Tourists
 

I hope is a new thread but if it's been said before, I apologise.

As travellers, explorers and adventurers are you often dismayed at the behaviour of your fellow country men/women and their lack of cultural sympathy in general? I don't mean just rudeness, you find that everywhere but not taking the time to learn about specific dos and don'ts in their respective destinations. I remember watching a TV advert back in the Uk that highlighted this, was it for a credit card or bank?

Any suggestions, or education, would be helpful.

Tourists.

What is it with us tourists?

The French woman shouting at the sweet deaf girl on the corner who survives by selling hand made greeting cards, “you’re closed…?’
Then points to her wristwatch and stabs out the letters on it, “Closed….C…L…O…S….E….D…”
Deaf is deaf in any language madam. Incroyable.

The belligerent American propping up my local bar that surreptitiously sidles his way over to me and slurs, “You know what’s wrong with these people buddy? No ****ing respect. Don’t they remember we kicked their ass?”
You need a history lesson pal.

The grey haired tourists arguing with the waiter in my local café and generally being obnoxious, “I said FIVE spring rolls not FRIED spring rolls, take them away…”
You must understand that any language translation problems are yours, not theirs. At least they are trying, unlike you.

The North Face clad, rucksack sporting traveller that delighted in taking flash photos of the locals sat cross legged on the pavement, tucking into their noodles.
How would you like it if I returned the favour in Segafredos as you bite into your third bagel?

****holes are ****holes regardless of country of origin and what passport they carry.

I've lived in London and Paris and felt sorry for the tourists. I can be ashamed to be English by going into Leeds or Manchester whenever there is a football match on. I can be ashamed to be on two or three wheels when I see the local sportsbike crowd trying to kill themselves by breaking as many traffic laws as possible. I wished I didn't turn wearing a certain style of jacket at the bike rally where a group of BM GS's brought identical tents by car and then refused to ride onto the field because of the mud.

I find it easier to simply talk to people and show I am not a rude Parisien/London waiter, a football hooligan, an insane power ranger sportsbike rider or a stuck up **** on a BMW. I hope I give people the same benefit of the doubt.

I have also pretended to be Dutch, but that's because riot police of any nationality usually aren't in a mood to talk and it was going to make their life easier as well as mine.

Andy

I have allergy against tourists who can't keep low profile, especially in very poor countries. I mean these who are loud, wear big shiny and expensive watches or jewellery, flashy clothes etc. Who don't give a s**t about locals and local customs. Unfortunately this also includes some overlanders on bikes and in 4x4s.

P.S. I like to call myself a "tourist" as well. :)

I feel embarrassed to be English whenever I visit Amsterdam. I live near Newcastle so the locals there are obviously used to us going there on the dope run or for stag nights. My bosses brother has lived in Rotterdam for years and he says the locals can spot any English visitor quite easily among crowds, even at a distance. That's how bad our fellow countrymen and women embarrass themselves when visiting other countries.

What gets me most is those people that think if they just shout very slowly in English and in a patronising manner, they will obviously be understood. :confused1:

It's not just the English who are obnoxious though. I've seen American tourists in Konigsee, Germany, having a go at a seller on a food stall in the street, complaining that he was ignorant for not making the effort to speak English! I really do think tourists underestimate how much the locals appreciate you making the effort, regardless of how bad it is.