazar came from Orient guided by a star to the place where Jesus was borned. Those three kings symbolized the three continents: Asia, Africa and Europe which were the only continents known at that time. They brought presents to the borned child. Melchior gave gold, Gaspar some encent and Balthazar some Myrrhe. Today, the arrival of these kings is celebrated in many homes with the special cake called “La galette des rois”. The round cake symbolizes the wised men travel. Inside it, there is a little trinket hidden supposed to represent Baby Jesus.
Its second origin is pagan. Romans were used to choose a king among their youngest soldiers during Saturnalia, period of time when God Saturn was honored. The crowned King could ordered whatever he wanted to. Nowadays, the person who find the trinket in its piece of cake is crowned King or Queen for the day and can ask whatever he or she wants like the youngest crowned soldier in Roman time.

The Epiphany is celebrated all around France on January 6. However it has lost its religious purpose for a fun event to share with friends and family.
Some families make their own galette while others choose the easy way, buy them at the bakery. There are different types of galette. It depends where you live. Some galette are made with almond pasta “galette frangipan”, with apples(Photo), some are in a shape of a crown with dry fruits in it. The one from my hometown is made with butter cream. The trinket that you find in it nowadays is usually a little porcelain doll. Some baker put 2 euros coin in it to draw customers. Here are some samples of trinket that you can look at. Imagine now that this is the Epiphany and the King cake is in front of you. Don’t believe you can eat it right away. You have to wait. The youngest in the room is placed under the table and has the job of giving out each piece of cake to whoever who is in the room. The cake is divided as many as people present plus one piece for the poor. Muted people eat the cake because they all want to feel the bean. The lucky person who has it, is crowned King or Queen for the day and has to choose its spouse.

France is not the only country that eat a king cake. New Orlean and Mexico have a similar tradition but with some differences.
The King cake of New Orlean is eaten during the carnival season in February. The cake is a twisted bread like brioche topped with icing sugar usually colored purple, green and gold. It is shared during king cake parties.
The Mexican king cake is eaten at the same time than in France in central and southern Mexico. This is the day when children receive presents from the three wise men. The cake is an oval shape with dried and candied figs, quinces and cherries. It is also the tradition to put a candy or a bean as a trinket.

When I was in France, I had this chance to eat the king’s cake with some friends for my birthday as I am born on January 8. After a while I got tired of it. I didn’t know how lucky I was at that time because now that I am in the US, I miss it. Therefore, I asked the receipe to my mother in law and I promised myself to bake la galette every year. Here is the King cake from my hometown. Let’s experience it together. Eat very carefully now to feel the bean. Who is going to be the queen or the king? Surprise. Vive le roi ! Enjoy.

Stanford lively art invited today a remarkable artist, Idan Raichel of Idan Raichel Project. It was a phenomenal show traveling the audience back to Israel and middle East countries. The most impressive moment during the show is when one musician started to play music with a bowl in water. The sound was amazingly pure and relaxing. I felt very moved. A special ambiance was there. It could be felt. The audience was showing its excitement by standing up, dancing, screaming and clapping hands. The one hour forty show went very fast. They sang three more songs after several demands from the audience.

“La vie en rose” is a movie about Edith Piaf’s career. If you love her songs,”la vie en rose”, “Milor”, “Padam”, “Non rien de rien”…, this is THE movie to see I surprised myself humming during the movie. It travels me back in France, my homeland.
It is in French with english subtitles. You will travel from the 1920’s, her childhood, to 1960’s, her early past away.
There are a lot of flashbacks that can disturb some people to figure out when the action is, but it was fine with me. I think, it was extremely well directed. Some flashbacks were essential to understand some songs. The song “Milor” talks about a prostitute’s life.I learned in a flashback that Edith was raised in a worehouse and considered one of them as her mother. Therefore, I could imagine how Edith was moved when she heard “Milor” for the first time.
The actress, Marion COTILLARD, who plays Edith Piaf, is marvelous. Although she looks a little bit like Piaf in real life, the posture she took, the voice she spoke was Edith Piaf alike. The make up plays a big part in the character’s credibility too.
I would definetely give a 5/5 rate for this sensational movie.

Mr Brooks is a recent released movie that I would recommend to all of you who like thriller. The main actors are Kevin Costner and Demi Moore. Kevin Costner plays a serial killer, Mr Brooks and Demi Moore is a police sergeant who chases him.
I went to a premiere with a friend who got tickets for free At first, I was not so thrilled by it. I thought it would be a deja-vu thriller movie but I was nicely surprised by the outcome of the story. There are a lot of suspense making the audience screaming and jumping on its seat. The room was full so when two hundreds people react the same way, the ambiance is fun. After being afraid, the audience were laughing at each other reaction. It was so cool. Despite of suspense, some moments of the movie were funny. I appreciate a lot the humor that the director put into it. I would definitely give a 5 out 5 rate to this unusual thriller and recommend it to all of you who like to be surprised.

