colduphere

"I want to go back to Europe and see South America and experience the culture, food, country and etc. and he wants to travel to locations where it's cheap for him to drink on the beach."

Perhaps South America is starting to sound attractive? You could post a question on the South America Forum. It looks to me like you could meet your husband's interests halfway by visiting Peru. Amazing history. Relaxed. Outdoorsy. Beaches at the right time of year.

crosscheck

You both would also love Mexico. Mexico City is brimming culture and history and the beaches on both coasts are stellar (with some of the world's most interesting food and best beer).

Greece is another possibility. And any European location (Croatia, Greece) will automatically include a 'gateway' city like London.

suze

Mexico is a great suggestion. Instead of trying to make Europe work for your husband, why not try a place that offers both the beach relaxation he seeks, and the cultural opportunities you love.

(Wow 14 - 20 different screen names? I've only ever had this one!)

MmePerdu

I confess, suze, I've had 2. I quit the first time around for the reasons Stef has been put off. I came back when I figured I could cope.

Whathello

I've just changed mine - figured it would be intelligent not to keep the same name forever. After a while we disclose too much about ourselves, let us not make it too easy for others to pick up all our lives on internet

Sassafrass

That is too bad in a way.

There are posters who have given me good advice, or seem so nice in some of their posts, and some whom I have helped, I would miss not knowing who I was talking with. It is fun seeing a name pop up and you remember them from a prior trip or comment.

I have met some posters at GTGs and had dinner with others when our paths crossed. It is nice picturing them when I see their posts. There are others I hope to meet someday. If they change their screen name, the contact will be lost.

Blueeyedcod

<We are the same as every other person on this forum he is just not interested in standard European cultural exhibits!>

Your indignant !!! exclamation marks indicate you just don't get it and are still defensive. Please explain exactly what the 'standard European cultural exhibits' are? If your husband has visited monasteries etc. in Asia then what is stopping him immersing himself in such places in Europe.
Dismissing all of Europe as something uninteresting and boring is really ignorant. It demonstrates a lack of curiosity - and curiosity is what makes us human.

StCirq

I'd love to know what a "standard European cultural exhibit" is. So what is he so fearful of/reluctant to visit? He couldn't stomach an hour looking at Impressionist paintings or wandering through flower fields in Holland or a rock concert in Milan or watching a surfing contest in Biarritz?

There are tattoo parlors all over France - are they "cultural exhibits?"

Sassafrass

Not too sure what the "standard European cultural exhibit" is, but there are some places and events that I would not classify as standard by any measure. When I gave you about half a dozen suggestions above, one thing I did not think to list are unique festivals where you might enjoy the cultural aspects, but with plenty of libations for your DH. I am not talking about Octoberfest!

Fasnacht in Basel Switzerland, is simply one of the most amazing events, filled with glorious costumes, masks, etc. Lights are turned off in the city and the party continues through the night and the next day. At the same time, there are events in other nearby towns. We made one trip from the US to Switzerland just to attend Fasnacht.

There are tons of events like that all over. Knights departing for the crusades in Aigues Mortes, Festival of the Dead in Sicily, etc.

If you should get to the Caribbean, some of the islands have days of dancing and music around New Years.

kja

Sassafras wrote: "If they change their screen name, the contact will be lost." -- I don't think you need to worry too much about that, Sassafrass. I believe that most posters only change their screen names when editors conclude that their posts are so offensive that they must be excluded from Fodor's, and when they log on again with new screen names, they are rather easily identifiable, even under new names. Some of them even go out of their way to identify themselves! And if someone who had NOT been booted from Fodors -- someone like, say, pariswat, were to choose to start a "new" life on Fodor's by switching his screen name, I suspect we'd soon recognize the connection by the commonality in comments, phrasing, and maybe even profile. (How many frequent posters to we have from Waterloo?) Just a hypothetical example, of course....

Sassafrass

Kja,
Thinking about it, you are correct. I tend to be long and rambling, it would easy to spot me.

In spite of some of the craziness, there are so many smart, kind and helpful posters (even some of the less than kind can be helpful), I like feeling I know some of you a little bit. It has been such fun to go to a hotel or restaurant or on a cruise that another poster wrote about, then return and compare notes.

