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which travel guides have given you an inaccurate picture of the localpeople?
The other day I read a post about the Lonely Planet writer who did a
whole chapter on a country without even going there, and amongst all the discussion about how inaccurate travel guides can be, there was the remark: "no matter what country it is the guide-book always says that the people are very friendly". So, I was wondering what experiences any of you have of the 'locals' being rather different from the picture the guide-book paints of them. I keep remembering what the Rough Guide To Morocco said about the hustlers: basically, that they do pester you, but you mustn't be rude to them - just be polite and good humored, and they'll soon give up and leave you alone. Not, you'll notice: 'If you politely refuse their services, they'll follow you around shouting "**** you! **** you!"' And the children you beg from you in Morocco: the LP guide said that all you needed to do was wag a finger at them to point out they were doing wrong, and they'd quietly go away - not 'even if you refuse with the utmost politeness, they'll still pelt you with stones'. So, any experiences of guide-books being 'optimistic' about people? |
#2
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which travel guides have given you an inaccurate picture of the local people?
On Fri, 16 May 2008 04:07:34 -0700 (PDT), martin
wrote: The other day I read a post about the Lonely Planet writer who did a whole chapter on a country without even going there, and amongst all the discussion about how inaccurate travel guides can be, there was the remark: "no matter what country it is the guide-book always says that the people are very friendly". People are often friendly, at least in the countries I've visited, although there are always exceptions. Usual story - if you're polite and friendly to people, they'll usually deal with you similarly. So, I was wondering what experiences any of you have of the 'locals' being rather different from the picture the guide-book paints of them. I was interviewed by a local radio station here in Berlin earlier in the year as part of a "Berlin for Beginners" seminar. They were urging me to tell them that Berliners were rude and inconsiderate, and that the officials I had to deal with as a newcomer were all arrogant and unpleasant. I didn't rise to the bait. The lady at Rathaus Schöneberg who dealt with my registration and Residence Permit had a nice smile - and a scented candle on her desk. The people at the tax office are great too. I keep remembering what the Rough Guide To Morocco said about the hustlers: basically, that they do pester you, but you mustn't be rude to them - just be polite and good humored, and they'll soon give up and leave you alone. Not, you'll notice: 'If you politely refuse their services, they'll follow you around shouting "**** you! **** you!"' Can't say that the guidebooks I read about Morocco painted a rosy picture about hustlers - they prepared me quite well. And the children you beg from you in Morocco: the LP guide said that all you needed to do was wag a finger at them to point out they were doing wrong, and they'd quietly go away - not 'even if you refuse with the utmost politeness, they'll still pelt you with stones'. In Casablanca, Rabat and Marrakesh I was never pelted with stones - nor anywhere else in Morocco. Hustled, yes (continuously in Marrakesh) but never stoned (in either sense of the word :-) ) So, any experiences of guide-books being 'optimistic' about people? No, but Rough Guide was, shall we say, optimistic about some of the hotels it described in Spain. Friendly and folksy they were not - they had, to say the least, seen better days - probably before the Civil War. Keith (formerly of Bristol UK) now moved to Berlin/nach Berlin umgezogen |
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which travel guides have given you an inaccurate picture of the local people?
"Keith Anderson" wrote in message ... On Fri, 16 May 2008 04:07:34 -0700 (PDT), martin wrote: The other day I read a post about the Lonely Planet writer who did a whole chapter on a country without even going there, and amongst all the discussion about how inaccurate travel guides can be, there was the remark: "no matter what country it is the guide-book always says that the people are very friendly". People are often friendly, at least in the countries I've visited, although there are always exceptions. I've never really been in a country where I could characterize the whole population as unfriendly. However, as far as Asia goes, I think Vietnam is overrated for friendliness; Indonesia underrated. India is friendly almost to a fault. In China I'm largely invisible. Laotians are too sleepy to bother with me, which is kind of endearing. I'd rather be ignored than fussed over. Cheers, George W Russell Bangalore |
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which travel guides have given you an inaccurate picture of the local people?
