Mais je n'ai jamais demandé à ce qu'on empeche ce personnage de s'exprimer.
Je répondais à Ludomero qui s'étonnait que l'on puisse affirmer que williama était d'extreme droite.
Je pense m'être mal exprimé, je ne crois pas avoir manifesté de l'étonnement que l'on puisse dire que EncorLol ( nouveau pseudo de Williama si j'ai bien compris) soit, ou pas, d'extrême droite. Ma position était qu'à moins que quelqu'un se présente expressément comme porte-parole d'un mouvement on n'a pas à associer ses propos à ce mouvement, quel qu'il soit. 😐
Du coup par une pirouette qui cherchait à le discréditer on a aussi pu laisser penser que seul un mouvement politique particulier (ici l'extrême droite) était susceptible de s'intéresser à certains problèmes. Si l'idée était de combattre ce parti c'est je trouve complètement contre-productif: cela crédite ce parti d'être le seul à avoir conscience de ces problèmes tout en disqualifiant ses opposants qui apparaissent ici dépourvus d'arguments.
"La seule chose dont on soit sûr, en ce qui concerne l'avenir, c'est qu'il n'est jamais conforme à nos prévisions." (Jean Dutourd)
Par contre je me demande comment on peut se lever tous les matins sans croire à quelque chose 😮
Heu c'était quoi déjà le sujet de ce fil de discussion? 😛
Pour ma part je considère différents niveaux, degrés, de croyance.
Du fait que je pense j'en déduis mon existence: c'est ma seule certitude.
Pour le reste j'hésite à employer le mot "croyance", je crois qu'il serait plus rigoureux dans mon cas de parler en terme de degrés de vraisemblance.
Par exemple si en toute rigueur je ne pourrais affirmer l'existence du monde qui m'entoure que je perçois comme réel j'agis (ou plutôt j'ai l'impression d'agir, mon action n'étant peut-être que le fruit de ma pensée, comme tout le reste) comme si j'avais la certitude de la réalité d'un monde dans lequel j'évoluerais. Dois-je dire que j'y crois ou que je fais semblant d'y croire, être dans le doute systématique étant une position intenable?
Ramené à la question religieuse je suis donc agnostique par principe, de culture chrétienne et athée par "foi" en l'artificialité des diverses religions théistes disponibles sur le marché de la croyance.
"La seule chose dont on soit sûr, en ce qui concerne l'avenir, c'est qu'il n'est jamais conforme à nos prévisions." (Jean Dutourd)
Ce qui s'impose à vous ontologiquement n'est pas votre existence, mais votre essence ; non pas l'existence, c'est à dire vous dans le réel, mais l'essence, c'est à dire le fait d'être plutôt que de ne pas être.
Ensuite vous devenez sceptique façon Hume avec les niveaux de vraisemblances qui permettent de se faire un avis fondé sur le réel et le monde tels que nous les percevons.
Si nous parlons de la connaissance et du savoir, c'est fort bien, mais nous parlons de "vérités révélées" qui n'ont pas de compte à rendre au réel.
On ne mesure pas la force d'une religion au fait qu'elle permette ou pas de connaître de façon efficace, pertinence et adéquate le monde réel, et l'existence de dieu est tout sauf un objet de connaissance, sauf en scolastique médiévale put-être.
Pour dire simple, on ne comprend rien aux religions quand on essaie de savoir si "dieu existe", là n'est pas l'objet. Les religions sont, elles perdurent, elles ont tendance à mener le monde, et que ça puisse défriser certains (je ne parle pas de vous-même) n'a guère d'importance.
Michel
Kujila croit en lui même.
Je ne crois en rien. J'existe en revanche.
Je ne suis pas à ta place.
Par contre je me demande comment on peut se lever tous les matins sans croire à quelque chose 😮
Heu c'était quoi déjà le sujet de ce fil de discussion? 😛
Pour ma part je considère différents niveaux, degrés, de croyance.
Du fait que je pense j'en déduis mon existence: c'est ma seule certitude.
Pour le reste j'hésite à employer le mot "croyance", je crois qu'il serait plus rigoureux dans mon cas de parler en terme de degrés de vraisemblance.
Par exemple si en toute rigueur je ne pourrais affirmer l'existence du monde qui m'entoure que je perçois comme réel j'agis (ou plutôt j'ai l'impression d'agir, mon action n'étant peut-être que le fruit de ma pensée, comme tout le reste) comme si j'avais la certitude de la réalité d'un monde dans lequel j'évoluerais. Dois-je dire que j'y crois ou que je fais semblant d'y croire, être dans le doute systématique étant une position intenable?
Ramené à la question religieuse je suis donc agnostique par principe, de culture chrétienne et athée par "foi" en l'artificialité des diverses religions théistes disponibles sur le marché de la croyance.
