Threads that go off topic - here and other forums.

[ramblingboy42]

We almost were a french colony, french ships were standing off when Phillip sailed in and hoisted the flag.

I can't help thinking we may have been better off.

[trog]

The menu may have been better. And we would be driving on the right side of the road. Therefore the cost of converting left hand drive cars to suit wouldn’t be necessary.

[Mick_Marsh]

We almost were a french colony, french ships were standing off when Phillip sailed in and hoisted the flag.

I can't help thinking we may have been better off.

Or Dutch, if they had wanted it.

[Fifth Columnist]

The English version/pronunciation would be Lewis.

[JDNSW]

We almost were a french colony, french ships were standing off when Phillip sailed in and hoisted the flag.

I can't help thinking we may have been better off.

I don't think the French were interested in Australia, at that time anyway, although possibly interested in staking a claim "just in case".

The only reason Britain was interested was to have a place to dump undesirable citizens after they could no longer send them across the Atlantic. Not generally known that convicts went to the North American colonies for centuries before they went to Australia, especially after the second Jacobite rebellion.

I can't help thinking the grass is always greener on the other side!

[DiscoMick]

True. The French and Dutch didn't see much to interest them here. Now did the Chinese find the north coast very appealing.

[cuppabillytea]

The Chinese weren't into colonial imperialism.
Neither French nor Dutch colonies seem to have been very cheery places and I can't think of a major success story amongst them either.
You can have french tucker now, if you wish, or any other kind for that matter.
I fear we may have to admit we're better off the way things panned out.

[ramblingboy42]

the french side of St Marrtens is very friendly and the food there is fantastique.

the little island...see if you can find it on a map....has over 350 restaurants , some to die for.

[Fifth Columnist]

....has over 350 restaurants , some to die for.

Puffer fish.....?

[DiscoMick]

French West Africa didn't turn out so well, particularly the Congo.