Okay, so trip is long since over, but as usual I have procrastinated and am finally getting around to writing a bit about the trip and posting some pictures up here. I'm sure it will be 2015 before I finish.
PARIS day 1
It was a bout between skaters from Paris Roller Girls and a newer league called La Boucherie de Paris. It was mostly an exhibition game I think. There were not that many people there, but I think there was also a big tournament or something going on that weekend as well. I did meet some of the coaches and a couple of men's skaters from Panam Roller derby (Paname being a nickname for Paris. Which from what I could gather on the internet started at the beginning of the 20th cent. and has something to do with Panama hats becoming fashionable? ).
What I found interesting is that all of the penalties and technicalites of roller derby were in English. So the jammer timer said "5 seconds" and there would be "no pack". I wasn't expecting that. But I guess that is what the rules say you have to do and considering most leagues right now are English speaking, it is probably easier to just learn it that way.
After the bout we went to the after party which was back in the city proper in a very English looking pub. It was fun. I didn't talk a lot because I speak French, but not enough to follow the conversations of native speakers. They talk a mile a minute. But I did have some nice chats with people in English. Made sure to catch the metro before it closed for the night.
