just john

We were staying outside Bordeaux so didn't need overnight parking at that time, but knew the hours of 5am until1am in the morning but not the 2m limit before, so arriving at10 am to find the 2m limit was a problem we overcame by parking elsewhere and walking to the tram. Next time I would wish to have secure parking rather than a surprise ;-)

I did contact TBM by phone and they confirmed the restriction of 2m. I also contacted the Marie to be told I could park overnight 7pm to 6pm free anywhere in Bordeaux but charges apply during the day, they were unable to ssy which Private parking facilities could accommodate over 2m except to say there were some . . . I'm sure others have vehicles over 2m or may be able to advise where to park? . . .

Recent plan to spend a long weekend in Bordeaux was almost a disaster as I approached Buttineres Park and ride to discover a height restriction of 2m! Some time was spent finding alternstive "wild parking" before a walk to the tram. Does this mean there is no park & ride available for vehicles over 2m, despite no height restriction on the open air top storey? Any suggestions welcome . . .

Many thanks Harnser, nomoss and dave21478 for suggestions will go looking . . .

Any recommendations for companies specialising in this? I had used an agent in Paris for a previous 204, but disposed of details some time ago, now looking for insurance for a classic car and bike, not for regular use, all advice welcome. (Did speak to the bank but they were unable to insure due to the age; (1990); nor advise of suitable companies ...)

Sometime since I've posted or spent Christmas break here; so expecting to take pot luck with my local places but wonder if anyone is aware of a Chambre d'Hote or Restaurant open during this period and near to Charente / Dordogne border?

After all why would they put resources into clever people like Amazon and Google who would only evade taxation . . .

Saw it, loved his stuff after buying Velvet underground album many moons ago

Of course the journey is almost peak time with little booking time, but the cost over every alternative carrier with full seats working out almost the same beggars belief . . .

Planning a week (or even 5 day) hol over the New Year; Whether by short or long sea crossing, chunnel or direjet air the cost (taking into account other costs, fuel parking etc) seems to work out the same within a tenner!?! What a crazy conspiracy! What a nonsense, where's the competition?

He was in ecstasy, with a huge smile on his face, as his wife moved forwards, then backwards, forward, then backwards again ....... back and forth ..... back and forth ...... in and out ...... in and out.She could feel the sweat on her forehead and between her breasts, and trickling down the small of her back, as she was getting near to the end. Her heart was pounding ... her face was flushed ... then she moaned, softly at first, then began to groan louder. Finally, totally exhausted, she let out an almighty scream and shouted, "OK, OK! Park the f'ing car yourself, you SMUG b------!

Life has of course changed for many of us, but those no longer with us of which Coops was an exceptional one, are still in our thoughts. Bon courage.

Cooper Lola, recommend the Club de l'ouest to me, they have English speakers, will cover multiple vehicles, ie. English & French cars, and of course you get the added benefit of the members grandstand at Le mans! Automobile Club de l'Ouest - Service Membres Circuit des 24 Heures - CS21928 72019 Le Mans Cedex 2 - France 02 43 40 50 60 (de 8h30 à 18h du lundi au vendredi) [email protected] / www.lemans.org L D lines

Just down the road from me, and on a very useful rat run avoiding Dorch congestion.

[quote user="sweet 17"] Can't guarantee rain in the next 6 minutes, nevermind 6 hours, so will hold off until the fine weather decides to return.[/quote] Do you mean IF fine weather EVER decides to return! ;-) I've never known a summer like it, at least the Ivy likes it, just what does kill the stuff (roots below concrete!)

[quote user="pachapapa"]€ 7...wow...reckon a Domino would be better, then.[/quote] Hi Pachapapa, where's you bin? wish I'd known about this before, I must sing the praises of this device from the rooftops! I have tried using my UK mobile as a hotspot at vast expense and with great unreliability, logging on and being charged for an unusably intermittent service from both apple O2 and HTC Vodaphone. Attempts to buy a French dongle were literally declined at several phone shops as useless in my area!. Just to prove I'm no quitter I went into yet one more, this time an Orange shop, unfortunately the lovely shop assistant's attempt to explain and sell me the Domino failed especially at €100. Fortunately several Orange shops all in Rue Herge, Angouleme, and I found one to explain (she used google translate on her mobile to overcome my petit peu French) with an offer of €48 for the device plus 1 months usage for a further €20, so far so good, plenty of signal and no connection problems in most of the house! The only problem now is to get off the thing and do some work.[Www]  

