Page 1 of 1

Life Café? More like a morgue

Posted: Fri 05 Jun 2020 06:53
by Rombolo
Come on people, the least we can do is give Kate a bit of editorial gymnastics.
Have you no opinions on any of the recent world issues that will eventually impact of P-O life? A café where no-one puts the world to rights?


Dominic Cummings breaking lockdown?
George Floyd murder by US police?
Trump threating US citizens with army?
China threatening Hong Kong sovereignty?
Bolsonaro in Brazil letting the favela residents just die in disproportionate numbers, as he thinks Covid19 is flu?
14 day quarantine imposed in and out of England?
Brexit negotiations being stifled by Covid19? Hard Brexit more likely.
Second Covid19 spike likely across Europe due to lifting lockdown too early?

It is not that hard to start a conversation really over any topic.

As someone once said, " Use it or lose it". This is a forum after all.

Re: Life Café? More like a morgue

Posted: Fri 05 Jun 2020 08:49
by Kate
Thank you Rombolo - tho' I have been running this morning! :D :D :D
It seems that everybody has migrated to Facebook - and yet the forum is easier to follow, doesn't disappear down the page, is easy to consult....
Plenty of people look at it, we have new members joining daily - but very few people post. I've stopped even trying to understand it!
Come on everybody. Say a little something! :D :D :D :D

Re: Life Café? More like a morgue

Posted: Fri 05 Jun 2020 09:26
by Rombolo
Thanks Kate. Facebook!! 🤮

I quote William Shatner to inspire your readership to break their silence for the good of the planet, and not just the P-O!

"We meet aliens every day who have something to give us. They come in the form of people with different opinions."

William Shatner

Re: Life Café? More like a morgue

Posted: Sat 06 Jun 2020 08:28
by Gus Morris
Kate wrote: Fri 05 Jun 2020 08:49 Thank you Rombolo - tho' I have been running this morning! :D :D :D
It seems that everybody has migrated to Facebook - and yet the forum is easier to follow, doesn't disappear down the page, is easy to consult....
Plenty of people look at it, we have new members joining daily - but very few people post. I've stopped even trying to understand it!
Come on everybody. Say a little something! :D :D :D :D
I suspect that there are others like me. Formerly quite active on this forum but now just loooking in occasionally out of curiosity. We no longer contribute.

Anecdotal evidence suggsts that forums and FB groups tend to have a predictable life cycle. They start off vey active with large numbers of participants covering a wide range of subjects. Over time they evolve into Q and A platforms and marketplaces. Then they die.

The root causes are complex and probably fertile ground for many a doctoral thesis. My personal view is that exposure to social media often leads to distrust of the system. Sooner or later participants willl have negative experiences. Once bitten twice shy.

Gus

Re: Life Café? More like a morgue

Posted: Sat 06 Jun 2020 09:34
by Rombolo
Kate wrote: Fri 05 Jun 2020 08:49 Thank you Rombolo - tho' I have been running this morning! :D :D :D
It seems that everybody has migrated to Facebook - and yet the forum is easier to follow, doesn't disappear down the page, is easy to consult....
Plenty of people look at it, we have new members joining daily - but very few people post. I've stopped even trying to understand it!
Come on everybody. Say a little something! :D :D :D :D
Kate,
Perhaps to encourage all your Rank 5 contributors who DO NOT produce some contribution each week, should lose some ranking. They should have to work to keep the ranking and thus actively support P-O Life.
Gus obviously does care enough to respond and support your efforts to bring this all together, and I am sure he is not alone.
One would think that such a beautiful region would inspire all those budding creative types to burst forth a bit more. I remember the first time I drove down into the area past Leucate and the sea and the lagoon spread out before me, I nearly burst out into song such was the emotional joy. 😍 🎶 The hills are alive ....🎶

Re: Life Café? More like a morgue

Posted: Sat 06 Jun 2020 16:40
by Kate
Know what you mean. I still feel that way every time I go away (Be singing Paul Young all day now :D ). Soon as I see the Alberes range ahead I feel good, know I’m home.

Not sure that most people will be terribly bothered to lose their rating.....but all ideas welcome.

Re: Life Café? More like a morgue

Posted: Sat 06 Jun 2020 17:01
by Rombolo
Paul Young....he was my next back catalogue to draw upon!

Ah, maybe the newsletter is dead and Facebook is easier but Zuckerberg is such a spineless jerk, I will never join.
At least we have increased the newsletter input by at least 30% in one day! Personally I think some more photos of you running will boost local interest 😉

Re: Life Café? More like a morgue

Posted: Sat 06 Jun 2020 17:15
by Kate
:D :D :D :D :D

Re: Life Café? More like a morgue

Posted: Sun 07 Jun 2020 12:26
by russell
Rombolo wrote: Fri 05 Jun 2020 09:26 Facebook!! 🤮
I couldn't agree more. It might be useful for keeping in touch with friends and family but it is so difficult to find a post you are interested in amongst all the dross. Why do people think that anyone is interested in a photo of their lunch or a post about their first glass of wine (with photo). Worst still are all the random posts that Facebook thinks might interest me.