Mais le marketing, ça sert bien aussi à manipuler hein.
Pour accepter comme ça de manipuler les gens pour qu'il soient poussés à consommer quelque chose, il faut être adepte d'une certaine idéologie (moi ma religion m'interdirai de faire le métier de publicitaire).
Quel amalgame, mélanger la croyance dans la religion et le marketing. On est dans le grand n'importe quoi quand même...
Ce n'est pas parce qu'on consomme qu'on est manipulé au demeurant, quelle vision basique des choses... on dirait du Mélanchon dans le texte (lui-même étant multi-propriétaire fortuné au passage).
Si le marketing et la publicité ne sont pas de la manipulation, alors c'est quoi ?
Juste de la pub. Si on a un cerveau, on ne se fait pas manipuler. Ce n'est pas parce que McDo fait de la pub que je vais m'y précipiter. Pour certains ça marche, sans doute parce qu'ils avaient envie d'aller au McDo de toute façon. Pour d'autre, ça leur fait éventuellement connaître des produits qu'ils ne connaissaient pas. C'est du business évidemment. C'est de l'incitation à consommer tel ou tel produit, pas de la manipulation. Rien à voir avec la religion dans tous les cas... On parlait de croyance...
Ah, ben ça prouve que je suis pas trop con alors 🙂
Qu'on soit plus malin que les autres ou pas pour s'y laisser prendre, la pub sert à manipuler les esprits.
Mais dans ma réponse, certes un peu tordue, à Mathew, je ne disais pas que consommer était une religion (pour moi ça se rapproche plus de la toxicomanie), mais que pour justifier la manipulation, voire l'escroquerie dont sont capables les marchands de nos jours, il fallait être adepte d'une certaine religion. Je ne sais pas comment appeler ça, "néo-libéralisme" ?.. enfin bref, la marché sans foi ni loi tel qu'il à été inculqué dans les cerveaux de pas mal de petits soldats à partir des années 80, pour moi c'est une sorte de religion (certains parlaient de "secte").
Pour justifier d'escroquer son prochain en étant persuadé d'être acteur d'une société respectable, il faut croire en une certaine idéologie.
(ne m'oppose pas Mélanchon, je trouve que de croire en Mélanchon tient de la croyance religieuse aussi)
Mais dans ma réponse, certes un peu tordue, à Mathew, je ne disais pas que consommer était une religion (pour moi ça se rapproche plus de la toxicomanie), mais que pour justifier la manipulation, voire l'escroquerie dont sont capables les marchands de nos jours, il fallait être adepte d'une certaine religion. Je ne sais pas comment appeler ça, "néo-libéralisme" ?.. enfin bref, la marché sans foi ni loi tel qu'il à été inculqué dans les cerveaux de pas mal de petits soldats à partir des années 80, pour moi c'est une sorte de religion (certains parlaient de "secte").
Ce que je pense, c'est qu'il y en a ici qui travaillent un peu du chapeau 😛.
Du fait que je pense j'en déduis mon existence: c'est ma seule certitude.
pas tout à fait car Descartes nous dit que "Je pense donc je suis"...
donc avant d'exister il faut être un peu au minimum 🙂
Ce qui rejoint ce qu'écrit Mr Tatra.
et l'existence de dieu est tout sauf un objet de connaissance, sauf en scolastique médiévale put-être.
objet de connaissance est-ce à dire ce qui relève de l'empirisme ?
Pour ce qui est de prouver l'existence de Dieu encore faut-il prouver que cette chose existe.
Car on ne peut pas affirmer l'inexistence d'une chose qui n'existe pas même de manière abstraite et conceptuelle 😉
mais que pour justifier la manipulation, voire l'escroquerie dont sont capables les marchands de nos jours, il fallait être adepte d'une certaine religion. Je ne sais pas comment appeler ça, "néo-libéralisme" ?
oui remarque très pertinente c'est ce que j'ai essayé d'expliquer sur ce forum précédemment.
Le marketing ne reprend ni plus ni moins mais de manière plus simliste peut-être ce qui fait la génétiques, les schémas des religions en général.
C'est ce qu'a voulu prouver Baudrillard
Ce que je pense, c'est qu'il y en a ici qui travaillent un peu du chapeau 😛.
donc si j'ai bien compris les personnes qui suivent un cursus d'écoles préparatoires comme Khâgne ou hypokhâgne ou maths sups/spé et qui font école Polytechnique ont un problème mental ou de dissonance cognitive alors ?
