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10-18-2017, 04:35 PM
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#61
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 11,401
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nemo2
To extrapolate the original point, you could posit that every store owner/worker in one's own town wants you to buy stuff and get the hell out.
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Whoever believes that has never been to Ireland!
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10-18-2017, 04:40 PM
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#62
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Alberta/Ontario/ Arizona
Posts: 3,393
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I enjoy travel as do all my friends. Obviously some more than others. What I really enjoy about it is the creation of wonderful (to me) memories. Especially bringing friends and family who couldn’t afford it and seeing their reactions to what is usually pretty luxurious places.
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10-18-2017, 04:40 PM
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#63
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 17,773
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nemo2
...
To extrapolate the original point, you could posit that every store owner/worker in one's own town wants you to buy stuff and get the hell out.
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I rest my case
But seriously, have you never felt like you were out of place or intruding into other people's areas--perhaps not in a bad way, but even as an object of curiosity? That's amazing if so. We were in a little gasthaus way off the beaten path this summer with another American couple and the silence when we walked in and ordered lunch was palpable. We were quite friendly and respectful (and pretended we were Canadians ). I and the other guy ordered the local specialty, and if DH had been the one to order it, the locals would still be laughing at him as he found out he is not a big fan of the boiled Schlachtschüssel.
__________________
“Would you like an adventure now, or would you like to have your tea first?” J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan
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10-18-2017, 04:41 PM
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#64
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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 Meadbh
Whoever believes that has never been to Ireland!
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Some of the little shops in Ireland you may as well bring your own chair because you're going to be there a while.
__________________
"Exit, pursued by a bear."
The Winter's Tale, William Shakespeare
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10-18-2017, 04:47 PM
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#65
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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: 38,006
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bestwifeever
I rest my case
But seriously, have you never felt like you were out of place or intruding into other people's areas--perhaps not in a bad way, but even as an object of curiosity? That's amazing if so. We were in a little gasthaus way off the beaten path this summer with another American couple and the silence when we walked in and ordered lunch was palpable. We were quite friendly and respectful (and pretended we were Canadians ). I and the other guy ordered the local specialty, and if DH had been the one to order it, the locals would still be laughing at him as he found out he is not a big fan of the boiled Schlachtschüssel.
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What's wrong with being the object of curiosity? Heck - here in the States with our nylon clothes and Tilly hats we occasionally get double takes except for at home where the typical "birders uniform" is easily recognized.
And yeah - there was high price gasoline that summer we spent on the West Coast and our TX auto plates really stood out (might also have been that horned lizard design), because there were so few out of state autos. We seemed a bit more conspicuous than usual.
One WA person asked if the "Keep Texas Wild" motto on the Texas Conservation plate was so we could shoot everything. Maybe they thought it was promoting a return to the Wild West outlaw days.
Having grown up overseas, and now a minority anglo in our neck of the woods, I have usually felt "out of place".
__________________
Retired since summer 1999.
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10-18-2017, 04:50 PM
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#66
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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 Bestwifeever
have you never felt like you were out of place
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Like walking into a Hells Angels bar wearing Bandidos colors?
(1965, Hammersmith, London......Irish area...two of us both 6', stopping over on our way to Canada from Australia.....both wearing tan raincoats...walked into a pub. You could have heard the proverbial pin drop...they figured we were cops.....until we spoke...then it was as if an 'on' switch had been thrown.)
I'm 75 years old...I've been 'out of place' my entire life.
__________________
"Exit, pursued by a bear."
The Winter's Tale, William Shakespeare
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10-18-2017, 04:54 PM
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#67
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 17,773
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Perhaps my skin isn't as thick as it should be, and my comfort zone re coming across as patronizing to the locals is too small.
__________________
“Would you like an adventure now, or would you like to have your tea first?” J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan
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10-18-2017, 05:04 PM
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#68
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Northern Ohio
Posts: 3,182
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I love the accidental interactions with local people.
