Quote:
Originally Posted by Tim Hancock
When are you leaving for your trip Supe?
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We returned on Wednesday after three weeks.
Quote:
Originally Posted by LWJ
If you are humble and have fun with it, they will too. And, I / my wife, have NEVER had a rude person in our travels.
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I tried to say, genuinely, that I dared not try to speak their beautiful (French) language and they laughed.
When I asked my sister (trilingual and spent a year in Nice) about reported french rudeness, she said "They are not rude but you have to understand Jimmy (my sisters call me that) they don't care about you. They don't want to engage in small talk. They want to know how you want your coffee and what kind of croissant you want. They are busy working." And this is what I found. This is my epiphany. Paris, and Rome, and even Turin and Lyon, are big cities. Paris is the New York of Europe. It's not a rudeness thing. It is a big city thing. They are very nice. They do not have the energy to smile at thousands of people each day.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jyl
There is no repeat no personal safety issue, in any part of any Western European city or town that you’ll go to.
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This is true! At first, I was as wary as a stranger in a bar of lumberjacks. But these places, big as they are, are safe at night. Risk Steves recommends a money belt and i wore one. For passports, etc. But the many (reported) pickpockets left me alone anyway. I am not big or scary looking, but I have a good deal of 'situational awareness.' Still....Rick and I recommend the money belt for the dearest of valuables.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Captain Ahab Jr
Supe, you'll have so much fun, don't worry about the language, just go with the flow
Florence is a great place to start your travels
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Florence was overwhelming. We had great fun everywhere, except for one bus ride, and we got by on the language thing. Despite the "big city" thing I mentioned, communication is not that hard across languages with sincerity and patience. That language is universal.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jyl
Post pics!
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I took many pics and it will take me some time to select and narrate a presentation but I am dying to do that. Some of my lawn grass was two feet high when we returned two days ago, and it has taken me this long to figure out the o-ring on my mower must have broken and fell off. Jungle is being tamed now. When time permits, I will offer some thoughts and pics here. And perhaps it is good that my responsibilities are in the way right now. My mind is still distilling. I saw great beauty, in culture and food and art. Too rich to describe, but I will do my best. When I can. In the meantime, here is one image that won't leave my mind it seems. Bear in mind, we visited the Uffizi and two other museums in Florence, and the Louvre, d'Orange and d'Orsay in Paris.
