Ian

If you want a warm welcome visit Australia, New Zealand, the States, Ireland or Greece.<BR>The Swiss are clean and efficient, but not the friendliest sort. Its nothing personal really, just a very stoic people.<BR>

Capo

Dava, I was in Switzerland for a few days back in 1987, including a day in Lugano. My girlfriend & I had no problem whatsoever with the Swiss people in general, nor the people in Lugano in particular. <BR><BR>It's not a matter of rose-colored glasses. Instead, I'm just curious about David's conclusion that because he and his mother were treated rudely, it was because they're Americans. Doesn't it seem peculiar, or at least interesting, to you that two unfortunate incidents with individual people in Lugano would make someone conclude that the people in Lugano "really don't like Americans"?

Curious

I'm with Kerry & Capo on the "American" thing ... how would a cab driver or a bus driver know that you're American? And how, exactly, did they explain (and in what language) that your nationality was the basis for their hostility & refusal to let you board? I'm not accusing you of trolling (tho' the "eight blocks" bit did make me wonder for a moment if you weren't taking the piss). I'm just curious.

Susan

I am in Lugano right now and just about to leave for Luzern, and wanted to put in mzy "two cents." We have been treated with nothing but courtesy and kindness while in Lugano. The ticket taker at the boat ride we went on even counted my 11 year old son as if he was 6, so he would ride free and then he told us to use the money we saved to buy him a gelato from "Uncle Angelo".<BR><BR>Most people here do not speak English, but we attempted Italian the best we could and we have been treated very well. We are sad to leave....

Joyce

Unless you showed your passport or told them your nationality, they have no way of knowing you are Americans.<BR><BR>Maybe the cab driver was off-duty, or maybe he could not understand where you wanted to go. <BR><BR>This was probably just a case of impatient people who gave bad responses to your language communication problems.

ggrant

I have never felt the need to post or speak out about this because I never heard anyone else mention it, so I figured it was just a quirk or my own impression. I have traveled extensively in Europe and hands down Lugano was the least friendly place I have ever been.<BR><BR>We were pleasant and polite and dressed appropriately. It was not one single episode but several and definitely my overall impression of the town. It was in 1995, so not recent. I definitely have not felt a need to return since then.

Duh

It is not hard to tell you are American Capo...all we have to do is open our mouths...

Capo

Duh is a perfect name for you. <BR><BR>I never said it would have been impossible, or even difficult for a cab driver or a bus driver to tell that David & his mother were Americans. <BR><BR>I'm just curious why David seems to assume that it was the fact that they're Americans which caused them to (presumably) be treated rudely. Perhaps this cab driver and bus driver treat all tourists rudely. <BR><BR>Furthermore, even IF the cab driver and bus driver specifically told David and his mother "We despise Americans", don't you find it a peculiar leap of logic for David to conclude that the *people* in Lugano "really don't like Americans" based on how they were treated by two individuals? <BR><BR>

Sue

It's kinda got lost in the shuffle, but I think 'xxx' is onto something here. In many places, a bus ticket is valid for a fixed duration of time in minutes. It is possible that in Lugano, the rules are slightly different. As xxx implied, the ticket might be valid only for 1 journey in a single direction: either headed in the direction of a given location, say the terminal, or away from it. Trips in both directions might not be allowed (I don't know for sure, I'm guessing here.) Anyway, if David's hotel was in the direction AWAY from the terminal, and he and his party inadvertently got on the bus in the direction TOWARDS the terminal, or wherever it was that the bus was scheduled to stop for ten minutes, then David and his party might have violated the terms of the ticket without realizing it. The bus driver in that instance would have been legally required to have them purchase new tickets, even if their action was truly accidental, but I agree, he could have enforced the rules in a slightly less dramatic fashion. <BR><BR>About the taxi, it is hard to know. My guess is that he wasn't happy with the size of the fare that he was about to get; again, being unfamiliar with the area, it is possible that David and his mother requested a very short ride, without realizing it. Again, the cab driver could have calmly stipulated that a certain minimum fare would apply, rather than being rude.<BR><BR>I suggest these alternative interpretations because of the context in which these unpleasant experiences occurred. Unpleasant experiences in business situations usually have more to do with money than politics.

