Spring on the Island of JERSEY! Take a drive with me...

It's Spring on the Island of Jersey!
"Take a drive with me around this beautiful spot in the Channel Islands, between England and France."
South African-born Douglas Kruger recaps a year in Jersey while driving across the island.

[@rondunn4336]

Thank you for the nostalgia. 1961-62-63, my first three summer seasons as a pro musician in Jersey.

[@colindelamare1413]

As far as the accent goes, It is almost dead. I was brought up speaking the local dialect and as soon as I started primary school, I almost never spoke it again, and the accent faded as I grew older. About 25 years ago my wife and I happened to take a walk in St Ouen, and were walking up a road lined with a thick hedge and on the other side were two ladies and a gentleman conversing in a tongue I had not heard for at least 25 years. It was a hot day, the gorse smelled wonderful and there were skylarks singing their beautiful song. The people over the hedge were speaking quietly, so did not take much notice at first, but then one of the ladies spoke loudly. "Ah..nah ni, nah ni! ...... and then something I could not catch apart from the odd word. I was transported back to my childhood in an instant. What an evocative moment that was! I saw my parents, My Gran and Grandpa the farm, everything. It was like a time-slip to a quieter more peaceful existence. If you spend a bit of time hanging around in St Ouen, or maybe St Martins, you may actually be lucky enough to hear the true old dialect again, but you better be quick because it is fading fast.

[@diane5522]

I love your video. Thank you for taking the time to do it. It’s very informative 😊

[@grumpydickus]

No litter. Beautiful island that people take pride in.

[@justynjonn]

They need African migrants! Well , they got one!!!

[@albertreynolds9287]

Junkies alkies 😮

[@millerw4566]

dunno what jersey u living at mate

[@anettejonsson2838]

Beautiful Jersey ❤ love jersey very much ❤❤❤

[@CountryTraveler]

Douglas, that was wonderful!!!

[@rajeshwork7294]

hi sir

[@kerry00]

Absolutely delightful video Douglas. Loved your accent imitations too! Felt like I was in the car with you having a chat.

[@gregx9419]

Surely... Your Perfect Tour Guide :) That storytelling goes long way.

[@paulwalton7786]

Holidayed in Jersey last week and what a beautiful island. It feels like a part of Britain with some French influence mixed in.

[@leonhaywood2376]

Awesome video. Thanks Douglas.

[@grk6573]

Looks fab. Thank you.

[@suzichesney7818]

Have a few SA friends, they came over some years ago, one colleague had a farm but had to leave it, last time I saw him he had given up with getting it back, the channel islands are beautiful, hope you been to see Guernsey etc,

[@dareelevi9945]

Hi thank you for this video. Can you please post a new video driving around the city just in St Helier? Thank you!

[@farenmareeramos]

Please do another drive for us Douglas! My mother and I so enjoy popping this on and escaping with you on your journey around the island… we’ve never been before but feel as though we know it now! The views are wonderful and you have a wonderful way of bringing it to life… and making us crack up laughing! “Gate of death” is our favorite! - thanks from the US!

[@seangoss3439]

Great video, wife and I are moving over from South Africa in August.

[@jvilhelml]

This have Ben very intresting thanks so much i Think i have to see Jersey .....from sweden

[@stuartjones2812]

This guy is fabulous 👍

[@francisfrancis1153]

Beautiful Island. Why did you relocate if I may ask?

[@lizblows7101]

I went to S Africa earlier this year. Jersey in October 2022. Very impressed with both.

[@LadyRose-tw3dc]

It looks nice quite beautiful place to live in ,greeting from 🇮🇶🇮🇶🇮🇶🇮🇶🇮🇶

[@tortysoft]

I had a toast rack of fried bread in Gorey - wonderful !

[@suzanneness7924]

I recently returned to spend a week in Jersey. I did not have time to do the drive all around the Island so was thankful for this video to remind me of my old haunts. If I may offer some feedback: it would enrich the viewers experience to be told the names of the areas you were driving through, e.g. St. Brelade, St. Ouen, Grouville, Gordy, etc. I disagree with you continual reference of being very English and not enough evidence anything French. For a start, 90% of the roads are named in French! However, I will temper that with the fact that you are from SA and have not yet become attuned to the differences between The Channel Islands and England. I have kept a log of my journey (I now live in Canada) and will add it to the ‘book’ I promised my mother I would write! Thank you for the video.

[@jeanlongsden1696]

you need to speak to a Jersey Farmer if you want to hear a true Jersey accent and you will see for yourself that it sounds South African. the tower overlooking Corbiere Lighthouse is a German WWII observation/rangefinder tower. the glass section on the roof was added when Radio Jersey took it over for broadcasting. today it is owned by Jersey Heritage and is a holiday let (you can rent many historical lets on the island from them). the "Le Petit Train" is more commonly know by the locals as "the Wally Wagon", as everyone aboard it just grins and waves at everyone. lol

[@spirittravels.]

Great video there thank you very much by the way can I ask what camera you are using to make this vlog with? Cheers.

[@davidai9024]

Great video on Jersey , does Jersey feel more French than British and how many days would you recommend for a holiday? Thanks David 👍

[@Willtravelsearth]

East side definitely feels more french, I went there for a week and saw everything we wanted. If you want to completely see everything id say 10 days

[@tortysoft]

It feels 'Jersey' unique.

[@DouglasBisson-yx5ui]

Why did you exclude Saint Brelades Bay and the nicest beach in Jersey?

