– Prediction by the Centre for Economic and Business Research (CEBR): According to the London think tank, continued population growth in the UK will lead to a rapid expansion of the economy due to the relatively low level of taxation. Local Chambers of Commerce recently predicted that the UK economy will grow by 2.7 percent next year, the highest rate since the first quarter of 2008.

France, currently the number two in Europe will be one of the worst performing western countries next year due to the high tax burden and all the problems in the euro zone. The CEBR expects the UK to overtake France in 2018.

Emerging countries such as India, Brazil and Russia will also share the world stage of economic growth, reports the British newspaper The Guardian on its website. By 2028 China will overtake the U.S., according to CEBR. Japan would lose the third place in fifteen years. The think tank warns that the prediction must be viewed with caution because of the unpredictable changes in exchange rates.

– Meanwhile, according to experts, the super fake handbags, which are almost identical to the original bags and with a hefty price tag attached to it, are becoming & increasingly popular. The fake bags will cost between 15 and 35 euros, while quickly counts down from 350 to 1,000 euros for the “super fake bags” everywhere. That’s expensive, but they still cost only 20 percent of what you would pay for real bags and even experts find it difficult to distinguish the imitations from the originals. The term “super fake” was introduced because they are almost unrecognizable, said Mark Ellwood, author of the book “Bargain Fever”‘.  To be safe for example, if you want a genuine Louis Vuitton handbags and you’re in Paris, France, you only have to go to their 3 shops located in 6 Place Saint-Germain des Prés, 101 Champs-Élysées and 22 Avenue Montaigne…Fellow ladies, please, do not support the imitations or any of the “super fake” products. It is worth buying – only the originals.

–  A pleasant surprise for Hannah from the Orchard of the Dutch Yerseke. On Christmas Eve, she snapped suddenly “something hard” when she was eating oysters. It turned out to be a real gem. “At first I thought it was a crab” says Hannah, “until I put it on my hand and saw that it was a pearl.” She bought the oysters from a neighbor who works in the oyster industry. It is unclear how much the pearl worth but Hannah has no intention to sell it. She intends to make a ring out of the pearl for herself. Wise decision!

In behalf of my son Chris, I want to extend my sincerest thanks to our hosts Luz & Berly Tugas and Evelyn Tansuico of the Netherlands Embassy for their hospitality while here in Paris, France.

Have a great weekend everyone. See you again on Monday. I love you all!