"grusl" kirjoitti .. . I've never really been in a country where I could characterize the whole population as unfriendly. However, as far as Asia goes, I think Vietnam is overrated for friendliness; Indonesia underrated. India is friendly almost to a fault. In China I'm largely invisible. Laotians are too sleepy to bother with me, which is kind of endearing. I'd rather be ignored than fussed over. Where would you place Aleuts and Nanais in the line of friendliness? |
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which travel guides have given you an inaccurate picture of thelocal people?
On May 16, 6:08*pm, Markku Grönroos wrote:
"grusl" kirjoitti .. . I've never really been in a country where I could characterize the whole population as unfriendly. However, as far as Asia goes, I think Vietnam is overrated for friendliness; Indonesia underrated. India is friendly almost to a fault. In China I'm largely invisible. Laotians are too sleepy to bother with me, which is kind of endearing. I'd rather be ignored than fussed over. Where would you place Aleuts and Nanais in the line of friendliness? Well above "hebe faggot" Finns stewed in cheap vodka and roasted on Usenet. Cheers, George W Russell Bangalore |
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which travel guides have given you an inaccurate picture of the local people?
"grusl" kirjoitti ... On May 16, 6:08 pm, Markku Grönroos wrote: "grusl" kirjoitti .. . I've never really been in a country where I could characterize the whole population as unfriendly. However, as far as Asia goes, I think Vietnam is overrated for friendliness; Indonesia underrated. India is friendly almost to a fault. In China I'm largely invisible. Laotians are too sleepy to bother with me, which is kind of endearing. I'd rather be ignored than fussed over. Where would you place Aleuts and Nanais in the line of friendliness? Well above "hebe faggot" Finns stewed in cheap vodka and roasted on Usenet. __________________________________________________ _________________________ I assume the subscribers fully - without any reservations whatsoever - rely on your account of this matter. By the way, it is Russians and Poles who drink vodka.... We drink kossu. |
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which travel guides have given you an inaccurate picture of the local people?
"Markku Grönroos" kirjoitti hti.fi... "grusl" kirjoitti ... On May 16, 6:08 pm, Markku Grönroos wrote: "grusl" kirjoitti .. . I've never really been in a country where I could characterize the whole population as unfriendly. However, as far as Asia goes, I think Vietnam is overrated for friendliness; Indonesia underrated. India is friendly almost to a fault. In China I'm largely invisible. Laotians are too sleepy to bother with me, which is kind of endearing. I'd rather be ignored than fussed over. Where would you place Aleuts and Nanais in the line of friendliness? Well above "hebe faggot" Finns stewed in cheap vodka and roasted on Usenet. __________________________________________________ _________________________ I assume the subscribers fully - without any reservations whatsoever - rely on your account of this matter. By the way, it is Russians and Poles who drink vodka.... We drink kossu. Alright, I was dishonest: I have been drinking distillate from Kilmarnock. |
#8
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which travel guides have given you an inaccurate picture of the local people? Another useless question with endless thread
rtins pals
"martin" a écrit dans le message de ... The other day I read a post about the Lonely Planet writer who did a whole chapter on a country without even going there, and amongst all the discussion about how inaccurate travel guides can be, there was the remark: "no matter what country it is the guide-book always says that the people are very friendly". So, I was wondering what experiences any of you have of the 'locals' being rather different from the picture the guide-book paints of them. I keep remembering what the Rough Guide To Morocco said about the hustlers: basically, that they do pester you, but you mustn't be rude to them - just be polite and good humored, and they'll soon give up and leave you alone. Not, you'll notice: 'If you politely refuse their services, they'll follow you around shouting "**** you! **** you!"' And the children you beg from you in Morocco: the LP guide said that all you needed to do was wag a finger at them to point out they were doing wrong, and they'd quietly go away - not 'even if you refuse with the utmost politeness, they'll still pelt you with stones'. So, any experiences of guide-books being 'optimistic' about people? |
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