Best and worst tourists

PeterLT · 10-07-2009 04:43PM

aoibhebree wrote: »

But if, say, you were working in a hospital, and a French person walked in and explained to you in broken English that they couldn't speak any more English, it's not going to suddenly make you be able to speak French, no matter how polite they are! You can't call them arrogant because they're not able to speak your language!

Yep, of course I couldn't make me speak French

(though, I would be great)

I have said that french, IMO are arrogant, because they even didn't bother to speak with me in English. I have been in Spain (Mainland and Islands), Portugal, Czech Republic, Latvia, Poland and had no problems with local people at least try to speak language I speak, hence there is my opinion on French...

Maybe I was unlucky and met people who were having a bad day, but still, my impresion on French people was like this and I won't change it.

I know this attitude and have experienced it before, despite fact of being extremely pleasant and trying to make first contact in language used in the country I visited... For example Estonia. If you'll ask directions in Russian, there's big big possibility you'll be directed wrong way. True fact

PeterLT · 10-07-2009 04:46PM

chin_grin wrote: »

You should've typed that before sounding like just another tourist. You know information is power.

Suppose if I was in that position I'd be annoyed and make a crass generalisation too.

True...

*note to myself - elaborate your posts after early booze...*

TripleAce · 10-07-2009 04:59PM

I think Liechtenstanian, Vaticanian, San Marinian, Luxemburgesians and Vanuatuan are pretty cool tourist also. Not sure why they don't appear in the list.

the_syco · 10-07-2009 05:06PM

Interesting. The english site puts the British yobs as better than the Irish. You have to wonder where they go to get this view?

patchybaby · 10-07-2009 05:18PM

im a hote receptiopnist and i gotta say that the french are bad....i would know basic german,a little spanish and very basic french, the french just expect me to talk french,when i tell them i don't speak french they just keep talking over me......i won't say it's an isolated incident either...most of them do it. The americans are ok although they do expect a lot things to be standard.....the english can be hard work to....they just DO NOT LIKE the auld euro x

Pop's Diner · 10-07-2009 05:22PM

netwhizkid wrote: »

Is it just me or are Americans suddenly likeable again since "loud black woman voice" OBAMA came to power? If so people are such hypocrites to hold there leader of their country against people. Irish tourists would then be classed of some sort of sub-human degenerates if that was the case.

Yeah it's just you. I think if they had actually even got BIFFO as US President in replacement for that bumbling idiot W we'd still feel more positive about the US than we had 12 months ago. So it's not the Obama Fator, it's the Thank Christ that Texan Maniac Is Finally Gone Factor.

Snowie · 10-07-2009 06:10PM

markopantelic wrote: »

The French the most ignorant and close-minded while the Brits are the second best after Japanese.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8143780.stm

The French arnt rude...

IvyTheTerrible wrote: »

I live in France, and there are about the same proportion of people up their own arses as back home. In fact, the majority I have met are lovely and laid back. (But then, this is the south, and they tell me Parisians are horrible :rolleyes: )

I agree I lived in the south of france, over 2 and a half years most of them where lovely again I was in the south of france, but generally they where pretty cool

Parisians are allways going to be difficult to deal with from what I've found in the hospitality sector.... But it total never had a problem with them marsae people can be a bit odd at times....

so seconded..

Dionysus · 10-07-2009 06:14PM

PeterLT wrote: »

Was in Paris this year, nobody spoke english (exept hotel receptionists and one bus driver) so I agree with french being arrogant.

Why should they speak English when you are in their country? English speakers tend to go abroad with some seriously delusional notions about their greatness.

b28 · 10-07-2009 06:15PM

I dont understand at all how brits rated high. Must be a fix!
The english are boring, maybe thats why the scored it, they're reserved people.

Overheal · 10-07-2009 06:16PM

i see this thread ending amicably.

Dionysus · 10-07-2009 06:18PM

TwoShedsJackson wrote: »

So the French are ignorant and loath to speak another language!!! News at 11.

Which makes them totally different to the British and the Irish, of course, two great nations of open-minded polyglots indeed.

Dionysus · 10-07-2009 06:22PM

b28 wrote: »

I dont understand at all how brits rated high. Must be a fix!
The english are boring, maybe thats why the scored it, they're reserved people.

* Cough* *Cough* Then again they might have just overlooked English soccer fans as they go on tour....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTIwEo-W_xU (skip to 29 seconds and we see the charmers)

BlueSpiral · 10-07-2009 06:29PM

We met two Aussie guys in Barcelona a couple of weeks ago who had a pretty bad few of Irish people, particularly girls. View came from seeing some dishevelled Irish drunks wandering through Sydney in the middle of the night, high heels in hand and laughing at the top of their voices. Seems we aren't all great reps for our country. :pac:

DTrotter · 10-07-2009 06:31PM

BlueSpiral wrote: »

We met two Aussie guys in Barcelona a couple of weeks ago who had a pretty bad few of Irish people, particularly girls. View came from seeing some dishevelled Irish drunks wandering through Sydney in the middle of the night, high heels in hand and laughing at the top of their voices. Seems we aren't all great reps for our country. :pac:

Obviously classy English lasses pretending to be Irish, we're loved everywhere.

inforfun · 10-07-2009 06:33PM

PeterLT wrote: »

Yep, of course I couldn't make me speak French (though, I would be great)

I have said that french, IMO are arrogant, because they even didn't bother to speak with me in English. I have been in Spain (Mainland and Islands), Portugal, Czech Republic, Latvia, Poland and had no problems with local people at least try to speak language I speak, hence there is my opinion on French...