zeka

What a crap !!!<BR>I live in CH (that means Switzerland, BTW) for 10 years. Of course I also meet stupid people, like everywhere where I travel...<BR><BR>This thread is a complete stupidity. If someone is so afraid to meet an unfriendly person somewhere...then stay at home ot go the moon !!!

ggrant

I certainly felt no need to stay at home. <BR>We have plenty of unfriendly people here. I just will not return to Lugano.<BR>That simple.

David

Just to clarify a few things : on the bus, the ticket was good for one hour. We stll had 30-40 minutes to go.The bus was at the end of the line but was ready to start again.No one else got off the bus or had their tickets checked.In the case of the cab,it was parked out side of a hotel. The cab driver said "this cab is not for Americans,you'll have to walk to the main plaza to catch one".

sally

Voddy, voddy interesting!! <BR> David, that would be very frustrating if not totally infuriating. I can't believe the previous posters gave you such a hard time. This is an opinion board as well and all yoou did was post your opinion. I have also fooound the Swiss to be a bit "stiff" and not too freindly, not everyone , but most I have encountered there as well as here.

Melissa Bennett

Why should we all not believe David? Is it so hard to believe that there are not any ignorant people in Switzerland? They are everywehre in every country. It was probably just tough luck.

x

Mellisa, do you have any idea what the word "ignorant" means? Please look it up.

Melissa Bennett

Well Mr x xxx, (you spelled my name wrong by the way). Your reply does not make much sense. But anyways, I just check this site for HELPFUL advice before I take a trip. Not to waste my time looking to make obnoxious comments. Must have a lot of time on your hands. Back to work. Bye,bye.

trying

I don't question David's experience, but I must question why someone would decide a whole town or area was not friendly based on a couple experiences. Perhaps not David, but we have had other posters who decide that a certain town or area is horrible because of one or two incidents. We meet rude people in day-to-day (non-vacation) life. So what? Those few jerks shouldn't color our home cities. As an example, I've met jerks in Paris, but have received wonderful help from people in Paris. I think that is just the law of averages when dealing with the human race, not some cultural phenomenon. That said, certain cultures may be more reserved and not slap-on-the-back friendly, but that doesn't make them, necessarily, unfriendly. Finally, I wonder sometimes if the "jerks" we meet on vacation are just treating us like we should be treated, i.e. maybe we are being obnoxious or disrespectful. How many people have you met who really did need to be put in their place, but you didn't do so out of politeness or social graces. Maybe some cultures are less phony, or don't see the need to be artificially polite when a circumstance doesn't warrant politeness (and they will likely never see you again, anyway).

Andre

I live in Switzerland (it's been 22 years now), am American and find David's story VERY hard to believe!!!<BR><BR>For one thing, bus drivers in urban public transportation networks NEVER check passengers' tickets! There are only spot checks by specialized personnel - 3 or 4 people board the bus and check everyone's ticket.<BR><BR>As far as the cab episode goes - I have encountered more than my share of lunatic cab drivers, so anything's possible! HOWEVER, David claims this happened IN FRONT OF HIS HOTEL - why didn't he just walk back in and ask the receptionist to call another one??<BR><BR>David, if this really happened to you, you were unbelievably unlucky... if not, don't drag someplace in the mud just for the "fun" of it!<BR><BR>Andre

Capo

David, thanks for finally responding about the cab driver. So he specifically told you that his cab was not for Americans, eh? Fine, I can believe that individual cab drivers can be jerks and that's too bad about your experience with him. However, that still doesn't explain how you would then conclude what you did about people in Lugano not liking Americans.

Josephine

Maybe the taxi cab was there to pick up someone else from the hotel, perhaps a German or Frenchman or whatever. Therefore the taxi could not take an American.