I was at the local AAA office yesterday getting passport pictures. While there I could easily overhear the AAA "travel agent" who was advising a woman regarding her plans for a trip to France. He referred to a certain area of Paris as "the one where all the old stuff is," and, as examples of such "old stuff," he was naming the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre. Now I really don't know a lot about Paris, having been there only three times, most recently for only two nights, and the two prvious times decades ago. But even I know that "all the old stuff" is NOT all in one area, and that the Eiffel Tower is not among the "old stuff," and that, relatively speaking, even the Louvre might be considered only "middle-aged stuff."

It was mildly funny, so I thought I'd share.

Reminds of Eddie Izzard's routines when he would start talking about Europe to American audiences, and then interrupt himself and say: "Europe -- you know, the place where the 'history' is, castles and stuff."

It certainly isn't sophisticated, but it's possible the agent was just referring to very central Paris as where all the old stuff is. That would be basically correct. Or, perhaps the area of the islands and the Louvre and nearby (which gets everything mentioned by the Eiffel Tower). I would call the Louvre old myself, not just middle-aged, and I think most people would. The Eiffel Tower is also pretty old by a lot of people's definitions -- certainly compared to modern new buildings of the last 25 years or so. I'm not thinking this agent to super, don't get me wrong, but for some people, that advice is probably not that terrible, especially if they need someone to tell them that.

Is it possible the client actually asked to see "the old stuff"?

I suppose that is better than asking where all the "old people" are.

The old people? They are in Pere Lachaise.

< it's possible the agent was just referring to very central Paris as where all the old stuff is >

But a large part of the centre of Paris was built in the mid 1800's, which is well after the likes of The Capitol & The White House both of which date from the start of the 19th century

Similar story: the first time we visited Stonegenge was when people could still walk among the stones. A British man and his small son walked up beside us, and the boy asked "Daddy, how old are these stones?" The father paused for a minute and then replied "Oh, I suppose about 500 years."

And besides, the oldest bridge in town is called the New Bridge, so what's a person to think?

The New Castle in Newcastle was built by William the Conquerer

Ooops - it was built by Robert Curthose, the eldest son of WTC

Travel agents on incentive tours often find themselves in ultramodern hotels in places like La Défense -- so that would incrust in one's mind an idea of new stuff and old stuff, laughable as the concept may be.

Great one Carol

Reminds me of the story where some American tourist supposedly asked a guide why the queen had her castle built so close to Heathrow airport.

Steve

She was a plane spotter before she became Queen