Imbibed

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/frances-enemy-number-one-armed-robber-redoine-faid-is-now-on-the-run-after-a-spectacular-jail-break-8577291.html  

It may be incidental but the IMO (International Maritime Organization) requires that English shall be used on the bridge as the working language for bridge-to-bridge and bridge-to-shore safety communications as well as for communications on board between the pilot and bridge watchkeeping personnel  

An appropriate enough award and motto. [URL=http://s256.photobucket.com/user/classic69_72/media/cherishfreedom_zps542aaa55.jpg.html][IMG]http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh166/classic69_72/cherishfreedom_zps542aaa55.jpg[/IMG][/URL] Blazon: On a lozenge circumscribed by the Garter and the Ribbon of the Order of Merit with Cross pendant therefrom, surmounted by a baron's coronet, per chevron azure gules, a double key in chief between two lions combatant a tower with portcullis in base all or, with supporters: dexter: An admiral of the British Navy; sinister: Sir Isaac Newton holding in his left hand weighing scales, both proper. Motto: CHERISH FREEDOM.

Thanks for the reply Nick, I'm currently revising my heating from tired Electric rads in the bedrooms to air to air exchanger in the bedrooms (for the dual air con feature) and since I'm tired of making up / cleaning up after the wood fire my friendly plumber is convincing me to install underfloor heating (70sqm) from air to water Heat Pump, Any experience of this out there?    

Does anyone have any info on a heat exchange pump which uses an existing well as the source? any links gratefully received.  

I remember the strikes of the Seventies; it seemed as if the Unions didn't give a toss about anyone but themselves. This comment on Mark Steel's article in the Independent sums up my experience rather well: "Are you aware of what happened in the 1970s? As part of their dispute with the Government the mining unions restricted coal supply. We had a three day week because there wasn't enough electricity, and we suffered regular rolling blackouts. We couldn't import coal because the dockers would have gone on strike in secondary action. The unions were quite happy to selfishly drain money away from the rest of society to live their pipe dream of a class struggle dialectic that would lead to the great workers' revolt and the new world to come. Meanwhile, the UK's standard of living dropped, we had 24.2% inflation and were bailed out by the IMF to prevent us going bankrupt. My mother wept every week when she came home from the shops and saw how little her meagre money could now buy. Part of the deal with the IMF that saved the country from anarchy was to reduce public spending. Wilson couldn't do it. Callaghan couldn't do it. When he tried, the Public Service Workers refused to collect rubbish and the streets piled high with it. Meanwhile, other strikes meant no graves were dug and the bodies of loved ones were left unburied. I mean, talk about lack of compassion!?! The misery inflicted on Britain in the pursuit of a reality detached from the rest of the world was horrendous. Yet there's no vilification for the vileness of the Unions and the way they destroyed the fabric of UK life in the 70s. That's the background to Thatcher's policies that Mark is quite happy to gloss over in the vilification of the individual, Margaret Thatcher. As a socialist, I thought he would follow the Marx / Engels concept of dialectic - that history is a process of competing forces and is bigger than the individual. But no. With Thatcher it's quite the opposite. With Thatcher, everything rests on her shoulders. She probably invented AIDS and global warming, too. After 30 years of disastrous union belligerence, restrictive practice, closed shop, secondary picketing and open ballots that coerced dissenting voices into line, what else was going to happen as part of the reaction against the awfulness of the times? Being attacked as a scab and burned out of your home for wanting to go to work - that was the reality of some of the extremes of the 70s. Neither left nor right comes out of this with any honours whatsoever. That is the number one lesson of the 70s and 80s, if any is to be drawn at all. Tell the whole story. That's all I ask of newspaper columnists. Tell it all. Good and proper."

[quote user="nectarine"]  Not sure what the moral is, but just wanted to tell this tale.[/quote] The moral is that some are fed stories, some of which are old wives tales and some are based in reality. Britain was switched to a Market economy, No subsidies. Reality is that the Mines were shut and no-one wanted to open them again. Despite the fantasy that the Pits would be too difficult to re-open, the reality was that there was insufficient market value to make it worthwhile then or now when energy is more important than ever, Coal is not green enough. Time to move on, get Fracking.

While on honeymoon ''Don’t bother me. Focking busy. And visa-versa'' - Dorothy Parker