[@benlipman1213]

I love jersey i live on jersey in the 80 i love to come back but i dont have the money you need to buy a house

[@granttalibard8232]

I’m from Jersey and think that it’s unbelievably dull and incredibly expensive , I go back once a year to visit my family and 4 days is plenty , also actual Jersey people such as myself make up less than 50% of the population which is pretty depressing . If you have kids they won’t thank you for bringing them there

[@hardstylerDE]

How can you relocate to Jersey? You need to work there right? You need the settlement

[@absolute3112]

Im sitting here thinking, where in the fuq is this in NEW JERSEY!?😄🤦‍♀ Yeah, I got it.. Europe

[@justynjonn]

the houses are on the street! That's my American eyes.

[@boilingwateronthestove]

Regarding the Germans, it is actually interesting how for the most part, the Germans and the local islanders got along quite well compared to other parts of occupied Europe. Historians say that it is down to how little war the islands saw, which meant that the Germans weren't on a knife's edge compared to other regions. You should read up on the daily life of most German soldiers who because of how calm this part of Europe was, eventually just chilled on the beaches, swam and some even helped the local farmers harvest the potatoes. There was even a high percentage of German soldiers having relationships with local women, and often these relationships weren't as looked down upon after the war as in other countries, which was down to how lacks the Germans were towards the local islanders compared to other countries. Now, this doesn't mean that the islanders welcomed the Germans, far from it, but it is an interesting case study to compare the relationships the Germans had to local people based on the wartime situation. A lot of folks in Jersey actually come from German solders who stayed on the island after the war. The island has a relatively high percentage of German soldiers staying with their local girlfriend compared to other places. The island was basically like paradise for these soldiers as they barely saw any action. Well, this all changed around 1944 when the vast majority of them were sent to the Eastern Front to fight the Soviets. That was basically the end of paradise and the beginning of a nightmare as most didn't come back alive. Don't get me wrong, the Germans were harsh, even in Jersey, but the difference in their harshness compared to countries like Poland or what they did in Russia is night and day. Even more so. The German administration was very lacks between 1940 and 1944. It was only in the last year of the war that they got harsh as they saw themselves being pushed into a corner, and it was mostly down to foodsupplies from the mainland being cut off and the island was left to be on its own. The famine of 1944 to 1945 wasn't limited to the islanders, but also affected the German soldiers. There are well documented reports of German soldiers who were severly underfed eating things like grass to stay alive.

[@tortysoft]

The island was intended to be a holiday location for the SS. Locals were protected as long as they didn't stir up trouble. Soldiers starved due to lack of supplies but were punished if they stole from residents. I have heard stories of people being hidden by Jersey folk from the Nazis who would send prisoners to Sark for forced labour. Many Nazi concrete extensions to sea defences were built by prisoners. I remember that when I visit my father's old home.

[@justynjonn]

What are those zig zaggibg lines on the road?

[@joshuasgamingchannel124]

20:50 You probably haven't heard the Jersey accent. Hardly anyone uses it and I've lived here more or less my whole life and haven't heard it!

[@tortysoft]

Very rare , it is similar to a South African accent, but they ad 'aye' at random points in a sentence :-)

[@normbograham]

I confused Jersey, with New Jersey. They are not the same.

[@hadesdogs4366]

To be honest it’s pretty pointless having a prison here in jersey since even if a prisoner were to escape their face would end up on the jersey Facebook page faster than Usane bolts sprint

[@rajeshwork7294]

hi sir

[@dudtopics159]

First bit of covid theatre 😂😂😂 yes mate well done for spreading the truth

[@richardford1283]

I used to live in the house on the left at 24.45. Beautiful place. Boring as all hell. And the traditionally Jersey accent definitely had a hint of SA to it, but most younger people don't seem to have it anymore. Though most of the people I met weren't Jersey natives.

[@davidai9024]

Was thinking of going for a holiday , is it really boring as hell ? Don't want to waste money if it's boring 😴😴😴 Thanks 👍

[@richardford1283]

@@davidai9024 Don't get me wrong - it's a lovely place to visit and I've never been anywhere with such a concentration of amazing restaurants. I just wouldn't want to live there again.

[@richardford1283]

@♜. pinnedby Douglæs Kruge Hope it's not a dick pic.

[@davidai9024]

@@richardford1283 Thanks Richard for your quick reply , I was thinking of going to St Helier for a short break can you recommend St Helier and what's the weather like in October ?

[@richardford1283]

@@davidai9024 Haven't lived there for about 15 years, so I'm probably not the best person to ask.

[@jensongiles4749]

Jersey is not under the Union Jack mate we are not part of the United Kingdom

[@nickl6827]

For the accent, the Jersey accent has nearly vanished. Try and find some old recordings. The accents are close and much stronger than the host on this channel.

[@beasmith1]

I was born in Jersey 50 years ago. Jersey is so money obsessed though, that being born there means nothing to them, you have to be rich enough to move back there if you have lived away for any length of time. You'll have more rights to live there than me.

[@savannahalcasey7941]

Hi, How’s their health system, do you have to pay for G.P & hospital visits? Thanks

[@tortysoft]

It's much better without the cars by the way.

[@kevinengland7444]

You need a quieter car or a better mic.

[@doveronefoxtrot4417]

My god what an absolute mess st helier is ! I thought you were driving through canary wharf.

[@diane5522]

How rude!

[@albertreynolds9287]

Full off alcoholics 😂