Par contre je suis d'accord avec toi sur un point, c'est bien à ceux qui accueillent qu'incombe le devoir de faire bouger les lignes. Pour intégrer sereinement, il faudrait dejà que celui qui reçoit arrête de s'auto-flageller à la moindre occasion... de revisiter son passé pour l'adapter aux nouveaux entrants, .. de croire qu'il a assez de logements et de travail à leur offrir ... de feindre d'ignorer que toute les pratiques culturelles ne sont pas miscibles... de faire de l'immigration un flux permanent donc devenu ingérable, véritable terreau du communautarisme, des pratiques et comportements qui heurtent quotidiennement la civilité la plus élémentaire et produit régulièrement de la haine et du terrorisme.
Entre la propagande islamophobe de Dupontoto et votre propagande frontiste, je me demande laquelle me donne le plus envie de gerber🏴☠️
donc si j'ai bien compris les personnes qui suivent un cursus d'écoles préparatoires comme Khâgne ou hypokhâgne ou maths sups/spé et qui font école Polytechnique ont un problème mental ou de dissonance cognitive alors ?
Ca n'empêche que je crois que le cerveau humain (ou l'esprit humain) est fait pour croire en quelque chose.
C'est pour cela que je n'aurai jamais de mépris pour les gens qui ont une religion, c'est un idéal comme un autre.
(Simplement pour ceux qui se servent de ça à des fins d'asservissement).
Ca n'empêche que je crois que le cerveau humain (ou l'esprit humain) est fait pour croire en quelque chose.
C'est pour cela que je n'aurai jamais de mépris pour les gens qui ont une religion, c'est un idéal comme un autre.
(Simplement pour ceux qui se servent de ça à des fins d'asservissement).
Je n'ai rien contre les croyants du moment qu'ils me foutent la paix avec ça. D'ailleurs je viens d'une famille de croyants et j'ai été plus ou moins élevée avec cette idée de l'existence de Dieu et tout ce qui va autour. Je m'en suis détachée toute seule et non je ne crois en rien.
Par contre je ne pourrais pas vivre avec un croyant mais ça c'est encore autre chose.
Oui la majorité des humains a besoin de se raccrocher à quelque chose. C'est là une des faiblesses de notre espece...
ici - dans cette discussion - ils sont nombreux à croire qu'ils auront le dernier mot.
Au final, il n'y en aura qu'un seul élu parmi la multitude (pour conclure cette discussion).
Pourtant à chaque nouvelle discussion un peu nébuleuse, ils sont nombreux (et souvent les mêmes) à y croire encore, et encore, et encore ...
Bonjour Miranda, oh! tu ne pourrais pas vivre avec un croyant, toi qui fait de si jolis carnets. J'en suis un et je suis marié avec une vraie athée, et je t'assure tout va très bien. Certes parfois elle vire et elle se moque de mes bondieuseries, mais cela montre qu'on est vivant et cela nous fait bien rire. Le rire étant l'un des principaux secrets de la longévité d'un couple.
Amicalement Luc
En ce qui concerne les relations amoureuses je suis très sélective. Bien sûr on ne sait jamais de quoi l'avenir serz fait. Après il y a croyant et croyant...
En revanche j'ai souvent eu des amies très croyantes et comme je dis ma famille l'est également. A part avec ma grand mère qui n'a jamais voulu accepté mon athéisme et qui est vraiment très pratiquante, ça n'a jamais posé de problème ! 😉
Je vous ai épargné les douze catégories de l'intellection aristotélicienne, et la gnoséologie de la métaphysique médiévale. 😏
Exister conceptuellement n'est pas un problème : l'infini, l'éternel, la perfection, toutes existent à votre sens, et pourtant je doute que vous les rencontriez.
Michel
et l'existence de dieu est tout sauf un objet de connaissance, sauf en scolastique médiévale put-être.
objet de connaissance est-ce à dire ce qui relève de l'empirisme ?
Pour ce qui est de prouver l'existence de Dieu encore faut-il prouver que cette chose existe.
Car on ne peut pas affirmer l'inexistence d'une chose qui n'existe pas même de manière abstraite et conceptuelle 😉
ici - dans cette discussion - ils sont nombreux à croire qu'ils auront le dernier mot.
Au final, il n'y en aura qu'un seul élu parmi la multitude (pour conclure cette discussion).
Pourtant à chaque nouvelle discussion un peu nébuleuse, ils sont nombreux (et souvent les mêmes) à y croire encore, et encore, et encore ...
Tu nous vois donc comme ça... des sortes d'insectes, voire des spermatozoïdes aussi stupides que déterminés à atteindre un but tout aussi stupide.
Bois un petit coup, ça donne une psychologie de comptoir plus joyeuse.
Non, moi je n'aime pas du tout avoir le dernier mot... brrrr, c'est glaçant d'être le dernier à parler.
Sinon à la question : "comment faire pour se lever quand on ne croit en rien", ma réponse est tout simplement pragmatique : j'ai mal au dos si je reste trop longtemps dans le lit.