I was in my 20's traveling on a train in Germany on business. It was a few hours trip. For the first hour or so the German gentleman sharing the space with me was quiet. At one point he asked if I liked German chocolate. Yes I did! He got some out and shared it with with me and started telling me a story about how he when he was a child after the war the nice GIs shared their Hershey Bars with him. We had a really nice chat that afternoon. I remember it still.
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10-18-2017, 05:04 PM
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#69
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Full time employment: Posting here.
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Vancouver
Posts: 915
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While we went on small family trips to places in Western Canada and the US, travel didn't really appeal to me in my youth. It wasn't until I started working and was assigned to a few overseas projects when it kind of opened my eyes.
I'm not immune to ticking off travel experiences and enjoying the hedonism but travel for me is more about being a conduit for ongoing learning and challenging myself.
I love the planning and executing part of travel. I find it an opportunity to learn about something and they trying to apply it; be it language, local customs, how to use the local transit system, etc.
Sometimes you meet some nice people, have some really great conversation, and share with each other your perspectives and experiences in life. I try not to judge and it's been interesting to hear what people have to say about their first hand experience with a particular situation. [Trying not be specific here to avoid some controversial topics!] It's also interesting to see how things are done differently elsewhere and why.
But I agree that unless you have a good grasp of the local language, it's almost impossible to get full context. It's kind of fun trying to bridge the language barrier sometimes.
I'm a somewhat picky eater but I love discovering new things to eat and be inspired to attempt to replicate flavours, dishes, and cooking techniques at home for my enjoyment.
I'm starting to dislike long hours a the plane cramped in economy though.
__________________
Good Riddance. April 2022
"Yes, there's some shady stuff going down but it's fuelled by stupidity."
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10-18-2017, 05:06 PM
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#70
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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 Bestwifeever
Perhaps my skin isn't as thick as it should be, and my comfort zone re coming across as patronizing to the locals is too small.
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I'm not sure why you'd feel that you were patronizing people by talking to them.......I keep thinking of past encounters....last time I was in Sri Lanka, (1985), got talking to the guy who was managing a small rural motel like inn in the middle of nowhere.....turned out he'd worked in Saudi too...we had a great time exchanging Saudi stories.
People are people.....they like to talk, they like to feel that you appreciate their stories, and if you make even a fleeting connection you both have another tale to tell.
__________________
"Exit, pursued by a bear."
The Winter's Tale, William Shakespeare
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10-18-2017, 05:08 PM
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#71
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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: 38,006
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bestwifeever
Perhaps my skin isn't as thick as it should be, and my comfort zone re coming across as patronizing to the locals is too small.
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You are worried about coming across as patronizing?
I just try to be polite.
__________________
Retired since summer 1999.
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10-18-2017, 05:12 PM
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#72
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 17,773
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I am always polite, but I do believe perceptions may be different in other cultures. YMMV.
__________________
“Would you like an adventure now, or would you like to have your tea first?” J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan
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10-18-2017, 05:17 PM
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#73
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 9,358
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sengsational
*Imagined Order: Even if I change my personal perspective, the multitudes of others that have not seen the light will continue with the same perspective. I become someone that simply raises an eyebrow.
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One thing I do try to spend time on in retirement is trying to think about what we really enjoy vs. what we been conditioned to think is enjoyable from a lifetime exposure of billions of dollars of advertising.
__________________
Even clouds seem bright and breezy, 'Cause the livin' is free and easy, See the rat race in a new way, Like you're wakin' up to a new day (Dr. Tarr and Professor Fether lyrics, Alan Parsons Project, based on an EA Poe story)
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10-18-2017, 06:45 PM
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#74
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gone traveling
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 733
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Took time to unpack this
Quote:
Originally Posted by sengsational
This post is intended to be thought provoking. Feel free to skip it if you don't have the time or inclination to noodle on weird philosophical crap. The ideas and quote are from a book "Sapiens".
