Does anybody actually live here?

Merisin · Post by **Merisin** » Tue 17 Sep 2013 08:36

Well I hope that got your attention!

We went up to MTP at the weekend for a party and to say au revoir to some French Canadian friends who are moving on. There was only one other couple of Brits so we naturally got talking. You know how it is. They had a few gripes about their village. More specifically the way it was run. Yet when we suggested they could maybe change things next year we got an odd look. "At the ballot box" we suggested. "Oh we don't vote" they replied "It's such a drag having to go and spend half an hour registering". Which was amusing because they had previously talked about eating a leisurely lunch at the cafe just two houses up from the Mairie!

In MTP the equivalent of La Semaine is La Gazette. What a difference. La Gazette is about four times the size, comes with seven day TV guide and is almost half the price of the Catalan propaganda sheet. It's printed in France too!

So we get home on Sunday in time to catch the evening news on TV. At least the Affaire Benitez hasn't made too much impact nationally. There seems to be some form of mass hysteria at work. Not only is Allison B missing assumed murdered but two more youngsters caught up in the world of beauty pagents have committed suicide. It must be awful for their families.

No, we did not watch Hollande in his fireside chat to the nation on TF1. My OH read in the papers that more people watched him than Catherine Deneuve who was interviewed on FR2 at the same time.. Which says something.

That's it. just thought I'd throw in something about living here for a change. It's got really dull on here of late. IMHO!

Mary

Post by **Admin** » Tue 17 Sep 2013 09:10

This is it though isnt it Paul? What is interesting for one is less so for another, and vice versa. Fortunately, we have never set out to become, or made any claim to be, anything other than a platform for requesting and passing on info regarding local issues.

For news, excitement and all things none 'dull', there are plenty of other excellent forms of social media much bigger, better, cleverer and more stimulating that we would every wish to be!!

tia · Post by **tia** » Tue 17 Sep 2013 10:54

I'm lost here, I thought if you weren't french you weren't allowed to vote? That's what I've always been told anyway, hubby and kids always receive thier voter cards but not me

. Even for the village maire. As for the forum, I find it is doing pretty well, prefer this than people going on about politics, plenty of forums on the internet to go and talk about that never ending subject

opas · Post by **opas** » Tue 17 Sep 2013 11:35

We can vote for the Maire, European but not french general election.

I am not really into politics of any country, if I was I would join a forum to debate on.

tia · Post by **tia** » Tue 17 Sep 2013 13:28

lived here years and never knew I could vote for the maire, knew about the european thing but never actually done it.

Sue · Post by **Sue** » Tue 17 Sep 2013 18:18

Mary, Merisin, Paul or whoever, that was the most pointless post I have ever read. No politics here please. Plenty of other forums/sites for that!

Colin L · Post by **Colin L** » Tue 17 Sep 2013 21:38

Where is MTP?

opas · Post by **opas** » Tue 17 Sep 2013 22:21

I nearly asked that.....so glad you did! I have a place in mind.

Does it have a huge teaching hospital and a tramway with lovely flowers painted on the trams? if not I am stuffed.

If you like the paper of that area because they have a good telly mag in there, either contact La semaine and do something about it (like you suggest about the person who does not like what is happening in their village)..........or move! I believe there is a forum that covers that area quite well, the few posts on there can be entertaining, oh I forgot , you do post on there

Owens88 · Post by **Owens88** » Tue 17 Sep 2013 23:58

There is Party Politics and real-life politics. I for one would be interested in the 'local fix', as filtered through the expats on here, on issues such as Hollande going it alone but Cameron putting it to Parliament.

There is also local 'realpolitik' and stories about catalan political groups vs French law. Our French neighbour gives us one perspective but balance is appreciated.

Marisin. If I lived in 66 I would integrate and vote.

Merisin · Post by **Merisin** » Sat 12 Oct 2013 10:43

I wasn't very encouraged by the hostile remarks after my last effort and so I've been quiet ever since. But I guess I should say thank you for pointing out that my brother in law had not done a very good job of cleaning up his old netbook before he sold it to me. My man has fixed that now.

Just to prove a point I'll be joining friends at Banyuls tomorrow. You can't miss me. I'm a grey haired Scots granny with a Glasgow accent escorted by my fine husband wearing tartan trews. Oh, another thing. I'm a metisse. Dad was from Arran and mother from Trinidad. I look awfully like my dear old mum. So if you see me why not come up and say Hi.

