Do you chuckle to yourself when you read postsabout your Hometown from one trip ponies
 

Hi,
I was just wondering whether residents of some of the tourist destinations listed on these forums chuckle to themselves at the information and tips provided by once in a life time visitors.

Yes and no. Since they are generally providing their perspectives to others making a similar once in a lifetime visit, I think it renders those views relatively more valid.

I see the same thing happening everyday in two arenas of my world in the hospital, the neonatal ICU and the regular maternity/well baby nursery areas. There are far more first time newcomers than there are seasoned veterans - - and then there is the phenomenon that their parents are there recalling a few rusty 2 and 3 decade old memories of "things you need to know". I hear quite a few things that make me chuckle there, but then - - that's how they see things, and only occasionally is their peer-to-peer reporting grossly wrong.

Best wishes,

Rex

well, I would have to admit that I find quite a bit of good advice from people who are tourists in areas that I have been a resident. As a native of any city - large or small - you tend not to look at your home through the eyes of visitors, and as a result miss you on quite a few and worthwhile places - I would make a list of the tremendous sites I have not visited in cities that I have lived..but I am too humiliated to do so! good LORD the things I spent a lifetime ignoring in Manhattan - what an absolute shame!

True that tourists look differently at a city. I have lived in London for years, now in Antwerp, and though I know both cities very well indeed, I haven't a clue about such things as the opening hours of Madame Tussaud or the cost of a city tour. I'm always amazed at how people manage to cram all those sites in London into a few days trip. I haven't seen all those things and lived there for years.

I often chuckle at myself that I don't
enjoy the places that tourists travel so many miles to see. A woman in Rome once told me that Southern Californian was her "favorite place". She loved the zoo, the desert and our beaches.
I've found these forums usefull when recommending hotels to people. Never asked a native where to lodge. How would we know?

I have been very amused by tips and "facts" which I have overhead one time visitors make to others in their parties while visiting!

But I haven't noticed those types of comments in these forums. People must consider what they are saying, much more, before posting.

Keith

On the US board, I'm always amused by the people who comment about my home town of Naples, Florida being nothing but retirees and how the streets fold up at 9 PM. Maybe they haven't been here, or were last here twenty years ago. Last night we left one of our favorite restaurants at 11 because the 21 to 30 crowd was pouring in -- lining up at the doors as the place becomes a real dance hot spot until 2 AM. As we left, we made our way through the crowds of people on the sidewalks mainly aged anywhere from 21 to 40. Four bars within a block have entertainment after 11 and they were all packed!

Patrick,
One of my best freinds moved to Naples from a city in the midewest and is working in the finance industry. At first we said you'll never make friends your own age, 39ish, but she has more dates and new freinds (her age!) than I can beleive. She is always talking about the great clubs, etc.. It sounds like a growing town....I need to visit...soon
I do chuckle when tourists try to give reccomendations for the best restaurants in my city. They are always off base. Ususally chains :[

Patrick, We'll be in Marco Island in Feb and they have lots of great restaurants there, but my favorite is Pazzo's in Naples. Can't wait to have dinner there again!

Belonging to a family with wanderlust, I grew up in 6 different cities in 3 countries.

I currently live in my 4th country and 22nd city/town/village. It amazes and gratfies me how much others here seem to find new things to enjoy in the places I have loved.

Now the problem is getting back to those same places myself when so many new ones beckon.

We've actually discovered lots of wonderful places to visit from visitors. Southern California has a wealth of tourist attractions and tourists tend to take the time to do the research necessary to find some more out of the way places.

Living in NYC, I do chuckle sometimes. Many tourists buy into the "I have to eat at the most popular restaurant so I can tell my friends" mentality. I chuckle because I know many off-beat places where they could have a much better experience.

"lived in London for years....I haven't a clue about such things as the opening hours of Madame Tussaud or the cost of a city tour."

It is amusing. I live in Pasadena and can't tell you about the starting times at The Getty, the L.A. County Museum of Art or even the Norton Simon Museum, which is IN Pasadena. But, of course, I have websites on how to get advance tickets to the Uffizi the Last Supper, or directions on how to take a shortcut to the Burg Eltz.

Kind of strange when you think about it.
((H))

"Uffizi, The Last Supper......"

Geez, this board makes you anal.
((H))

Hi

Yep !

But often they make me see it in a different light.

Peter
The Languedoc Page
http://tlp.netfirms.com

As a visitor, I figure it's my job to amuse the locals - that, and spend my money on their businesses. :)

That said, I see no reason why a local should know the schedules or opening hours of the sites better than a well-prepared visitor who recently consulted the museum or whatever directly for this information. Nor would a resident necessarily know more about a given hotel than a visitor - how many of us spend our nights at home in a hotel?

As for restaurants, tourists spending a few nights in my city probably eat out more during their stay than I do over the course of a few months. So I wouldn't be apt to dismiss their opinion on the basis of how frequently they visited - I'd be more concerned about how recently they had visited.

Ok Gothampc; so where do I go when I'm in New York in March? No French food please, I get enough of that here in Belgium. I do like good food though. Union Square Cafe is one of my favorites. Any good inside tips?

topping

So, when I come back if I say something it will be "one trip pony's opinion" ?

I was born at the Black SEE and every day people from Northern parts of the country were burning themselves on the beach, sometimes badly.
I didn't go laughing about it ...

We all need to take time to be tourists in our hometowns (whether a tourist mecca or not).