Je vous ai épargné les douze catégories de l'intellection aristotélicienne, et la gnoséologie de la métaphysique médiévale. 😏
très bien mais on peut les trouver dans Wikipedia.
Sinon dans certains cours sur la Métaphysique que je lis et relis fréquemment...
Exister conceptuellement n'est pas un problème : l'infini, l'éternel, la perfection, toutes existent à votre sens, et pourtant je doute que vous les rencontriez.
c'est justement là où je voulais venir...
certaines personnes nous rabâchent que le pouvoir divin n'existe pas et que seul subsiste le néant.
Mais encore faut-il pouvoir prouver que le pouvoir divin n'existe pas de manière rationnelle 😛
Tiens, ça me rappelle que j'ai acheté un gros dictionnaire de philosophie il y a 20 ans..c'est l'occasion de l'étrenner (il faut savoir prendre son temps dans la vie 🙂).
Oui la majorité des humains a besoin de se raccrocher à quelque chose. C'est là une des faiblesses de notre espece...
"Faiblesse" ou "Force" ? Croire fait partie de la vie avec le même naturel que se nourrir ou respirer, impossible d'y renoncer. Rencontrer l'amour à travers un autre être est une démarche qui relève du spirituel, va expliquer certaines rencontres?. C'est sans doute cette croyance partagée qui aujourd'hui dans nos sociétés occupe la plus grande place et prend le plus de temps dans la vie des humains.
Même inclinaison consenti vers l'irrationnel, vers l'absolu, idéalisation de l'autre, rites de séduction, rituels amoureux, offrandes...
Cela se rapproche plus du paganisme où chacun peut adorer son dieu ou sa déesse😏
L'athéisme est juste un refus d'adhérer à un dogme, reste la question essentiel" aimer et être aimer". Je ne connais pas plus beau voyage.
A part ça, tu saoûles. Relis le rejet dont on fait l'objet les Italiens (au hasard hein 😇) qui sont venus s'installer en France au début du XX° siècle de la part de tes alterego souchissimes de l'époque et arrête les violons sur "la prosternation devant l'idéologie multiculturaliste".
Mais de quoi tu parles? Les Italiens sont des Européens et de surplus des Latins, où était le "multiculturalisme" à cette époque?? Je n'ai jamais entendu parler de migrant italien ayant butté des français au nom du " Jihad catholique", ni importé de cannelloni halal ou enfermé sa femme dans un sac noir pour la préserver des mécréants!!!
La question de l'immigration doit pouvoir être discutée en France par le nombre, son flux devenu continu, son utilité réelle, ceux que l'on est réellement en capacité de proposer et les problèmes de cohabitation avec certaines cultures.
Les bonnes âmes qui pratiquent l'anathème et la caricature sont souvent les premières à se protéger dans les "bons quartiers" ou à s'offusquer lorsque le rejeton est victime de la carte scolaire.
Pour moi l'athéisme c'est de ne pas croire en un Dieu. Ou une puissance divine qui interviendrait dans nos vies, nous aurait créés etc.
L'amour n'a rien à voir là-dedans d'ailleurs on peut raisonner scientifiquement sur l'amour et les sentiments. Nous restons des machines biologiques dans le fond.
Entre la propagande islamophobe de Dupontoto et votre propagande frontiste, je me demande laquelle me donne le plus envie de gerber🏴☠️
Arrête de gerber sur ton clavier! A force, tu ne vois plus les touches et finis par écrire n'importe quoi.
Je me fous complètement de tous les" Fronts" et critiquer l'Islam n'est pas une maladie mentale, c'est une démarche normale, instinctive et salutaire.
Ce n'est pas une race. On peut critiquer l'Islam comme on peut le faire pour le bouddhisme ou le catholicisme. D'ailleurs on ne risque pas grand chose à le faire pour ce dernier.
L'amour n'a rien à voir là-dedans d'ailleurs on peut raisonner scientifiquement sur l'amour et les sentiments. Nous restons des machines biologiques dans le fond.
La question de l'immigration doit pouvoir être discutée en France par le nombre, son flux devenu continu, son utilité réelle, ceux que l'on est réellement en capacité de proposer et les problèmes de cohabitation avec certaines cultures.
Quand je lis ce genre de truc, je songe que l'immagration aurait due être discutée il y a un siècle. Et que nous (et tu ne fais pas plus partie de ce nous francais que les musulmans ne font partie de ta culture) nous serions évité bien des ennuis actuels.
Catherine
By this, and this only, we have existed. Which is not to be found in our obituaries. (T.S. Eliot)
Entre la propagande islamophobe de Dupontoto et votre propagande frontiste, je me demande laquelle me donne le plus envie de gerber🏴☠️
Arrête de gerber sur ton clavier! A force, tu ne vois plus les touches et finis par écrire n'importe quoi.