Maybe I was unlucky and met people who were having a bad day, but still, my impresion on French people was like this and I won't change it.

I know this attitude and have experienced it before, despite fact of being extremely pleasant and trying to make first contact in language used in the country I visited... For example Estonia. If you'll ask directions in Russian, there's big big possibility you'll be directed wrong way. True fact

Parisians are a special breed. Even if you would have spoken near perfect French i wouldn't have been surprised if they had still ignored you.

But speaking Russian to Estonians..... You could also tell every Irish person he is British, every Dutch person that in fact he is German. Really not a good idea if you are looking for help.

b28 · 10-07-2009 06:43PM

English are moaners and have no charisma. And all they do is get drunk, hang around in groups and try get girls WAY out of their league. They takeover a place.

DTrotter · 10-07-2009 06:44PM

b28 wrote: »

English are moaners and have no charisma. And all they do is get drunk, hang around in groups and try get girls WAY out of their league. They takeover a place.

They are unique in that regard, and they all support English football teams.

b28 · 10-07-2009 06:51PM

DTrotter wrote: »

They are unique in that regard, and they all support English football teams.

my point was i think little of the GREAT british. They have a cheek to travel to prague and lure over the women. The women there are perfect nearly, brits should keep away. Brits aint gud enuf 4 them. Just a pity some countries werent as powerful as britain. The superpower status adds to their arrogance.

Heckler · 10-07-2009 06:56PM

inforfun wrote: »

Parisians are a special breed. Even if you would have spoken near perfect French i wouldn't have been surprised if they had still ignored you.

But speaking Russian to Estonians..... You could also tell every Irish person he is British, every Dutch person that in fact he is German. Really not a good idea if you are looking for help.

Never had any bother with Parisians. I just make a small effort in french and when they realise I can't speak it they just start speaking what english they can. That and a bit of pointing gets the job done. Same goes in other areas of France for me anyway.

An Fear Aniar · 10-07-2009 06:57PM

nibtrix wrote: »

Interesting that while Brits are seen as the 2nd best in the world they are worst behaved in Europe. Probably goes to show the general difference between those who travel long-haul and those who go on the traditional sun holiday or drinking holiday...

Yeah, exactly. European hoteliers see the beer and chips tourists while the rest of the world meet the upper middle class tourists.

.

jumpguy · 10-07-2009 07:01PM

Yeah sure France's stereotype is stuck-up-their-own-holes in my mind. Count us lucky with our tourist-drawing leprauchauns. TBH, my favourite tourists are the Americans, they're hilarious and they're fascinated by us.

PrivateEye · 10-07-2009 07:08PM

Anyone who travels to Germany with an inflatable RAF Helicopter, sings 'My Grandda Killed Your Grandda' on a street in Berlin, or goes through Temple Bar singing 'Never Surrender To The IRA' (seen it) is a crap tourist.

DTrotter · 10-07-2009 07:11PM

PrivateEye wrote: »

Anyone who travels to Germany with an inflatable RAF Helicopter, sings 'My Grandda Killed Your Grandda' on a street in Berlin, or goes through Temple Bar singing 'Never Surrender To The IRA' (seen it) is a crap tourist.

What about irish people who go to an English game and sing rebel songs?

PrivateEye · 10-07-2009 07:13PM

Exact same. Nothing like barstool football fans chanting 'THE I, THE I, THE IRA' in a Liverpool jersey for irony.

....but yeah, English people are crap tourists. Our Stag/Hen Party industry would fall apart without 'em.

DTrotter · 10-07-2009 07:17PM

PrivateEye wrote: »

Exact same. Nothing like barstool football fans chanting 'THE I, THE I, THE IRA' in a Liverpool jersey for irony.

....but yeah, English people are crap tourists. Our Stag/Hen Party industry would fall apart without 'em.

That type of nonsense is a pet peeve of mine.

mateo · 10-07-2009 07:25PM

Alot of French and Germans expect you to speak their languages. Germans are usually very friendly though. Haven't encountered that many French though.

Bob the Seducer · 10-07-2009 07:29PM

Heckler wrote: »

Never had any bother with Parisians. I just make a small effort in french and when they realise I can't speak it they just start speaking what english they can. That and a bit of pointing gets the job done. Same goes in other areas of France for me anyway.

Personally, I got on fine in Paris, I think as long as they know you're not English they make a bit more of an effort to help you out! (although I don't suggest wearing a leprechaun outfit to get the message across!) I had a basic grasp of french and I managed to get by. I did however encounter the stereotypical rudeness further north in the country at garages and the like but in Paris, nothing like it.

In general most tourists I encounter here aren't too bad, the negative image of the Spanish and Italians comes from having to deal with large groups of teenagers without much supervision, but that's never an ideal situation...

ahara · 10-07-2009 07:31PM

Ahara's top travel tip of the day-

Are you sick and tired of being ignored and abused as an English speaker while on holidays in Paris? Switch to giving out orders very loudly in German instead. The natives will quickly understand what your saying and do their upmost to accomadate you in any way possible.

As a matter of fact they'll probably let you take over the place.

Red Sleeping Beauty · 10-07-2009 10:45PM

Best tourists are the ones that engage with the locals and the worst tourists are the ones who stay in groups . The Spannish students and fat Americans you see around Dublin fall into the latter groups.

mufc4lfe · 10-07-2009 11:07PM

Best-sexy ones ala spanish......................................................Worst-non sexy ones ala fat americans

Best and worst tourists

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