Part of the issue might be that posters, not having seen any of your other post(s) would assume you are starting from scratch. Plus, some people, including myself, sometimes scan versus read every post, mea culpa, and miss a pertininet point.

When trips get split into multiple threads, the concensus on one thread gets lost.

I'm no Provence expert, but some of the posters who did respond are ones that I would trust if I were looking for information on the region. So I find it unfair to castigate them as 'gods' who cannot be contradicted. If experience makes you a god, I'm willing to visit that church when I need the 'real' info.

I acknowledge your frustration in your post, but as someone who wandered in and read it with none of the past history, it did seem both sides were a bit 'testy'.

I attribute it to lack of the whole picture, versus nastiness.

All forgiven?

Hey, on the Animal Channel "It's Snark Week!"
-----
When you're a Snark,
You're a snark all the way,
From your first travel regret
to you last dying say.

When you're Snark
If your fit causes a ban
There are other mothers around
You're outta here man!
_________

Thanks StCirq for posting the thread.

Stu Dudley, the Clark Griswold of Fodor's, offered some tangential advice and was not exactly on point but Myers answered him like he was a disobedient child.

One of the advantages of these boards are people offering ideas you may not have considered. It has been known to help.

Michel_Paris,
I hope I didn't use the word "contradict" as that is the last thing I wanted to say.

After going thru so much with car vs public transportation I merely wanted to focus on what could easily be done by public transportation and handle the other places later or in a different way.

All I wanted to do was avoid what had come up in my other threads.

Aduchamp1,

I never intended to treat anybody as a disobedient child. I'm sorry if it sounded that way.

However, my frustration showed when the same couple of people kept insisting on "my way or no way". It wasn't just an opinion.

Myer; You asked six simple questions. It was on topic until Stu went off topic. Then people started to get testy and it wasn't just you. Have a great trip. Richard

Richard,

You took a big risk.

And as every previous trip we'll have a great trip. Thanks.

I've never been to a place I didn't enjoy.

Among others Tuscany, Barcelona, Charleston, New York, nose-to-nose with a bear in Banff, hiking in Yellowstone, the beauty of Grand Teton and the National Parks in Utah.

They're all amazing!!!

The more I see the longer the list gets.

I just read your post, Myer, and totally agree with Richard. All things considered, I think you handled it well. (Some of your responses made me smile.)

I hope you get the advice you're seeking for your upcoming trip.

Boots

Maybe I should keep score.

The good guys vs the bad guys.

Thanks.

Myer; Everyone here is trying to help. Like Stu, but he went off topic. [Plus others] But your last post was not necessary. We are all good guys. So, let it go. Richard

Hey, that was just joking.

I never said who were the good guys or the bad guys.

mr_go

If you're still reading this thread, I just want to tell you how much I LOVE James.

Speaking of James:
I was reading the comments below a James video on youtube.com, and someone had written, "The Smiths were my real parents, but I was adopted by James when they died."

Clever, I thought.

Shame on who posted snarkiness is a way of life on the East Coast..
Mean spirited mediocrities, especially those with a smattering of learning are the most likely to be opinionated.
Someone wrote, " sharp tongue is no indication of a keen mind."

tuscanlife: Oh, then sit down. Oh, sit down. Sit down next to me!

> cigalechanta on Jan 4, 12 at 8:03am
I hate the responses, Why do you want to go there?<

This response is a tough one on the internet because of the lack of intonation and body language. It could be a snarky response~ "Why do you want to go THERE??" as in "that place is a $hithole and you're a fool for wanting to go" as opposed to "WHY do you want to go there?" as in what particularly do you want to see~a certain landmark, a certain type of food, a lot of museums?

I find it snarky when a poster asks about something specific they want to do and they're told it's stupid and they should do something else. One OP who loves roller coaster wanted to go to Disneyland for her 21st birthday asked about the different amusement parks in SoCal. The poster who responded with the advice that if roller coasters were her top priority, she might want to consider a different park~that was helpful advice. The poster who responded with "I personally hate amusement parks, you should go to Paris instead" was opnionated, rude, and......snarky.

Ah, but Provence is not Disneyland (thank goodness!)

A seemingly snarky response in one thread may be, in another context, very helpful in another thread.

I agree with you that - at the moment - the internet responses are a bit two-dimensional in that tone of voice, facial features like smiles, etc. are all lacking.

Which goes back to responding in as plain (unvarnished) English as possible with maybe a few words to take the place of gestures and other means by which one's speech is understand.

In other words, something to preface...

"An alternative might be..."

"In my opinion..."

Words to this effect so that one doesn't come across as trying to corral the other poster into one's own favorites.

>One of the advantages of these boards are people offering ideas you may not have considered.<

Exactly!! Not everything wonderful is listed in guide books or on the internet. I once asked a question along the lines of "I'm going to XXX, this is what we have planned; what do locals do/where do they go that's not well known?" I got several thoughtful replies (ended up taking a spectacular hike that wasn't listed anywhere), but one snarkster simply chastised with "I don't know why you would plan a trip and not do research to see what's available there." Methinks that particular poster just wanted an excuse to be nasty anonymously.

All too often you see these scenarios (slightly exaggerated for effect)-

OP: We are going to Minneapolis in February and are looking for tips on what to see and do...
Fodorite A: Why would you go to Minneapolis in FEBRUARY??? Can't you go somewhere warmer? etc

Whereas Fodorite B thinks/says: (Maybe the OP has an elderly relative they'd like to visit and the only time they can go is February)...Hi OP, if you're interested in the arts, I would recommend a visit to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts...

or

OP: I'm looking for suggestions on what to see and do in Paris...however I'm not interesting in seeing the Latin Quarter or Montmartre...

Fodorite A: Why don't you want to visit the Latin Quarter? Is there a particular reason? Do you have something against Latin?

Fodorite B: (Maybe the OP has already visited the above, or because they only have three days, those places might be of low priority.) Hi OP, you might enjoy a stroll along the Champs Elysees...

People read, interpret and react to posts differently. However Fodorville will assuredly be a much better place if everyone marked their responses with tact, patience and kindness. If that's too difficult, let someone else respond.

<i>Ah, but Provence is not Disneyland</i>

Of course not! It's more expensive, and the toilets aren't as nice.

[beware the dreaded troll-snark!]

"An alternative might be..."

"In my opinion..."

This is beginning to sound like an anger management class.

Sorry, Dickie, never been to an anger management class, so wouldn't know what you are referring to. :)

And smiley faces. That's another helpful aid to two dimensional words.

boots08: good post!

boots,
On occasion,I have seen where the OP says I do not want to do XXX or go to YYY, and, when asked, says.."well a friend of mine says they are rude, too many pickpockets, don't speak english, nothing to see, etc.."

So sometimes the OP is stating a condition, based on incorrect info...IMHO ;)