Regarding this site, I rarely post anything these days, probably three posts in the last month but rarely does anyone comment or follow up so why bother? Why, because it could be a very valuable place to exchange useful information unlike Facebook.

Russell

Re: Life Café? More like a morgue

Posted: Sun 07 Jun 2020 16:47
by opas
Kate wrote: Sat 06 Jun 2020 16:40 Know what you mean. I still feel that way every time I go away (Be singing Paul Young all day now :D ). Soon as I see the Alberes range ahead I feel good, know I’m home.

Not sure that most people will be terribly bothered to lose their rating.....but all ideas welcome.

Here goes... Get some banned members back :lol: :lol:

But seriously, this dinosaur enjoyed using your forum, you and your admin then opened a FB group, I was left talking to myself and had to join the modern world.

I do look in most days, if something catches my eye I will respond or message the person concerned, but I was never a prolific poster.

Re: Life Café? More like a morgue

Posted: Sun 07 Jun 2020 17:05
by Kate
Haha. I’ve only ever banned one person from this forum. :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

But yes you’re right. I started the Facebook page and group because I felt that I needed to move with the times But it killed the forum. I don’t love Facebook myself. People get just as argumentative there as they used to on this forum! LOL Thought that Facebook would be slightly different as people are posting in their real names, but it is mostly just the same. Easy tho to share info or post photos. Have tried to entice people from Facebook back to the forum but it wasn’t very successful. :roll:

Re: Life Café? More like a morgue

Posted: Sun 07 Jun 2020 17:32
by nickiwynne
Hello,
I look at the forum and website most days but I’m afraid I don’t contribute much -I am not in France for long enough each year to have much specialist/ insider knowledge- and have no idea how your ranking system works. I’m not on FB (still working as a teacher and of the generation which was ‘ advised’ not to use it....).
But I’d be lost without my daily dose of PO66. Over the past 16 years it has been my link to Amelie les Bains and has allowed me to ‘feel’ that we are there far more often than we really are. If we manage to get there this summer it will have been the longest period in 16 years since a previous visit.... Easter’s trip was cancelled and the summer one may go the same way..... but let’s stay positive and look forward to finding out what’s going on in this beautiful region.
So, please keep posting and sharing suggestions/concerns/questions. One day I might even be able to help someone out!
Nicki

Re: Life Café? More like a morgue

Posted: Sun 07 Jun 2020 18:08
by Rombolo
Hi Nicki,
I would say you are EXACTLY the type of contributor who is perfectly qualified to post in the newsletter. You have more love, more questions and more appreciation than those who live there permanently most probably. The human condition we have all experienced, we eventually take our surroundings for granted, wherever we live.

You are the new blood needed to bring life back into this much loved, FB free zone. 👩‍💻

Re: Life Café? More like a morgue

Posted: Sun 07 Jun 2020 20:36
by alan
I would like to associate myself entirely with what Nicki says. Jan and I bought our second home in Port Vendres in 2004 and we have not been able to visit since the end of February. We are hoping to be able to get down at the end of July and if we can't fly we shall try to drive which is something we haven't done since the time of the Volcanic Ash Cloud!

Kate started PO Life and this Forum at about the same time we bought in PV and nobody could have shown more enthusiasm than Kate for both over the years. I have found both invaluable. For my part the Forum and PO Life work best when they provide for the exchange of information rather than a place where people can put “the world to rights” by discussing the things which Rombolo suggested in his post on Friday afternoon.

We have booked flights from Stansted to Perpignan on 26 July with my daughter travelling with her family in August from East Midlands to Carcassonne. I'll post something on the Forum from time to time as our plans develop and change particularly with regard to quarantine arrangements at either end. Hopefully that might be of help to others.

Alan

Re: Life Café? More like a morgue

Posted: Sun 07 Jun 2020 21:16
by Kate
Thank you Alan. That’s really kind. :oops:

Re: Life Café? More like a morgue

Posted: Sun 07 Jun 2020 21:47
by nickiwynne
Hello Rombolo,
Not sure about being ‘ new blood’ but if, like Allan, I can help someone in the way we have been helped over the years, I’d be delighted.
We are planning (more in hope than expectation at this stage, sadly) to get the direct Eurostar ( first time!!) down from Ashford to Avignon, pick up a hire car and drive to Amelie. On 19 th July.........
As things stand at the moment , till 28 th June there are no trains to/from Ashford, no trains to / from Avignon and no non essential travel to France - plus quarantine periods in place at either end of the journey.
Plan B is to drive all the way, assuming the non essential and quarantine rules have been relaxed.....
I’ll keep you posted!
Nicki

Re: Life Café? More like a morgue

Posted: Mon 08 Jun 2020 11:30
by alan
We have used Eurostar from Ashford to Avignon but not since the summer of 2012 so things may well have changed.