One beret on his head, one baguette on one hand and one bottle of wine on the other and here is the perfect stereotype of a French. “Bonsoir chers Macintalkers”. This stereotype among others surprise me. So that is how foreigns see us, I wonder. Fortunately, I am here tonight to reveal the truth about French.

First, let me get rid of this hat. Nobody wears it anymore since WWII. You may meet some very old country men still wearing it but that is it. This hat definitely disappeared from our closet. On the other hand, don’t take away to a French his fresh baguette, his little glass of wine and his cheese. Otherwise, you’ll make him angry. When I arrived here, I tried all kind of bread, and the reward goes to the Acme bread and Lee’s sandwiches Baguettes. When one of their stores opened on El Camino, two years ago, I was in even, really. Can you imagine it ? One single fresh baguette makes a French the most happier human being on Earth.
Regarding women, not all women wear channel. I do not. My japanese friends were so glad to know me, thinking I knew everything about fashion and had a dreamy closet full of famous designers. Too bad for them.
Not all french women are chef either. I am not. If you want to be friend with me and hope you can get good recipes or good advise in cooking, you are knocking at the wrong door. Some of my pans recorded my unexperimented days of cooking. Good luck to have them cleaned.
Forget also about the book ” French women don’t get fat”. What an arrogant title for a book don’t you think ? Believe me, French get fat. For prove, this statistic: one adult in 5 are overweight in France compared to one in 3 in the US. Obesity becomes a bane in France.

The real truth about French is ” We complain, complain, complain all the time”. Hey, we have revolutionary blood flooding in our veins. ” Aux armes citoyens. Formez vos bataillons. Marchons, marchons qu’un sang impure abreuve nos sillons”. Last summer spent in France, we went at a firework on july the 14 ” Bastille Day”. Instead of enjoying the night, a lot of people were complaining about the fireworks. How small it was et bla bla et bla ? I wanted to come home.

I got almost crazy of hearing people complaining all the time and being rude. The apex was when we were shopping in Lille to find me some shoes. I asked politely to a saleswoman, if she had the pair of shoes that I was showing her in my size. I am tall so guess about my feet. They are big too. She looked at me with this expression on his face telling me why I dared to ask if she had the pair of shoes in size 10. As if I came from the planet Mars! Come on ! You are a saleswoman, I thought . Aren’t you supposed to satisfy the client, being polite and answer client’s questions? For your information, there is no tips in France for the service so why to bother being friendly with clients, right ? I confirm you that France is the poorest country with services.

Hearing around me people complaining affected myself and I got back to my old habits : complaining and being negative. When I came back here, he took me several weeks to trust strangers again. A couple of days ago, I went to Walgreen and an old man whom I didn’t know said “Hi” with a big smile. In France I would have thought that he wanted something from me, my purse, my money who knows, but here, it is just normal communication basics, right ? People are so friendly and out going.

You are asking yourself what is the image to have about French then. Very simple, one baguette, one bottle of wine, laments like bla bla bla.

Last week end, I went on a cruise around the San Francisco Bay and guess who I met sailing on his boat with his family ? Popeye.

He was in a hurry and I asked him why and he said :
” We are going to Mexico. My niece is getting married and we don’t want to miss it for anything. Of course, it will have spinach salad as appetizer and for this I am stopping here, in my dreamy state : California, the healthiest producer of spinach around here.”
“Oh man !” I said, ” that is not a good time for spinach. Haven’t you heard recent news ?”
” Nop! What is going on here ? What have they done to my(me) dreamy spina(i)ch?”
” Euh ! Nothing. It was warranted organic by farm industry : without antibiotics, hormones, pesticides, irradiation or bioengineering. They only forgot the organic bacteria E. choli. Really organic, really natural.
” Who ? I have never heard about her. ” answered quizzical Popeye.
” Look right here inside your intestine and you will know what I am talking about. E choli helps turn our food into useful vitamins.”
” Great, so what is wrong with her on spinach ?”
” The one found is 0157:H7 strein of E.choli, dangerous especially for the youngest and oldest who may develop kidney failure. E. choli have invaded 23 states such as California, Nevada, Connecticut, New York, New mexico. People suffer from fever, diarrhea or abdominal pain and recover in 7 days. Federal investigators are still tracking the cause of this poisoning. ”
” Oh my god? How am I going to do for the wedding and for the rest of my life ? Without spinach, I am a couch potato. My strength is in spinach, you know.”
“I am afraid that you’ll have to change the menu and served cooked spinach. Warm kill E . choli. Another solution is to grow your own spinach, Popeye. In this case, you’ll know how your spinach is produce from start to finish. Moreover, you’ll experience the joy of picking spinach from the ground, washing them , cutting and eating your own little spinach that you see growing in your garden. Isn’t that cute ? You can say bye bye to organic bagged, washed, precut spinach. Would this be great ?”.
” It would be fantastic and cost time to me and Rachel Ray. She will run out of time for her 30 minutes meal on food network. I don’t have time. The wedding! Do you remember ? It is next sunday and I can’t obviously make spinach grow on my boat.”

