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09-22-2017, 09:56 AM
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#21
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Full time employment: Posting here.
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 662
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We really enjoyed the time we spent in Barcelona. I would hate to see it deteriorate. It was a lovely city to visit when we were there. I didn't feel uncomfortable at all. In fact the only place I did not care for was Las Ramblas...too crowded. Enjoyed the area around Las Ramblas, just the street itself was too crowded.
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09-22-2017, 10:03 AM
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#22
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 5,830
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Spain is a big country and there are lots of great places to see and visit.
We toured Greece during the 'difficult' times. We had no problems. The demos in Athens were short lived and in a small area. The news reports we saw prior to leaving were completely overblown and sensationalized. As soon as we left Athens, throughout the Peloponnese and on the islands we saw no disruption whatsoever.
We had the identical experience when we first went to Thailand four years ago.
What we saw and experienced in Bangkok was very different than what we saw on the TV news during the 10 days prior to our departure.
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09-22-2017, 10:03 AM
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#23
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Rio Grande Valley
Posts: 37,931
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Last year Barcelona was packed with tourists while southern France (Provence, Côte d'Azur) suffered a 20% drop in tourism. Every year, something different.
I don't worry about traveling in Europe. Europe is very safe compared to most of the world including the US!
__________________
Retired since summer 1999.
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09-22-2017, 10:29 AM
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#24
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 5,830
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Absolutely. We feel as safe or safer in European cities as we do in many US cities.
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09-22-2017, 10:38 AM
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#25
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 8,368
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From the link I recently posted on "Anyone got any travel..."
Quote:
I arrived in Zāhedān with my then-girlfriend in May 1995 in order to catch the twice-monthly train to Quetta in Pakistan. Not that many years ago, Zāhedān was called Dozda, which translates as Thieves, and having spent the afternoon of our arrival wandering through its streets, I can tell you it is not the sort of place you want to spend any time in unless you absolutely have to. It was like a scene out of Arabian Nights with shady characters on every street corner watching our every move. It was horrible and we couldn’t wait to leave.
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I was there 32 years before he was.......doubt it was much/any better then.....just be careful, is all, don't hide under the bed after every creak of the floorboards.
__________________
"Exit, pursued by a bear."
The Winter's Tale, William Shakespeare
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09-22-2017, 10:41 AM
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#26
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Moderator
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Flyover country
Posts: 25,155
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I've heard tourist information is hard to find in Barcelona.
__________________
I thought growing old would take longer.
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I hear Mayberry, NC is nice
09-22-2017, 08:33 PM
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#27
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: The Shire
Posts: 1,504
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I hear Mayberry, NC is nice
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nemo2
I'd be more concerned about those who drive vans up Las Ramblas deliberately killing people......(was there a thread about that?)
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The case for choosing somewhere else just keeps building, doesn't it?
__________________
Paying it forward is the best investment.
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09-22-2017, 08:38 PM
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#28
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 8,368
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mdlerth
The case for choosing somewhere else just keeps building, doesn't it?
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Paris, Nice, London? Think I'd prefer the Catalans.
__________________
"Exit, pursued by a bear."
The Winter's Tale, William Shakespeare
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09-22-2017, 09:40 PM
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#29
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: The Shire
Posts: 1,504
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nemo2
Paris, Nice, London? Think I'd prefer the Catalans.
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I was thinking more along the lines of the Blue Ridge mountains. Explore some caverns, ride the Tail of the Dragon, sip a little moonshine, raft a few rapids; all without crazies trying to harm me...
...of course, if you hear a faint sound of dueling banjos, it might be wise to paddle a little faster!
__________________
Paying it forward is the best investment.
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09-23-2017, 02:53 AM
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#30
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 8,368
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mdlerth
...of course, if you hear a faint sound of dueling banjos, it might be wise to paddle a little faster!
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Touché
__________________
"Exit, pursued by a bear."
The Winter's Tale, William Shakespeare
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09-23-2017, 05:59 AM
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#31
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Utrecht
Posts: 2,650
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We're only at the beginning of the Tourism Tsunami.
it's happening in all major cities around the world, especially the smaller ones (Amsterdam for example, Barcelona too). Tourism keeps expanding: it's too easy to get there, relatively safe and cheap, and the eastern middle class is just discovering these places.