It's a long journey at high speed through French countryside much of which is quite boring. However, the service used to be popular with families and there was a very pleasant atmosphere on the train.

Arriving at Avignon everyone descended on the one car hire desk (Avis) and the queue was horrendous. We used to go for a drink and return later but at times Avis would run out of vehicles, even those pre-booked.

The most memorable part of our last journey down in July 2012 was staying overnight in Nimes. Elton John was closing the Nimes Festival and we listened to the whole of his concert sitting just outside the Roman Arena where he was performing; a very special evening.

Re: Life Café? More like a morgue

Posted: Mon 08 Jun 2020 20:26
by nickiwynne
Thank you for that, Alan.
The car rental tips are useful.
My brother and his family took the train for the same journey last year and we’re very impressed so fingers crossed......

Re: Life Café? More like a morgue

Posted: Tue 09 Jun 2020 00:00
by alan
Nicki

When we used Eurostar the train arrived at Avignon Centre train station but from what I can see now, it arrives at the TGV station, with a shuttle to the centre, before going on to Marseille. I don't know what car hire is like at the TGV station.

Here is a link to the Seat 61 website which may be of help generally

https://www.seat61.com/eurostar-to-lyon ... seille.htm

Alan

Re: Life Café? More like a morgue

Posted: Tue 09 Jun 2020 07:51
by Sus
nickiwynne wrote: Sun 07 Jun 2020 21:47 Hello Rombolo,
Not sure about being ‘ new blood’ but if, like Allan, I can help someone in the way we have been helped over the years, I’d be delighted.
We are planning (more in hope than expectation at this stage, sadly) to get the direct Eurostar ( first time!!) down from Ashford to Avignon, pick up a hire car and drive to Amelie. On 19 th July.........
As things stand at the moment , till 28 th June there are no trains to/from Ashford, no trains to / from Avignon and no non essential travel to France - plus quarantine periods in place at either end of the journey.
Plan B is to drive all the way, assuming the non essential and quarantine rules have been relaxed.....
I’ll keep you posted!
Nicki
Hi Nicki,
my husband has taken the train from Montpellier to London with a change in Paris, it was really easy. There were controls but more on the French side than the UK. Now the trains are running again to Perpignan and you can take the Eurostar to Paris and then the direct TGV to Perpignan. I prefer it to taking the plane, can't stand Ryanair!
Hope it goes well for you
Sus

Re: Life Café? More like a morgue

Posted: Tue 09 Jun 2020 10:11
by alan
We took the TGV from Montpellier to London a few years ago when our Easyjet flight was cancelled at the last minute and we had to get home quickly. The hotel where we were spending the night did the booking and all went smoothly apart from changing trains and stations in Paris.

We are seasoned travellers and had hand-luggage only but still found the time allowed for getting across Paris very tight. Just something to watch if you go down this route.

Alan

Re: Life Café? More like a morgue

Posted: Tue 09 Jun 2020 20:27
by nickiwynne
Hello Sus,
Thank you. That does sound encouraging.
We’ve chosen to go to Avignon to avoid changing in Paris but obviously Montpellier is closer at the other end. Swings and roundabouts.....
The latest is that there are no trains to/ from Ashford to/ from Avignon till at least 29 th June. Paris and Brussels seem to be the only active destinations at the moment. Fingers crossed!! Nicki

Re: Life Café? More like a morgue

Posted: Wed 10 Jun 2020 12:41
by Sus
alan wrote: Tue 09 Jun 2020 10:11 We took the TGV from Montpellier to London a few years ago when our Easyjet flight was cancelled at the last minute and we had to get home quickly. The hotel where we were spending the night did the booking and all went smoothly apart from changing trains and stations in Paris.

We are seasoned travellers and had hand-luggage only but still found the time allowed for getting across Paris very tight. Just something to watch if you go down this route.

Alan
Hm, that is unusual as there is a direct RER which takes less than 10min, they must have booked you a very tight connection. I tend to book the whole journey on SNCF and most of the time it allows min 1.5hrs for the change in Paris which is more than enough time. It is also a very beautiful walk of about 1hr if so inclined.

Re: Life Café? More like a morgue

Posted: Wed 10 Jun 2020 19:04
by alan
Thanks Sus

I think what happened is that we told the hotel that we needed to get home quickly and they took us at our word!

If we were doing it now, I think we would look at all options and may indeed walk between stations.

Alan