Je me fous complètement de tous les" Fronts" et critiquer l'Islam n'est pas une maladie mentale, c'est une démarche normale, instinctive et salutaire.
Ce n'est pas une race. On peut critiquer l'Islam comme on peut le faire pour le bouddhisme ou le catholicisme. D'ailleurs on ne risque pas grand chose à le faire pour ce dernier.
On peut évidemment critiquer l'islamisme radical (qui n'a pas grand chose à voir avec l'Islam) pour le catholicisme pour l'instant les critiques portent surtout sur la pédophilie et le silence assourdissant sur le sujet au sein même de l'église...
Il n'y a rien d'instinctif à critiquer l'islam dans son ensemble, à part pour certains ignorants, ces mêmes ignorants qui ont accablés de tous les maux les juifs il n'y a pas si longtemps....
On peut évidemment critiquer l'islamisme radical (qui n'a pas grand chose à voir avec l'Islam)
"L'islam, c'est l'islamisme au repos, et l'islamisme, c'est l'islam en action"
Ferhat Mehenni poète kabyle.
Il n'y a rien d'instinctif à critiquer l'islam dans son ensemble, à part pour certains ignorants, ces mêmes ignorants qui ont accablés de tous les maux les juifs il n'y a pas si longtemps...
Quelques citations globales faites par des ignorants :
Chateaubriand 1768 - 1848 :
«un peuple dont l’ordre social est fondé sur l’esclavage et la polygamie est un peuple qu’il faut renvoyer aux steppes des Mongols. »
Alexis de Tocqueville 1805/1859 :
« Mahomet a fait descendre du ciel, et a placé dans le Coran, non seulement des doctrines religieuses, mais des maximes politiques, des lois civiles et criminelles, des théories scientifiques. L'Évangile ne parle, au contraire, que des rapports généraux des hommes avec Dieu et entre eux. Hors de là, il n'enseigne rien et n'oblige à rien croire. Cela seul, entre mille autres raisons, suffit pour montrer que la première de ces deux religions ne saurait dominer longtemps dans des temps de Lumières et de démocratie, tandis que la seconde est destinée à régner dans ces siècles comme dans tous les autres »
Ernest Renan 1823/1892 :
"L'islam est contraire à l'esprit scientifique, hostile au progrès ; il a fait des pays qu'il a conquis un champ fermé à la culture rationnelle de l'esprit."
Claude Levi-Strauss, Tristes Tropiques :
"En face de la bienveillance universelle du bouddhisme, du désir chrétien de dialogue, l’intolérance musulmane adopte une forme inconsciente chez ceux qui s’en rendent coupables ; car s’ils ne cherchent pas toujours, de façon brutale, à amener autrui à partager leur vérité, ils sont pourtant (et c’est plus grave) incapables de supporter l’existence d’autrui comme autrui. Le seul moyen pour eux de se mettre à l’abri du doute et de l’humiliation consiste dans une “néantisation” d’autrui, considéré comme témoin d’une autre foi et d’une autre conduite. La fraternité islamique est la converse d’une exclusive contre les infidèles qui ne peut s’avouer, puisque, en se reconnaissant comme telle, elle équivaudrait à le reconnaître eux-mêmes comme existants.
Si un corps de garde pouvait être religieux, l'islam paraîtrait sa religion idéale : stricte observance du règlement (prières cinq fois par jour, chacune exigeant cinquante génuflexions) ; revues de détail et soins de propreté (les ablutions rituelles) ; promiscuité masculine dans la vie spirituelle comme dans l'accomplissement des fonctions religieuses ; et pas de femmes. »
Michel Onfray 2018
"L'islam est un problème ? "Oui, ça me paraît évident", . "Si vous lisez le Coran, la vie du Prophète, les hadiths, on n'est pas du tout dans la logique républicaine, on est dans une logique inégalitaire. On n'est pas dans une logique féministe, mais misogyne, phallocrate. on n'est pas dans une logique cosmopolite, on est dans une logique d'antisémitisme. On est dans la haine de l'étranger, on n'est pas dans la logique pacifiste, l'égorgement, etc."
....pour le catholicisme pour l'instant les critiques portent surtout sur la pédophilie et le silence assourdissant sur le sujet au sein même de l'église...
L'Eglise est lamentable sur ce sujet, aucune remise en question sur le fond. J'espère que toutes ces ordures seront traduites devant les tribunaux ainsi que leurs protecteurs.
Il y a le même silence assourdissant concernant les femmes vis à vis de l'islam, notamment de la part des féministes. ... Il y a dans le Coran des dizaines de versets sur l'inceste et autres interdits, sur la polygamie, la répudiation et la discrimination des femmes.