“You’re right. You are going to Mexico and I didn’t here about any problem with organic spinach overthere. You will have to eat mexican spanish. Heuuu sorry Mexican spinach, amigooooo!”

Popeye : ” Mexico import spinach from the US! That is all I can stands, and I can’t stands no more.”(tchoutchou)

I’m Popeye the Sailor Man
I’m Popeye the Sailor Man
I’m strong to the finich
Cause I eats me spinach
I’m Popeye the Sailor Man

Fat Sunday

Around Fat Tuesday, in Dunkerque, North of France, there is an event that no one borned there would miss: the carnival. Léa was one of them who felt in it when she was a baby. At the end of each family celebration, it was a tradition to sing and dance to the rhythm of the carnival’s songs. This year of 1993, Amélie, Léa’s best friend, suggested her to participate in Dunkerque’s carnival with her cousin.

It was early morning in front of the deck of their high school that Amelie asked Léa : ” Hey Léa ! Next sunday, it is Dunkerque’s Carnival. My cousin is coming and would like to experience it. Are you up to go with us.” “Why do you ask me ? Of course I’ll come and without hesitation!” Léa replied. “I am so impatient to go. When I hear the first notes of carnival, all my body is in trance and I cannot wait to sing loudly and dance. What costume will you wear ?” “I had it for a couple of months, when my grand mother finished it. I will be disguised as a clown. What about you ?” “I will be disguised as a man like the tradition wants: men as women and women as men.” “Hyper mega cool !!! We’ve got to go. I don’t want to be blamed by Mister Scalbert for being late at his very interesting boring chemistry class.”

In her high school and all around the town, time seems to go slower and slower during carnival season and it lasts one month. Everybody think about the next sunday, parading outside and having good time with friends. This was the case for Léa who was dreaming during Mister Scalbert explanations. She thought about how people are so friendly during carnival. Everybody is kind. All social barriers drop like by magic. White collars offer beer and talk to blue collars and vice versa. Her uncle was member of a carnival association. He was known as the fisherman because of his costume. He always sees the same persons and they celebrate carnival together without seeing each other in the public life. “RING! RING! RING!”. It was the end of the class that seemed to last a very long time. She hurried to leave. “Hey, Amelie! What time on sunday and where are we going to meet ?” “Come at my place at 1PM. Alright? and don’t forget to bring your costume and make up.” “Sure” Léa replied but Amelie had already entered the bus without hearing her. It was always a race to catch the bus.

It was Sunday, day of carnival and the radio was playing carnival songs. Léa’s mother was humming “hmmmmm” while preparing the traditional onions soup for lunch. Léa was already in the carnival’s atmosphere while she was taking her breakfast: crepes with brown sugar on top of it, dipped in coffee. “Hmm delicious !!”. Then, she went to her cabinet to find the box where she tucked away her costume one year earlier. She unwrapped it like a piece of collection and wore it. She put on a brown trousers, several sweaters under a white blouse because late february is still cold, long brown stockings on top of the trousers, the detail to be a man, an orange, brown and black tie, and an old brown jacket borrowed from her father. She put on the last detail meticulously chosen to look like a man: a black top hat. She was ready to go. Her father drove her to Amelie’s place. On the way, disguised men were driving to Dunkerque, they all had big fake boobs and a lot of lipstick. On a normal day, they would have been arrested but it was carnival, almost everything was permitted.

She arrived on time at Amelie’s place. “Hey, How are you?” in a deep voice and using the slang of Dunkerque. “Come in the bathroom to put your make up on. Then we will be ready to go.” Her cousin was putting white make up on Amelie’s face as she was disguised as a white clown. Léa drew a large mustache and wore a black mask. That’s it, they were ready. Three of them went by foot to the main square of Dunkerque where everybody was waiting for the first carnival’s note that indicated the start. In the street, Amelie, Léa and the cousin whose name was Dominique were squalling songs in the street. When they perceived the parade, they ran not to miss the start. “Let’s go!” cried Léa. The major drummer lift his stick to show the tempo to the musicians for the first song. When the first note rumbled, the crowd shouted enthusiastically : “Yeahhhh!” Léa shivered. She urged Amelie and Dominique to find a good place in the parade, close to the orchestra. They stood shoulder to shoulder, about tree lines behind the major drummer. We could see in their eyes some flames of excitement to be there. They began the song about Dunkerque. They were with the Carnival so they know by heart which song comes after another and another and another. It was a delight for Léa.

