Is there anything to see in Europe?

On Mon, 21 Feb 2005, nomad wrote:


"Douglas W. Hoyt" wrote in message
...
Or try a driving tour through southern Germany--off the Autobahn. You can
string together a trip from Regensburg or Passau all the way up to Aachen
that is really casual--places full of character, not crowded, and all
really beautiful (the Michelin Green Guide is a good source of planning
for a trip like that).

Ok, but don't you need an international driver's license for that? What are
the parking rules in Europe?



Despite your ealier assertion, I doubt if you have read lots of
guidebooks, or you would know that there is no such thing as
a set of "parking rules in Europe" -- each city, province, country
has its own rules. Also, what you are calling an international
driver's license is simply a translation of your American driver's
license. Highly recommended and easily obtained from AAA offices
in the US.

Now, in case you had a serious inquiry and aren't just a troll,
perhaps a home stay or a stay at an agriturismo property in Italy
would suit you -- get to know a small town, a host family, etc.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Katherine Becker "As god is my witness
I thought turkeys could fly"
NEVER SEND A FERRET TO DO A WEASEL's JOB --WKRP

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

wrote in message
ighton.edu...
Despite your ealier assertion, I doubt if you have read lots of
guidebooks, or you would know that there is no such thing as
a set of "parking rules in Europe" --

The guide books I have read did not talk about them at all. Do you know
guide books that say what are the parking rules for each city, province, and
country?


Also, what you are calling an international
driver's license is simply a translation of your American driver's
license. Highly recommended and easily obtained from AAA offices
in the US.

Ok, that's not what I heard 10 years ago. You had to take some elaborate
exam for an "international driver's license" which involved steep fees, and
may or may not be honored depending on the city, province, and country.

perhaps a home stay or a stay at an agriturismo property in Italy
would suit you -- get to know a small town, a host family, etc.

Is there an age limit for home stays?

"Rita" wrote in message
...
Nothing has changed. Some people are eager to see Europe and others are
not. If you have read all about it and feel there is nothing for you,
well then why not stay home? Why waste your money if you are positive
there is nothing there for you? Almost all who visit Europe find many
things to like, but you could be the exception that proves the rule.
How are we to know?

You've summarized the Bayesian nature of every country in the world. A
given country X attracts its fans, its foreigners who want to spend the rest
of their lives living in X. Such people dominate the newsgroups, surround
themselves with people who like country X, and come to believe that
everybody in the world likes country X. If someone says they don't like
country X, then it is a rare and upsetting event for them.

"Rita" wrote in message
...
No, you want people to be upset that you don't like Europe. Why should
anyone care? You are playing a game and that game is to ask for
suggestions
and turn them down, one by one. Haven't you anything better to do with
your
time? People who post here like travel and you don't. That's OK but why
are you here? You asked if Europe had changed -- well, every place
changes
some but basically there are the same things to do and see as there always
were. Now what's the next question?

I have not turned down suggestions about rural driving; in fact, I have
asked more questions about them. I'm assuming Europe has changed enough
that oxcarts or knights on horseback are not a common sight in the
countryside. Do European country people know how to make butter, or build
stone walls by hand? Or will such a question make them very angry, because
I was supposed to have known that they are "more modern"? Maybe the
situation varies by each village, region, and country. I gather that in
Albania, people still make shoes with their hands.

"nomad" wrote in message
om...
People above a particular income or education level feel strong peer
pressure to travel to Europe, to prove their status. In my case, I'm not
attracted to crowded cities, churches, or museums. Is there anything left
to see in Europe?

I realize it's a tough question, and likely to invite accusations that I'm
a
troll, but I don't want to waste my money either. I've made inquiries
along
this line before, and the usual response was for people to get very angry
and say I should stay at home. I've been staying at home, so I was just
wondering if anything has changed to make such an undertaking worthwhile.


Troll would be too kind a word for you.

nomad wrote:

Ok, that's not what I heard 10 years ago. You had to take some elaborate
exam for an "international driver's license" which involved steep fees, and
may or may not be honored depending on the city, province, and country.

Absolutely fascinating!

On Mon, 21 Feb 2005 00:31:36 GMT, nomad wrote:

Ok, but don't you need an international driver's license for that? What are
the parking rules in Europe?

The "international drivers licence" is just a piece of paper that
translates a few things - you can get it from AAA for a small amount of
money. Its really no big deal, and AFAIK not required in Germany. Like in
the US, the parking rules vary from town to town, with no requirements for
special parking permits in most small towns - its fairly well covered in
travel guides.

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On Mon, 21 Feb 2005 00:27:53 GMT, "nomad" wrote:


"Vicky" wrote in message
...
Actually it's not a "tough" question, but a very stupid one. If you're
serious in your inquiry, reading a few good travel books will answer
your question.

I have read plenty of them, but they didn't answer my questions. They all
steer people towards the same commodity attractions, notwithstanding some
books that pretend otherwise. How lonely is "lonely planet" if they are
sold by the millions?

lonely planet isn't a travel book, it's a guide book, there's a big
difference, the last travel book I read was "to the baltic with bob" -
wouldn't've guided you anywhere near a commodity attraction.

Guide books are not travel books, visit your local bookstore and look
at travel books.

Jim.

On Mon, 21 Feb 2005 01:02:27 GMT, nomad wrote:

I guess some people are more easily impressed. I've been dragged along to
plenty of big cities in my time, which people swore that I would "like"
afterwards. I wasn't impressed, so they got very angry and never wanted to
talk to me again.

In the US or elsewhere? Several European cities have an "old-town" in the
center that is very different from a typical modern city; in some cities
that section is very large.

Then again, you've only said what you don't like to do, so we're having to
guess what you DO like to do.

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To e-mail me, unmunge my address

"nomad" wrote in message
news
Maybe there are plenty of people who share my opinion, but you don't know
about them because you only attract people with similar interests.




I think it depends what you are travelling 'for'.
To be honest it makes more ecological sense to stay at home and see the
world by TV.

Becoming a marginal extra passenger on a scheduled train doen'ts burden the
world by much either. Anything beyound that and you are a net
consumer/destructer, and if you are bored by it all don't do it. There is no
one-upmanship in 'having been there'.

But, explore with an open mind and a positive attitude and you will be
welcomed in most places I am sure.

Good luck

--
John Owens
www.goodviews.co.uk
Fax +44 1509 890822