woo

100. Yeah.

Lee

Don't waste your time with the ageing hippie Capo. He enjoys being the Fodor malcontent about Pres.Bush. Rene is right, he enjoys the attention of Bush Bashing, makes him feel like the rebel. And keeps him name "in print" here.<BR>Puleeze.

@@@@

Rene; as we say in N.y.:Ga hed. While you are in France please feel free to make more generalizations about the people there,too. You don't berate your leaders to foreigners unless you are teenagers? you must be kidding or totally naive. You sound like a teenager yourself, hun.

Lee

I reread Rene's response: he says USUALLY and I agree with him/her there too. Have you really talked to the people in Europe there about their own government? I doubt it, unless they are putting you on. I would like to see a person from outside the big cities sitting down and dissing their government with a person like you, a total outsider on a quick trip to their country. Don't be naive yourself.

@@@@

Lee; You are incorrect in your assessment of who I am. But nice try.

Ann

Have you noticed you are all off the subject entirely? What happened to David and his Lugano tribulations?<BR><BR>I find, David, that you can't judge a country by its cab drivers or bus drivers. They are usually surly and overwrought. In every country.<BR><BR>I hope you all didn't let it put too much of a damper on your memories of Switzerland. I have met some lovely people there, but they were not behind public steering wheels. Pretty scenery though, isn't it?

tipper

I hate the president of Switzerland. By the way, who the hell IS the president of Switerland?

Swisspresident

Especially for tipper:<BR>http://www.admin.ch/ch/e/cf/br/103.html

Capo

Actually, Ann, not off the subject entirely. David's friend Linda mentioned that, "everywhere" they went the "first thing" anyone said to them was how much they hated George Bush. And this appeared to factor into her (perhaps not his) conclusion that the Swiss don't like Americans. <BR><BR>Gee, could we use Rene's logic that pride in one's president = pride in one's country to conclude that the numerous Republicans who had a visceral hatred of former president Clinton didn't feel any pride in America itself? Or that people in England who disliked Margaret Thatcher had no pride in England? Or that people in Iran who detested the Ayatollah Khomeini had no pride in Iran? Or that Jews in Israel who dislike Ariel Sharon have no pride in Israel? <BR><BR>George Orwell would love this kind of logic.

Janet

Capo, I defense of Rene (I don't know why) he or she said that it is the boasting or talking about the dislike of the president or leader to people of other countries that he/she finds disturbing. Not that you can't not like them, but that you make it a point at the drop of a hat to let it be known.<BR>He said it is for personal attention, and I tend to agree.

Capo

I don't know why either, Janet. <BR><BR>Linda had said the Swiss got a "bad rap" from her for expressing their dislike of Bush and, in response, I'd written, partially tongue-in-cheek (a nuance which obviously goes over the head of some people): "But the Swiss sure wouldn't get a bad rap from me for expressing their dislike of Bush. In fact, I'd probably buy a drink for every Swiss person who said that."<BR><BR>Rene then said "Stating you would buy drinks for those who agree with you is a disgrace. Don't you have pride of your own country?" quite obviously, and peculiarly, confusing pride in one's president with pride in one's country.<BR><BR>This is the same sort of philosophy that claims it's "unpatriotic" to criticize one's president, a philosophy which is sheer nonsense. <BR><BR>The bottom line to all this is that, unlike Linda, I wouldn't be offended in the least to hear any Swiss person -- or any other European -- express their dislike of Bush. On the other hand, I can understand why other people would be offended. That's really all there is to it.

Lisa

OK, I am jumpin in too. I think I would be offended if a stranger walked up to me and said they didn't like Bush or spoke about anything political to me without any provocation, just because I seem to be American. I would take it as an insult, because if I am just minding my business riding a bus and someone approaches me and starts a diatribe on USA politics, I would be put on the defensive. They would be trying to provoke me, why else would politics be brought up. No matter if I agreed or not, I would not want the intrusion. How I feel about my country and my president is my own business and personal.

Joy

I agree with you Lisa. I don't need others to validate how I feel and I don't care for people baiting me either, I keep my opinions to myself (on politics and religion). Especially when I am on vacation.

Angel

Respectfully, Lisa and Joy, who cares *what* you think? I just want to hear what Capo thinks. All Capo, all the time. That's what I want. *Every* thought, no matter how insignificant, that passes through his mind. That's what I want to read. Everything. All the time. That's what I want. So all you others - just *shut up*! You're wasting valuable bandwidth which should be reserved for Capo.

mbln74a

Hi...try Ascona next time. We hit Lugano at a busy time, could not find a decent room at a decent price, so drove on over to Ascona...are ever glad we did!<BR>Generally people give what they get...so make sure you start w/positive attitude. That may or may not have caused your problems. Aloha, Linda

Margo

Not good to stereotype people. We heard for a long time how unfriendly the French people were and we were apprehensive about touring France last year but we were very wrong, with the exception of one rude waiter in Paris, everyone was very nice!