On Mar 11, 11:01 am, Bertie the Bunyip wrote:
Dan wrote :



On Mar 10, 10:47 pm, "Jay Honeck" wrote:
If Joe tries first to speak spanish (or german, or french, or...
etc) even if he fails
misserably, that will be seen as an ice breaker and he'll be able
to continue
in english if needed. Most europeans speak decent english in turist
cities, and
a lot even in more remote places.

When I travel abroad and my size and demeanor label me as an American
(that's tall, not wide).

As soon as I begin speaking French, the barriers dissolve and the
welcomes begin.

It's sad, in a way, but understandable. I've silently witnessed the
"Tourists" coming in and acting like asses.

I think if we stop all tourism departing from NY we'll solve 75% of
the problem.

Nah, americans are as amateurs compared to the Brits. They are, hands
donw, far and away, the worst tourists who ever lived. Americans ma be a
bit clueless, but they're actually ( and I'm generalising here) abit
more in awe of local culture even if they don;t like it. The brits will
throw a union jack over whatever it is they find, rename it and start
serving fish and chips. They're currently on a "**** over france" binge.
Their med resorts are simply appaling. I wandered into one in Corfu a
few years ago and it had to be seen to be believed. The Greeks wisely
tiled every public place in the town (Kavos) so they could hose them
down after they were finished.

Bertie

Bertie

LOL.. now that's funny.

Read Daniel Boorstin's "The Image" and you'll never be the same again.
Absolutely ravages the "tourist" mentality (among so many other
things).

(Boorstin was former librarian of Congress -- so this isn't kook
pamphlet).

Dan