From the Fields of Crimea to the Sands of Mars by Michel Poulin - HTML preview

{1} Où suis-je? ‘Where am I?’ in French.

{2} Peelers: Nickname given to the old London policemen.

{3} Y a t’il quelqu’un?  Is there anybody?

{4} Great Patriotic War : name given by the Soviets to World War 2.

{5} Baba Yaga : well known, hideous witch in Russian folklore.

{6} Jackarroo : Male station hand in Australia.  Female hands are called ‘jillaroos’.

{7} Well, I’ll be stuffed!  Expression of surprise in Australian slang.

{8} Rooting : Synonym of ‘fucking’ in Australian slang.

{9} DEFCON 2 : Defense Condition 2, the highest step in combat preparedness short of actual war in the American armed forces.

{10} It is magnificent, but it is not war.  It is madness!

{11} What a woman!

{12} War cry of the French knights during the Hundred Years War.

{13} Cornet: Lowest officer’s rank in the British Army of that time.

{14} Liard: Low denomination copper coin introduced in France in the XVII Century.

{15} Kanagawa: Town near the then village of Yokohama.

{16} Hatago: Japanese inn of the Edo Period reserved for the common folk, as opposed to the more prestigious honjin reserved for traveling feudal lords and their suites.

{17} Nambanjin: Old Japanese term to describe western foreigners and meaning ‘southern barbarians’.

{18} Okami: Lady innkeeper.

{19} Sento: Communal bathhouse.

{20} Yoroshiku onegai-shimasu: I hope that we can count on you during our stay here.  Traditional formula used when giving the kokoro-zuke, or arrival tip, to one’s designated maidservant in a Japanese inn.

{21} Politburo: Familiar term for the Soviet Political Bureau, the highest government organ of the U.S.S.R., where all the important political decisions were made by the most powerful Soviet leaders.

{22} Valles Marineris : Huge geological fault over 3,500 km long forming a series of gigantic canyons parallel to Mars’ equator.

{23} UCLA : University of California at Los Angeles.