Dans des hadiths, L'exemple détestable du Prophète, pédophile lui-même, est décrit comme un étalon sexuel insatiable. Cette fable aussi grotesque que prétentieuse a servi depuis des siècles de caisse de résonance inconsciente au comportement de l'homme musulman pour qui la femme est un vagin sur pattes et particulièrement la femme occidentale une pute.
Dernièrement lors de la réception de la Coupe du Monde de foot, plus de 250 plaintes pour agressions et attouchements sexuels ont été déposées suite à des viols en razzia par des jeunes de banlieue.
Il y a beaucoup trop de complaisance envers cette idéologie totalitaire dite islam. Elle n'est pas miscible avec la République et les traditions européennes.
Il y a beaucoup trop de complaisance envers cette idéologie totalitaire dite islam. Elle n'est pas miscible avec la République et les traditions européennes.
Il y a beaucoup trop de complaisance envers vos théories discriminatoires incitant à la haine Anti musulman.
Une Athee feministe qui en a marre de voir s'étaler sur ce forum les pires théories de la fachosphère .
Ce genre de discours s'apparente à de l'incitation à la haine envers une religion .
Les memes discours nauséabonds sur la religion juive ( mêmes arguments sur les textes) ont entraîné un génocide .
L'histoire bégaye 🏴☠️
Ce genre de discours s'apparente à de l'incitation à la haine envers une religion .
Les memes discours nauséabonds sur la religion juive ( mêmes arguments sur les textes) ont entraîné un génocide .
L'histoire bégaye 🏴☠️
ça rappelle un sketch des Inconnus ce genre de remarque "tarte à la crème". Une femme battue et violée par son mari appelle les flics ... ceux-ci arrivent enfin et finissent par... embarquer la femme!
La France (j'allais dire notre pays, c'était oublier que le site VF est canadien, enfin c'est pas loin concernant les francophones, il s'agit de nos cousins),…
Sanary sur Mer, un samedi maussade de Novembre... Une pâtisserie à la vitrine alléchante... Deux femmes, la quarantaine bien maquillée... Un soupçon de parfum,…
Hello everyone on this forum!
I know in advance that what I'm about to say here won't please everyone, but honesty is a virtue, isn't it?
Here's the thing: for many years now, I've noticed a habit in French-speaking posts of using abbreviations left and right, as if to show that we're "in the know." Let me explain with a few examples:
- - In discussions about Peru, I see "Aguas" for "Aguas Calientes." And if it's Mexico, well, it'll be "Aguas" for "Aguascalientes"!
- - For Guatemala, "travelers" will say "Guaté." Come on, saying "Guatemalas" would maybe be the undeniable sign that you know nothing about the country???
- - Back from Indonesia, many will talk about how familiar they've become with the country's language: "bahasa." Of course, everyone will know what you're talking about, but it still gets on my nerves because the language (one of the many languages) of Indonesia is "bahasa Indonesia." "Bahasa" actually means "language," and you'll find this word of Indian origin ‘Bhāṣā’ (it's Sanskrit originally) outside Indonesia too: in Thailand, for example, any language will be "phasa" as in "phasa thai" (official Thai), "phasa isan" (what's spoken in northeastern Thailand), "phasa angkrit" = English, etc.
Am I an incorrigible nitpicker? Maybe. But I'd also find it ridiculous if a foreigner came and told me they visited "Monte" during their trip to France, when it was actually Monte Carlo.
I read a lot in English and don't think I've encountered such a habit among English speakers.
Who’d like to share their best and worst travel memories in a few lines?
For me, it’s watching the TAJ MAHAL at sunrise and getting chased by dogs at the top of a mountain pass in GREECE on the way back from ISTANBUL.
THANKS GUYS
This is my 15,000th post, and it's a message I would have preferred never to write.
Patrick—Yangguizi—won’t be returning from his trek in Uganda. His health betrayed him in the mountains.
Like many of you, I laughed until I couldn’t anymore at his travel stories. I met him in Shanghai, then in Istanbul... We scoured restaurants—he was an incredible expert on world cuisines. We relived Korea, China. Always brilliant, so sharp, so funny, so down-to-earth. Being even a little bit his friend was something to be proud of. I think I envied him.
Patrick is still out there, of course...
He found his happiness running across the world. He’s on his path. He never doubted that "the traveler doesn’t even know if he’ll return one day."
Not sure this would’ve suited him, but his departure devastates me.
Alright,
Farewell, you foreign devil. Safe travels.
hello to all travelers with their eyes wide open to the desert...
I’ve always wondered what I was "doing" on this earth. And why my father, who died a few months after I was born—a former youngest French resistance fighter—joined the First Saharan Motorized Company in Atar and spent the rest of his life repairing army engines in Algeria, Mauritania, Senegal, Mali (which didn’t exist under that name back then), Morocco, and finally Algeria, where my mother was born and raised. (Believe me, it’s not "cool" being the child of a soldier in a country occupied by France, and even less so the child of a "pied-noir.")
