world's worst tourists

Mxsmanic wrote:
Jenn writes:
we never could figure out when things were open -- it is changeable and
of course many shops are mom and pop and open when they damn well please
-- we also found super markets open on Sundays

Just pretend that every place is a bank, and that will give you a good
idea of the most likely opening hours in France.

When I'm trying to anticipate European shop opening hours I find it helpful
to pretend that they are Rafflesia flowers.

miguel
--
Hit The Road! Photos and tales from around the world: http://travel.u.nu
Site remodeled 10-Sept-2003: Hundreds of new photos, easier navigation.

On Wed, 8 Oct 2003 21:45:41 +0200, "Sjoerd"
wrote:


"Go Fig" schreef in bericht
...
In article ,
Mxsmanic wrote:

Frank F. Matthews writes:

Then again the ignorant europeans who keep using the term "Ugly
American" without understanding the literary reference are cute as
well.

There are precious few Americans who understand the reference, either.

How well do Europeans understand 'Euro trash'?

Isn't that the term Americans use for Europeans when they are jealous of the
superior lifestyle in the Old World?

Sjoerd


Yeah, like Mad Cow Disease, foot in mouth disease, high unemployment
and high taxes.

Geoff McCaughan writes:

Are you aware that for some of us, visiting
the US feels like travelling back in time too?

In what ways?

Does this make the inhabitants of Paris 'less rich' somehow?

Yes. Less freedom.

I visited a little village recently where there is no supermarket at all.
There are limited opportunities for employment, but the inhabitants have a
thriving barter economy, and a full and active social life - there's always
something going on, plus they live in an area of natural beauty and there's
almost no crime.

By the standards of many, these people are living in poverty, yet they are
not impoverished, they eat well, have access to free health care, and have
active, uncrowded, low-stress lives.

Fine. They can have their lives. I'd go nuts in an environment like
that.

Who is really 'rich'?

Hardly anyone.

--
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On Wed, 8 Oct 2003 22:21:57 +0200, "Sjoerd"
wrote:


"Mxsmanic" schreef in bericht
.. .
Gregory Morrow writes:

It's the term we use for young, louche, irresponsible Europeans who
have no visible jobs but live a "party" lifestyle with all the
accroutements, e.g. they live off inherited wealth.

Alas! Those are the only Europeans left who _have_ money, since it's
impossible to become rich by earning it in Europe today.

Huh? Thousands of rich young Dutch people here in Amsterdam who got rich by
working hard, or having a creative idea for a business.

Sjoerd



Like KLM

Miguel Cruz writes:

Attention all rich people: If you run out of things to do with your money,
burn it.

Attention all rich people: If you run out of things to do with your
money, give it to me!

--
Transpose hotmail and mxsmanic in my e-mail address to reach me directly.

le Thu, 09 Oct 2003 15:36:40 -0500, dans l'article , Olivers a dit ...

But what happens when the US simply decides not to repay the debts, and
maybe invade instead ?

Aside from modern Switzerland, the US remains about the only country in the
world that hasn't "decided not to repay its debts" in the last century.

Of course, there was the little matter of UN funds, not paid until (IIRC)
1999 ...

{ snip }

--
Desmond Coughlan |desmond [at] zeouane [dot] org
http://www.zeouane.org/

le Thu, 9 Oct 2003 21:29:45 +0100, dans l'article 1065733236.2619.0@dori=
s.uk.clara.net, Owain a dit ...=20

| I know it seems like that to Europeans, but it still seems 200 years
| behind to Americans.
| For example, I still can't find supermarkets open on Sunday in Paris,
| even though the city is the size of Los Angeles. Ditto for supermark=
ets
| open 24 hours a day, even though smaller cities in the U.S. have had
| these for 20 years.

But Paris isn't *all* Europe. Sunday opening pretty universal in Scotla=
nd,
24 hour not too difficult to find.

Many supermarkets are open on Sunday mornings, now. I don't know where
Mxmaniac (or whatever) is living [1], but near my place, Bastille, there =
is
the Franprix on rue St-Antoine, just next to the St-Paul m=E9tro station.
Then there is the G20, at the same place, and a Monoprix which is 100m
towards Bastille, and finally, the big Monoprix that is on rue de Rivoli.
They're all open on Sunday mornings.=20=20

[1] and care even less
--=20
Desmond Coughlan |desmond [at] zeouane [dot] org
http://www.zeouane.org/=20

In article ,
Desmond Coughlan wrote:

le Thu, 09 Oct 2003 16:10:55 -0500, dans l'article
, Jenn a dit
...

But what happens when the US simply decides not to repay the debts, and
maybe invade instead ?

Aside from modern Switzerland, the US remains about the only country in
the
world that hasn't "decided not to repay its debts" in the last century.

Of course, there was the little matter of UN funds, not paid until (IIRC)
1999 ...

yes true -- but the US also has footed the bill for many UN
interventions etc

I often wonder if Americans really believe this crap. In fact, in disaster
relief, and foreign aid, Europe _far_ outstrips what the United States
spends; especially in recent years with the slashing of foreign aid, and
the massive hike in defence spending to keep pace with the increasingly
militaristic culture pervading the US.

Why do you feel the only legitimate aid is via the U.N. ? In fact, a
VERY good argument could be made that is the worst kind of all aid...
only lining the pockets of corrupt officials.

Americans are among the most generous people on earth.

jay
Thu, Oct 9, 2003




As a sidenote, Gulf War I was paid for almost entirely by Europe and the
countries bordering Iraq. The United States paid a tiny proportion of the
costs of that conflict. I shall have to look up the figures.

--

Legend insists that as he finished his abject...
Galileo muttered under his breath: "Nevertheless, it does move."

Geoff McCaughan writes:

Never marry for money - it's cheaper to borrow it from the bank.

Only if you're a man.

--
Transpose hotmail and mxsmanic in my e-mail address to reach me directly.

Go Fig wrote:
Americans are among the most generous people on earth.

I don't see why it's more generous to give directly, rather than to vote for
a government that taxes and then gives in a structured, planned fashion.

Per-capita giving from rich European countries is far higher than from the
USA. It just comes through a different mechanism. Europeans don't feel the
need to write checks to charities when they've already arranged to have the
government to do it for them.

miguel
--
Hit The Road! Photos and tales from around the world: http://travel.u.nu
Site remodeled 10-Sept-2003: Hundreds of new photos, easier navigation.