WOOP WOOP, that's the sound of da pompiers

Or so the song goes. And it was more like 'nee-nor' or thereabouts.

So there I was at 11o'clock this morning wondering why the German industrial might of Siemens hasn't taken over the world, and why when the Italians claim to be a developed nation, as far as I can see, they haven't managed to makes things add up in their annual report for the past four years, when the fire alarm went off.

I knew it was the fire alarm as everyone ran to the coffee machine. This is France remember and did you really think they were going to evacuate into the cold without a hot drink?!

So I grabbed my coat and headed for the four flights of stairs. To be confronted by eight, yes eight, fire engines. Firemen running everywhere, with hoses, hydrants and hyperactivity! There were people everywhere. OK, when I say everywhere, there was me, with the *stand as far away from a building* philosophy whilst everyone else was huddled in the foyers of each of the buildings, yes even the one with the fire (hoses were routed around people), having a cigarette.

The sense of irony hung in the air like the cold Parisian breeze. In fact when the fire was out (it seems it went on strike at the sight of 8 truck loads of pompiers) after 10minutes, the firemen had to get out their axes' and cut through the irony so they could leave.

And then when we given the all clear to go back upstairs, everyone stayed outside. Any excuse for a coffee break eh!