Léa loved to sing and parade. However, she didn’t enjoy moments in the parade when the music starts to speed up because it was a sign for everybody to jump on place and push each other. She knew that this moment would come and she totally forgot to let Amelie know that she wanted to be on the edge of the parade to leave it if it was too dangerous.
She started to worry and looked around her to see what kind of people there were. Remember they were in the first lines. Usually, Big guys stand in first lines to maintain the other lines of the parade and to avoid disturbing the musicians. She was surrounded by big men, not so tall compared to her. “Oh my god!” she thought. “How am I going to survive the moment when they will push?” Her eyes were worried and she didn’t believe that carnival was fun at all. There it was, the music started to speed up and everybody was jumping and pushing forward. She was pushed against the man in front of her. She couldn’t breath because her chest was pressed by people before and behind her. She turned her head to Amelie and launched a desperate look. Amelie saw Léa’s decomposed face. Amelie was ok and Dominique too. She raised her hand to make a sign to fireman along the parades and shouted :”Help!”. Amelie shouted to people around :”My friend doesn’t feel good.” In a second, Léa saw in her right sight a hedge made by everybody’s legs to let her go out in a safe place. She stepped over every single leg, and couldn’t believe what just happened. Eventually, she arrived at the edge of the parade, safe. Took a deep breath. Amelie and Dominique merged Léa. “Are you ok ?” asked Dominique. ” Yes, I am.” Léa said out of breath. “I cannot believe that everybody let me pass. I felt trapped among this crowd. I would never thank you enough of what you did for me.”

They went to a café to rest and have some refreshment. At this café, there was an orchestra playing carnival’s songs. They ended this day there, still enjoying dancing and singing.

The battle of Texel.

In 1664, the French kingdom, lead by Louis the XIV, has to cope with famine. Meanwhile, Dunkirke, the new fleet of the north harbor, is known to be a nest of brave corsairs. Jean Bart is part of this community of corsairs accredited by the majesty, the king with seizing booty on sea or lands. He and her ship “Le roi david” is famous for the capture of Dutch vessels full of goods like cacao and wine. On may 29, in the morning, an emissary brings an order from his majesty, Louis the XIV,to Corsair Jean Bart : ” His majesty, the king, orders you to leave immediately Dunkirke and escort a commercial fleet of 120 ships from Norway. The life of the kingdom is in your hand. ”

” Shiver me timbers ! “, proclaims Jean Bart when he discovers that the convoy was launched before his arrival and protected only by three allied ships: two Danish and one Swedish. He suspects an attack of it by the Dutch fleet. He is right : as soon as after the launching , the Dutch fleet surrounds them.
Jean Bart, clever, gathers a frigate under his orders. After a meeting with his captains, it is decided that Jean Bart will attack the admiral boat. On June 29, at 3 in the morning, he and his crew perceive, next to the Texel island, Dutch sails. At 5AM, the enemy is visible. Seeing that the dutch fleet has more battle ships: 8 ships and 388 canons while they have 7 ships, 302 canons, Jean Bart decides to retrofit one of the non combating ship with canons and fighting men to even the odds.
Then, before the battle starts, Jean Bart sermonizes his crew :

-Me hearties !
-Aye Captain ! Aye Captain!
-Prepare to board on the admiral ship.
-All hands on deck!
-Aye Captain! Aye Captain!

The crew follows the bravery of Jean Bart and attack. They prepare the six pounders and chain shot meticulously. When suddenly, they hear the voice of their captain saying: “Fire”. The sound of the canons thunders. It destroy ships rigging. Then, Jean Bart and his crew, hands on the hilt of their swords, jump on the admiral ship: ” Yarhhh!”, draw their swords out of their scabbard and fight “schwing”. The admiral, Hidde Devries is shot in the chest, struked in the head twice and loose his left arm and eventually gets captured with his officers. They take the ship hand over fist. The french casualties are only 3 deads and 27 injured. Seeing the defeat of the admiral ship, 5 Dutch ships escape. 4 French ships chase them but have to come back to secure the fleet. The Dutch fleet is defeated by the French.

After repairing his boats, Jean Bart floats back to Dunkirke. He arrives on July the 3th. All the aristocracy and the people are waiting for his triumphant return. The crowd welcome them by waving hands and saying : “Ahoy, Ahoy!”. When Jean Bart step a foot on land, the crowd shout: “Long life to the corsair Jean Bart! Long life to the corsair Jean Bart!”.
Jean bart comes back with 3 Dutch ships and 455 prisoners. 30 ships full of wheat are emptied in Dunkirk while the remainder is going to Le Havre.

The victory at the battle of Texel spreads all around the kingdom. Louis the XIV concedes Jean Bart a noble title on August 4 1694 to thank this bravery corsair to have saved the kingdom from hunger.