One poster refers to her Mother as "my sweet Mama." I love that.

kja

@ Sassafrass -- I think I would spot your comments, not by "long and rambling" remarks, but rather by your unfailing and gracious kindness, which I believe would stand out even against the background of a cast of Fodorites who are, more often than not, generous and helpful and thoughtful.

Peter_S_Aus

OK, comments here from a 67 year old Australian male, resident of South Melbourne.

Stuff "happened" in Europe for Australians, and I'm thinking Fromelles. That place is as significant as Pearl Harbour for our American brethren.

Think about what sort of "hook" you could hang a tour from. Maybe go to a Grand Prix, and the odd motor museum.

Maybe battlefield history? Maybe a bunch of brewery tours? Maybe railroad trips?

I think there is a vision of European culture that assumes that culture is stuck in some sort of time warp, like an insect stuck in amber.

But culture is more than just churches, galleries and museums. The Berlin wall, just a concrete artifact plus guns, drove in many ways the culture in both Berlin and the GDR.

England in the 60's had its own cultural icons. The Paris student riots were a cultural phenomen. And I doubt if the common Joes, the common Marios, in the time of the Medici were thinking "wow, it's great to be alive during the Renaissance".

Bokhara2

And we were all over the UK, in Air Force & Navy in those times too.

There's a lot to interest someone who is capable of being interested beyond booze & tatts. As I suspect your taciturn chap is - or a smart, well travelled, articulate woman like you wouldn't still be with him!

bilboburgler

Interesting debate. I love the ideas about what "culture" is.

For some culture is about musuems or opera

for others it's food and tipping

and yet for others it's having holidays on cold wet sandy beaches and tats

I suspect we are all right.

Whathello

Can't avoid thinking that Stef is ticking some Troll boxes.

-provocative thread,
-not much details given in the beginning
-digression towards how everyone is legit in his/her choices of vacation
-provocative 'cultural' comments
-antagonizing Australians against Europeans
-criticizing of answers
-threatening to kill the thread.

no ?

BTW Stef, to remove a thread, click on 'report abuse' (triangle) and write : 'I'm the owner of the thread and would like to have it removed'.
It will be removed in a matter of days at max.

rialtogrl

-You recommend Barcelona's festivals, the main one being in September (Festes de la Merce) and then recommend the San Fermin Festival in Pamplona which is 500km away from Barcelona and held in July. This would not work - logically - and I don't see any room for the OP to visit Paris-

Actually, this is a very good suggestion. I am not sure how La Merce got into this because missdonkey never mentioned it. But there is the Fiesta of Sant Joan on June 23/24 which could very easily be combined with a trip to Pamplona in July. Not to mention it is very easy to get to/from Paris from Barcelona. So, a few days in Paris can be added. Many people recommended Barcelona and Spain in general on this thread for good reason. OP if you are still around, consider it.

loncall

Oh Steff, please don't remove this thread; dialogue as good as this has to be preserved. I read the smug and insular remarks that some people felt fit to post with my mouth dropping open not knowing whether to laugh or cry. You really could turn it into a book !

Another idea to consider : how about Vietnam ? Much nearer to your home base and hence a cheaper shorter flight than Europe but with a French Heritage and History and with much French architecture and a faded French colonial feel [particularly in Hanoi], Micro brewed beer virtually flows on the streets and excellent French food as well as more local specialties. All at rock bottom prices.

Plus some amazing beaches and fabulous scenery and of course the nore recent sites associated with American War. If hiring a motorbike appeals the Hi Van pass is one of the most scenic drives in the world [as depicted in the Top Gear Vietnam special if you can get hold of that episode in Australia]. Plus if you both like fashion and nice clothes Hoi An is the place to go to get fabulously cheap tailor made outfits.

Blueeyedcod

'smug and insular remarks' ? I would stay that Steff's husband is the insular one and she is enabling his reluctance to experience her heart's desire which is to go back to Europe.

She clearly wants to go to Paris and he won't be dragged there - not even to support someone he loves, not even to take pleasure in her joy at being in the City of Light. No one has mentioned PSG - maybe he is into football (soccer) and a game at Parc des Princes would be a drawcard?

Vietnam is not a facsimile of Paris. It is part of Asia and they've already been there numerous times.

suze

MmePerdue, 2 names is a lot different than 20. There's good reasons to perhaps have more than 1 registration here. There's no good reason to have done it 20 times.