I left Amsterdam, partly because I felt like living in Disney Land as one of the animators.
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09-23-2017, 06:06 AM
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#32
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Williston, FL
Posts: 3,925
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Quote:
Originally Posted by brett
Absolutely. We feel as safe or safer in European cities as we do in many US cities.
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I think most places in the world can have a lunatic, and most are generally safe.
It really all depends on the "What if".
If something did happen, how comfortable will you be going to the cops, a safe place, or medical facilities. After that, how easily will it to get back to where you want to be? Back home, across the border, etc.
In come countries, that safety may not be to easy to find.
__________________
FIRE no later than 7/5/2016 at 56 (done), securing '16 401K match (done), getting '15 401K match (done), LTI Bonus (done), Perf bonus (done), maxing out 401K (done), picking up 1,000 hours to get another year of pension (done), July 1st benefits (vacation day, healthcare) (done), July 4th holiday. 0 days left. (done) OFFICIALLY RETIRED 7/5/2016!!
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09-23-2017, 06:06 AM
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#33
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 8,368
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Totoro
Tourism keeps expanding: it's too easy to get there, relatively safe and cheap
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And those who might otherwise have never ventured to (what they think of as 'exotic locales') foreign lands are hopping on cruise ships........the types who would likely pay for guided tours around the Promenade Decks of said vessels.
__________________
"Exit, pursued by a bear."
The Winter's Tale, William Shakespeare
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09-23-2017, 11:09 AM
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#34
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: West of the Mississippi
Posts: 17,134
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Senator
If 'they' are enough to make the news, it's probably too many...
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Really? The news media will give tons of coverage to every jerk who says or does something outrageous, yet never mention all the people who act responsibly 365 days a years.
Example: they gave huge coverage to some televangelist who would not open the doors of his church to hurricane victims, but rarely mentioned all those churches that took in people.
__________________
Comparison is the thief of joy
The worst decisions are usually made in times of anger and impatience.
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09-30-2017, 11:21 PM
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#35
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Spending the Kids Inheritance and living in Chicago
Posts: 16,973
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The big vote is coming up.
Spain has sent in an extra 7,000 Police (living in cruise ships) to stop the vote.
There have been huge rallies.
One issue with Spain simply trying to prevent the vote, is that the issue is not settled, even if there is a vote and it's no to separation, now people can say it's because Spain interfered that the vote came out no.
Obviously Spain is worried the vote would be a yes.
I have not paid for my hotel yet..
Catalonia referendum: Tense independence vote looms - CNN
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10-02-2017, 03:17 AM
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#36
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 8,368
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I thought about this thread after reading accounts of the mass murders in Las Vegas this morning.
__________________
"Exit, pursued by a bear."
The Winter's Tale, William Shakespeare
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10-02-2017, 09:25 AM
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#37
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Spending the Kids Inheritance and living in Chicago
Posts: 16,973
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In Spain, the vote is reported to be to separate, and the police crackdown seems to have pushed people off the fence into the separate crowd.
Very soon will be the word about whether they will try to separate.
I am beginning to think about our trip, and how this might affect it. .. ? We could end up going to the same place, but it will be a different country
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10-17-2017, 12:59 PM
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#38
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Leeward Oahu
Posts: 17,715
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I figure there are plenty of places in the world that WANT tourists. Don't think I'd go someplace that doesn't want them. Here in Paradise where we get half our operating budget from tourists, most folks - even if they're not too happy about hosting hordes of tourists - put on the happy face and show aloha. It's probably in our best interest though there are plenty of down sides to tourism. YMMV
__________________
Ko'olau's Law -
Anything which can be used can be misused. Anything which can be misused will be.
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10-27-2017, 04:11 PM
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#39
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Spending the Kids Inheritance and living in Chicago
Posts: 16,973
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The crisis is getting bigger, closer to civil war. I'm holding off paying for my hotel
"Spain dismissed Catalonia's president and Cabinet and dissolved its Parliament on Friday hours after lawmakers in the autonomous region defied Madrid and voted overwhelmingly to declare independence."
Catalonia government dissolved by Spain after declaring split - CNN
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10-27-2017, 06:45 PM
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#40
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 3,587
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Yes -- with the recent developments I would be getting out of Barcelona ASAP before the equivalent of Martial Law takes hold in the region.
-gauss
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