Travel seems like something that is "inter-subjective".
Objective phenomenon is something that exists, whether humans buy-in or not. Like gravity.
Subjective phenomenon is something that exists for one person. That person can change their mind and it's gone.
Inter-Subjective things are things like fiat currencies...we all believe, and because we do, they have value.
*Imagined Order: Even if I change my personal perspective, the multitudes of others that have not seen the light will continue with the same perspective. I become someone that simply raises an eyebrow.
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Philosophically Travel exists and has value, as an experience for the same reason the pyramids were built "EGO".
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10-18-2017, 06:50 PM
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#75
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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: 38,006
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bestwifeever
I am always polite, but I do believe perceptions may be different in other cultures. YMMV.
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Unknowable. An individuals vary within cultures. I have been exposed to a lot of cultures in my life. You just do the best you can and not worry about the rest!
__________________
Retired since summer 1999.
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10-18-2017, 06:59 PM
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#76
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Hooverville
Posts: 22,983
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nemo2
Just as one minor example; earlier this year in Krakow we explored outside what is 'the general tourist area', and encountered a teenager (maybe 16-17) on a skateboard. He spoke English, we chatted for a while and he gave us some pointers on places we could visit.
He took off, (it appeared he had somewhere he had to get to), and then turned around, came back, with some more ideas.
He was very friendly, helpful, and didn't appear to want us to get the hell out.
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hate to break this to you, but Krakow is not Barcelona, and the travel saturation is different in these 2 places.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/ne...protests-grow/
Ha
__________________
"As a general rule, the more dangerous or inappropriate a conversation, the more interesting it is."-Scott Adams
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10-18-2017, 07:08 PM
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#77
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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 haha
hate to break this to you, but Krakow is not Barcelona, and the travel saturation is different in these 2 places.
Ha
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First time I was in Barcelona was 54 years ago, been back a number of times since then, last time was last year, next time is scheduled for 2018.....never had a problem, never felt uncomfortable........if I worried about every a-hole out there I'd never leave the house.
__________________
"Exit, pursued by a bear."
The Winter's Tale, William Shakespeare
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10-18-2017, 07:29 PM
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#78
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Pacific latitude 20/49
Posts: 7,677
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bestwifeever
I rest my case
But seriously, have you never felt like you were out of place or intruding into other people's areas--perhaps not in a bad way, but even as an object of curiosity? That's amazing if so. We were in a little gasthaus way off the beaten path this summer with another American couple and the silence when we walked in and ordered lunch was palpable. We were quite friendly and respectful (and pretended we were Canadians ). I and the other guy ordered the local specialty, and if DH had been the one to order it, the locals would still be laughing at him as he found out he is not a big fan of the boiled Schlachtschüssel.
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i think you judge by the person. We established a connection with a lady in southern France. She has connected on FB and we will probably see her next time we are there. But the friendly taxi/Uber driver maybe not!
__________________
For the fun of it...Keith
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10-18-2017, 07:37 PM
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#79
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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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Here's a link I previously posted elsewhere, updated my comments at the bottom under 'Eric':
http://www.kathmanduandbeyond.com/tr...etta-pakistan/
Barcelona? As Monty Python's Black Knight said "I've had worse".
__________________
"Exit, pursued by a bear."
The Winter's Tale, William Shakespeare
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10-18-2017, 07:39 PM
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#80
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Pacific latitude 20/49
Posts: 7,677
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Quote:
Originally Posted by YVRRocketSurgery
But I agree that unless you have a good grasp of the local language, it's almost impossible to get full context. It's kind of fun trying to bridge the language barrier sometimes.
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We find that most people in Europe have a working knowledge of English as long as you are sensitive and speak slowly and clearly articulate. We can do a bit of German and can stumble along in Spanish and French. This might contribute to our differing experience?
__________________
For the fun of it...Keith
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