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If you could go anywhere in the world for a week, where would it be?

I went to Paris prepared to hate it and Parisians but everyone was so nice. It was a little disconcerting. Then again it was right before the tourist season and everybody wasn't all niced out yet.
 
sparkchaser said:
I went to Paris prepared to hate it and Parisians but everyone was so nice. It was a little disconcerting. Then again it was right before the tourist season and everybody wasn't all niced out yet.
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You were fortunate. When I went they were not nice at all, but in their defense many of the tourists were nice either. I even tried to speak French, but that didn't go over well. I mean when I am in another country I am prepared to at least speak some of their language :)
 
I'm not kidding though, most places I've been, from across Europe to Japan and beyond, have had the loveliest and most friendly people. For some reason though I found Venice to be delightful from a visual perspective, gorgeous churches, architecture, atmosphere, we just had terrible experiences with customer service/rude people in our time there.

The food was not good in almost every place that we ate there (including recommended/decent restaurants), and I was short-changed when buying items several times, each time the person took offence that I should have even checked my change... if it wasn't for an amazing tour of the churches we made over several days there I would've almost written that trip off as a failure.
 
MsBlueEyzz said:
You were fortunate. When I went they were not nice at all, but in their defense many of the tourists were nice either. I even tried to speak French, but that didn't go over well. I mean when I am in another country I am prepared to at least speak some of their language :)
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I've found that to be a huge mistake also when visiting France in the past. Better I've found just to speak English and be damned, than attempt French and be held in contempt for bastardising their national language with my schoolboy attempts at ordering 'une chocolate froid et des allumettes' :whistling:
 
Will said:
I've found that to be a huge mistake also when visiting France in the past. Better I've found just to speak English and be damned, than attempt French and be held in contempt for bastardising their national language with my schoolboy attempts at ordering 'une chocolate froid et des allumettes' :whistling:
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Yeap, I also found parisians to be somewhat offended that I tried to speak French so I gave up and just spoke English everywhere. And, yes, they were generally rude and snob.
 
Hmmmm, I hope I don't get Astana Syndrome when I go to Kazakhstan. I am going to need a trained psychologist to come with me and make sure I stay acceptably sane.
 
It seems that anywhere else they appreciate you at least trying to use their language. When I lived in Germany that was certainly the case. My landlady thought it was funny, but she respected us more by trying.
Paris is one of those places for me that is "been there, done that." I don't feel the need to return.
 
I try learn at least a few words when I go somewhere new. At the very least "please", "thank you", "yes", "no", and "how much?". Those words and pointing go a long way. Starvation is rare.

I just got off the phone making an appointment with the doctor and when I hung up my coworker clapped because the call was done completely in German. ai5.photobucket.com_albums_y187_sparkchaser1998_smileys_1shifty.gif
 
sparkchaser said:
I try learn at least a few words when I go somewhere new. At the very least "please", "thank you", "yes", "no", and "how much?". Those words and pointing go a long way. Starvation is rare.

I just got off the phone making an appointment with the doctor and when I hung up my coworker clapped because the call was done completely in German. ai5.photobucket.com_albums_y187_sparkchaser1998_smileys_1shifty.gif
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Those do go a long way..that and knowing numbers :lol:
I am impressed. I seriously would only be able to count to ten in German now ha ha
 
My recent trips

Well, I've been on a few recent trips. I returned from a little "trip" to Iraq a few months ago and I can't say that I recommend it very much for tourism (which is really a shame given the unrivaled history of Mesopotamia). Thailand is really fun; I can't recommend Phuket enough. I haven't been there in a while, but the snorkling in Panama is superb and the food is quite tasty. Italy is on my "to do" list as is Japan.

Leonardo Noto
 
sparkchaser said:
I try learn at least a few words when I go somewhere new. At the very least "please", "thank you", "yes", "no", and "how much?". Those words and pointing go a long way. Starvation is rare.

I just got off the phone making an appointment with the doctor and when I hung up my coworker clapped because the call was done completely in German. ai5.photobucket.com_albums_y187_sparkchaser1998_smileys_1shifty.gif
Click to expand...

Not, “Where are the hookers?” :D

Okay, I gotta ask, why Kazakhstan?
 
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