wojazz3

I agree that folks form the States tend to be more fashion frenzied than those from the other side of the pond. Still, we have taken a few beatings and generally, no matter what I wear, I assume I will be laughed at. It could be the extra skull that protrudes from my left shoulder blade though.

stokebailey

A couple approached my daughters and me in La Roche-Posay and asked in British-accented French where the tourist office was, said we looked French. We try, we simpered, trying not to look to gratified.

I like yank; it has an old fashioned giving candy bars to youngsters sound.

I still haven't figured out what's so bad about consulting a map in public.

Aduchamp1

Haircombs and colors
Glasses
Watches
Shoes

Walking without purpose
Dressing casually as a family in a business area
Trying to act like you belong
Upside down tourist guide

Husband and wife wlking down the street during business hours

Looking like wax figures on the top of hop on bus

Cholmondley_Warner

Is the term "yank" one only used by the British? >>>>

Nope. All the dominions use it too. As do some of the colonies, many of the dependencies and a couple of the protectorates.

>>>Is it considered polite to use as I've only ever seen it used here on Fodor's by CW and I'm not sure if it is meant to be pejorative?>>>

It's neutral in itself. If used with an intensifier, "bloody yanks" for instance, then it's not so nice.

>>Does it refer to all Americans or only those from the north?>>>

All yanks are yanks - we don't care which bit of jesusland they come from.

Padraig

stokebailey wrote: "I still haven't figured out what's so bad about consulting a map in public."

It makes your tourist status obvious; you are not paying full attention to your surroundings. Pickpocket bonanza.

gruezi

<i>All yanks are yanks - we don't care which bit of jesusland they come from.</i>

Was this supposed to be nasty?

It seems a bit insulting.

Don't know why it's necessary to always be so insulting. It gets so boring after a while.

gruezi

flsd

I'm so sorry to have offended the delicate sensibilities of the locals by looking like those silly American tourists who consult a map once in a while. It seems to beat being hopelessly lost, in my opinion.

Just accept the thousands of Euros we added to your economy, please, and try not to laugh at my lack of familiarity with every street name in your city.

Cholmondley_Warner

All yanks are yanks - we don't care which bit of jesusland they come from.

Was this supposed to be nasty?&gt;&gt;&gt;

No.

Bloody yanks make a meal out of everything.

Padraig

flsd wrote: &quot;Just accept the thousands of Euros we added to your economy, please, and try not to laugh at my lack of familiarity with every street name in your city.&quot;

That, more than consulting maps in the street, is an attitude that gets right up the nose of many Europeans (well, this one for starters). Money does not buy respect.

gruezi

Well, I just wrote a snarky response to the previous super rude and snarky responses and then realized &quot;what's the point?&quot; and deleted it all.

I'm going outside to enjoy the sunshine and start thinking about the map I'll be using in Budapest this weekend while I goggle touristy things and walk with no destination in mind!

ciao,

gruezi

flsd

Oh, poor Padraig. I see I offended your delicate sensibilities, too.

I don't expect travelers who visit my town from other countries to know their way around intuitively, and I am more than happy that they have chosen to spend their hard-earned vacation dollars/Euros/whatever here. But then, my nose isn't as high in the air as yours.

girlonthego

yanks are yanks no matter where they are from in jesusland....LOL That cracked me up! I am living in central VA and I will tell you CW that my neighbors refer to me as a Yankee because I am from New Jersey. They would rather die than be referred to as a Yank (a northerner here in the states). Most of my town is still fighting the civil war!

I don't take offense at Yank.

I am assuming no matter where I go in Europe, I look american. I am blond and freckle faced and I will probably be wearing Levis jeans and possibly sneakers if I am walking a lot. So, I wouldn't pass for European even if I had the perfect wardrobe!
I only like to know where I am and where I am going to avoid being a victim of crime. I think that matters the most when traveling. The person wandering around with maps is a definite target.

Cowboy1968

It is perfectly okay to consult maps at every street corner. For your reading convience (these maps can be soo large) I would suggest to take off your backpack while you do it and place it out of sight.

Don't you people get it that no one was saying that looking at a map was &quot;funny&quot; or &quot;bad&quot;, but just something that can attract pickpockets?? And what was so &quot;bad&quot; about giving that advice?

Padraig

flsd wrote: &quot;Oh, poor Padraig... my nose isn't as high in the air as yours.&quot;

No, I expect it isn't. Much lower down.

Cholmondley_Warner

I was in Paris a couple of weeks ago and I was stopped in the street, asked directions in frenmch 9by a frog) gave directions in French and carried on my merry way. I do remember thinking at the time &quot;this makes me the king of Fodors&quot; as it is apparently the highest honour possible.

I later realised that i probably looked French as I had been in a downpour so had an unhappy look about me and smelled of wet dog and regret.

travel_buzzing

hahahhaha

kleeblatt

I've just been in Northern Italy with a group of 17 Swiss. We all looked like tourists because
-the females weren't wearing spine-tingling high heels and tightly-fitted clothes
-the males weren't as good-looking as the Italian men
-half of us were wearing fanny packs
-we were wearing comfortable shoes
-we were stopping to check their maps

And nobody cared how we looked.

Padraig

schuler wrote: &quot;And nobody cared how we looked.&quot;

I cared. I sat here in my study in Ireland and cringed for you.

Poohgirl

Hey Gruezi there is hope for you. When I was in Budapest last year I looked at my street map a lot and still once I was even taken for a local, as a non-Hungarian asked me for directions in Hungarian. I refrained from thanking her profusely. If it can happen to a fair-skinned person with auburn hair in Hungary, it can happen to anyone!

Hey, do we get bonus points for being taken for a different nationality than our own and different from the actual country we are visiting? In Eger I was mistaken for Russian, Ukranian, and German all within the space of four hours. No one ever caught onto my true origin.

kleeblatt

Hi Padraig,

We didn't find one pub in the areas we were either. But then again, who needs them with all those enotecas?

I forgot to mention that most of the men wore zip off pants (trousers). Very practical... like the Swiss.