Of course, I never got an answer: the dead don’t talk, and the army doesn’t either.
But here’s the thing—I had photos...
So naturally, one day I hit the road. I wanted to see, to understand.
It’s thanks to VF that I was able to do a little research on crossing the Morocco-Mauritania border, and I’m grateful to its members, just as I’m grateful to all those who welcomed me on the road for 14 years.
For the past few weeks, I’ve been wondering if I should talk about this or not...
It turns out the Mauritanians changed my life by asking for my help... And that started as early as February 2012... (Did I owe them something? No answer to that question.)
Ah, the irony—they saw me coming. But when you’re handed sick children and begged to do something, what would you have done? I’d worked in a hospital, so I knew a bit about the rules to follow. I didn’t hesitate.
And well, over all these years, I met doctors, surgeons, and together we organized care, evacuations of children, training for surgeons—even trying to stop children from having to travel outside their country. It was never easy. I’d like to thank those who supported us, as well as *La Chaîne de l’Espoir*, *La Fondation Face au Monde*, and everyone who built bridges between our two countries.
Unfortunately, despite the constant efforts of Mauritanian doctors and surgeons, some children couldn’t be helped in time. Today, I want to talk about four siblings—orphans of their mother—suffering from congenital glaucoma causing irreversible blindness. Their case was entrusted to me in 2020, just weeks before the big lockdown. We couldn’t do anything for them then, but when their father asked me for a gift, I rushed to my computer and wrote a story.
Through a tale, the children take a great journey, explore their country, and fulfill a dream. I never thought this book would be published—it was, in 2023.
This book pays tribute to Mauritania. It’s a message for those who know nothing about the hardships of life there, carrying both the harshness and beauty of an immense desert where you can travel by 4x4, bike, on foot, or by camel in complete safety. It bears witness to the kindness of Mauritanians toward travelers.
As a woman traveling alone in my vehicle—a now-rusted old Mercedes that no longer runs—I had the most beautiful encounters of my life there (I’ve seen other parts of the world...). The blind children of Choum, Atar, Nouadhibou, and Nouakchott will forever be in my heart.
Volunteer readers transcribed the book into a free audio version for the visually impaired. It’s available in sound libraries in France, the *Fondation Valentin Haüy*, and the Swiss Romande library.
I made my last trip to Mauritania in my old 4x4 to distribute the book everywhere, especially to its heroes and the school for the visually impaired in Nouakchott.
After that, I thought it was time to close the chapter because I no longer have the means or the strength to travel.
My publishers chose this title for it: *The Blue Eyes of the Desert*.
This publication helped a mission of Swiss volunteer ophthalmologists come to operate on glaucomas in Mauritania. I’m thrilled because they come back every year!
This adventure is ending, yes—everything must come to an end—but ultimately, it was born here, on the VF site!! So yes, I had to say it: THANK YOU!!!!!
Hi everyone,
I’m Loulou, a French expat who’s been living in Southeast Asia for about fifteen years, currently in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. A passionate walker at heart, I’ve trekked in Nepal (Thorung La, Mardi Himal), India, Vietnam, and I’m still planning new hikes (Char Dham, Langtang, Annapurna).
I’ve just published my first travel journal, recounting three months of walking and encounters across India. A portion of the sales goes to an educational center I support in Kep, for children whose parents work in the salt marshes.
I’m also working on a second book about Nepal with a musician friend, focusing on the Mardi Himal trek—two independent perspectives on the same journey.
Happy to swap stories with you about the Himalayas, India, Southeast Asia, or just the urge to hit the road and walk far from home.
Safe travels,
Loulou
Hi! It was totally by chance that I stumbled upon VoyageForum (an ad online and a story lol), and I’ve been reading some really old posts from 2011 about Thai massage schools—discussions on how to get by, accommodation, prices, etc. It reminded me of my own experience: I kept things simple by staying with a local family during my entire trip. I only shared all the expenses with them, which, I’ll admit, was super cheap… and I often traveled with them, which naturally opened a lot of doors for me. To start, at the school in Salaya, my Thai friend immediately connected me with Teacher Phong (the school’s mentor and teacher of teachers, a former monk). I was supposed to join a group session with other foreigners, but for some reason I don’t know, I got two days of private lessons for free with this expert… incredible! And on top of that, he loved France! It was an amazing experience. I "discovered" massage by chance—the Thai family just told me: "Try it, you’ll see!" (I’d had a pretty intense massage in the capital before 😅… but the next day, I felt unbelievably great!))
Every morning, I’d take a taxi (chosen by the Thai family at prices that beat all the competition) to this school—I’ve forgotten the name of the little village now… right in the heart of the countryside. Then, in the evenings, I’d keep practicing massage on all the family members… and they’d teach me Thai at the same time!))