Mary

Colin L · Post by **Colin L** » Sat 12 Oct 2013 11:46

I'm still hoping to find out where MTP is.

Post by **Admin** » Sat 12 Oct 2013 11:54

opas · Post by **opas** » Sat 12 Oct 2013 13:53

Colin L wrote:I'm still hoping to find out where MTP is.

Montpellier?

Santiago · Post by **Santiago** » Sun 13 Oct 2013 10:48

Merisin wrote:I wasn't very encouraged by the hostile remarks after my last effort and so I've been quiet ever since. But I guess I should say thank you for pointing out that my brother in law had not done a very good job of cleaning up his old netbook before he sold it to me. My man has fixed that now.

Just to prove a point I'll be joining friends at Banyuls tomorrow. You can't miss me. I'm a grey haired Scots granny with a Glasgow accent escorted by my fine husband wearing tartan trews. Oh, another thing. I'm a metisse. Dad was from Arran and mother from Trinidad. I look awfully like my dear old mum. So if you see me why not come up and say Hi.

Mary

I'll be going to Banyuls later today. I'll look out for you.

Colin L · Post by **Colin L** » Sun 13 Oct 2013 11:37

Santiago wrote:
Merisin wrote:I wasn't very encouraged by the hostile remarks after my last effort and so I've been quiet ever since. But I guess I should say thank you for pointing out that my brother in law had not done a very good job of cleaning up his old netbook before he sold it to me. My man has fixed that now.

Just to prove a point I'll be joining friends at Banyuls tomorrow. You can't miss me. I'm a grey haired Scots granny with a Glasgow accent escorted by my fine husband wearing tartan trews. Oh, another thing. I'm a metisse. Dad was from Arran and mother from Trinidad. I look awfully like my dear old mum. So if you see me why not come up and say Hi.

Mary
I'll be going to Banyuls later today. I'll look out for you.

A Trinidadian Weegie Granny + Grampa in tartan trews. You're going to have a job picking them out in a crowd.

opas · Post by **opas** » Sun 13 Oct 2013 14:55

Whereas a 6ft 3 grey haired Scotsman in disguise as a local can be spotted a mile away atBaho vide grenier.....

You was there this morning about 10.45 wern`t you Colin?

Santiago · Post by **Santiago** » Mon 14 Oct 2013 11:24

Well, we went to Banyuls. Saw one bloke in a kilt but that was all.

The beach was rammed with people. Great atmosphere but you certainly need to go as a group and get your meal organised beforehand.

I was a bit surprised that the local wineries were not participating in their own fete des vendanges on the Sunday. They should have been selling wine for the thousands of merry-makers.

As it was, we saw one table with a two bag-in-boxes. One of Bordeaux and one of Cotes du Rhone.

We took a photo and told them we would out them on Facebook later

Merisin · Post by **Merisin** » Tue 15 Oct 2013 07:57

Santiago wrote:Well, we went to Banyuls. Saw one bloke in a kilt but that was all.

I was a bit surprised that the local wineries were not participating in their own fete des vendanges on the Sunday. They should have been selling wine for the thousands of merry-makers.

:

Showed this to our hosts who live in Banyuls. They laughed. It's a Harvest Festival not a Foire aux Vins. An extension of the tradition of sitting down with family and friends to celebrate the end of the recolte.

In fact our friends are less than happy with the foire aux vins bit which mostly happens on the Saturday. You pay 5 euros for a glass on a string and off you go to as many caves as you like. By the end of the day there a fair few folks around visibly much the worse for the drink.

Merisin

PS The bloke in the kilt has a name. He's called John, was interviewed by the press and had his photo in yesterday's L'Indep.

monsans · Post by **monsans** » Tue 15 Oct 2013 10:14

Quick I'm off to buy the lot!!!

Colin L · Post by **Colin L** » Tue 15 Oct 2013 10:24

Merisin wrote:. By the end of the day there a fair few folks around visibly much the worse for the drink.

Jings, crivvens, help ma boab.
French festival day ends with some people foo, stocious, miraculous, stottin, reekin, hammered, steamin, blootered, guttered etc from too much Salvador Dali.

Which being translated for those who found that just a little impenetrable, means it's hardly headline news that some ended a festival day a little bit worse for wear from drinking too much.

But you didn't need the translation, Merisin, did you

Sue · Post by **Sue** » Tue 15 Oct 2013 11:10

Yippee for John aka the bloke in the kilt!

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