Since then, I’ve practiced a bit, with lots of positive feedback. Following Teacher Phong’s advice—he thought my pressure was deep, firm, and precise—he strongly encouraged me to take this seriously.
I love Thailand so much. It’s a whole different way of living… and it’s a real blessing, even if I couldn’t live there full-time. Anyway, that was an unforgettable memory, and sometimes the Thai family and I still say hi—from 2011, 2013… right up to today!
"It seems to me that poverty would be less painful in the sun" wrote Aznavour...
Not sure...😕 Who can prove that people in hot countries are happier than others?
What do you think?
Is it better to live in Montpellier than in Lille?
Are the Pygmies happier than the Inuit?
Are Canadians less happy than the people of Louisiana?
Are there more French expats in hot countries?
And your travels? Do you choose your destinations based on the climate?
Do you rejoice when a bit of sunshine appears?
Hi everyone, just this once I’m not posting for a travel story, but to share a thought for Venezuela.
If you didn’t know—since it’s not making headlines—the country was hit by two 7.5-magnitude earthquakes last week. Over 2,200 people have died, more than 50,000 are missing, and some coastal towns have been completely destroyed.
Maybe when the scale of the humanitarian crisis becomes clear, our media will cover it a bit more... especially since earthquakes with this many casualties usually make the front page, but there’s been nothing in France.
So here’s a thought for this country, which, whatever you think of its politics, is a true jewel of South America, both for its landscapes and its people.
hi there
I’d like to invite you to discover my coastal province in central Vietnam: Quang Ngai.
This year, my province has really improved its infrastructure—mountains, countryside, and sea are all authentic here.
No harassers or thieves, and no Russians either.
A local lunch costs around 1 €.
A *** hotel room is about 25 €, and you can find hotels right on My Khe Beach.
We have a specialty: *banh xeo*—10 crepes for just 1.5 €.
You can rent motorbikes to explore the province and maybe visit the many ethnic minorities.
I live here—I’m not selling anything, but I can help if needed (my father-in-law is a traditional Vietnamese doctor and he’s very skilled).
Hi everyone! 😉
I’m Typhaine, 35 years old. Five years ago, I left France for a solo round-the-world trip—no planes, just a van, hitchhiking, cycling, and even a canoe in the Amazon! Today, I work as a naturalist guide in Argentine Patagonia.
Wherever I go, my compass stays the same: observing and photographing wildlife, which I deeply admire and respect.
My project: I’d love to share this experience through a sustainable, authentic, and immersive nature tourism initiative. But to build something meaningful, I need to understand how other nature enthusiasts experience their own adventures.
If you:
Are over 20 years old
Have a true passion for Nature
Have already taken at least one trip lasting more than 3 nights (in your country or abroad) in your life
Promise: I’m not selling anything, this isn’t marketing. Your answers are 100% anonymous and will only help me shape this wild project.
A huge thank you to everyone for your help and kindness! Looking forward to chatting in this thread 😛
(Dear admins, this is purely a collaborative effort for my project study, with no commercial purpose. Thank you so much for your support!)
Photo: Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos horribilis), female on the left and her cub on the right. Photo taken by me in Alaska, Denali National Park.
It’s something we often notice in this forum—and many others—this behavioral shift.
A long-time member, or even a new one, asks a question.
They get one or more answers, some brief, some detailed, and then... nothing???
Not even a simple thank you!!!
From what I’ve gathered, if the answers don’t align with what they wanted to hear, it seems natural for the asker to just disappear!! 😕
Unless—(and I fear this is the case)—basic politeness is no longer part of our society????
I spent 3 weeks in Bali last summer (+ 3 nights on Gili Meno and a day trip to Kawah Ijen in Java). So I wanted to see what ChatGPT could suggest for comparison...
Here’s the prompt I gave:
"You’re a local expert guide for Bali.
- Plan a 20-day itinerary for Bali with a side trip to Gili Meno and a day trip to Kawah Ijen in Java without staying overnight.
- I’m traveling with my wife, and I love visiting historical sites, hiking, relaxing at the beach, snorkeling, and exploring rice terraces...
- For the duration of the stay, I don’t want more than 8 places to sleep, and I’d like to stay at least 2 days at each stop to avoid unpacking too often. Except for the last night, where I’m okay with just one night near the airport.
- I prefer neighborhoods that are walkable and try to avoid typical tourist traps, though I don’t want to miss the must-see spots. So suggest a mix of iconic sites and hidden gems.
- Recommend hotels or guesthouses with a budget of 50 to 100 € per night, including breakfast. Make suggestions in areas popular with travelers, specifying the vibe (I prefer quiet), and consider safety and proximity to attractions.
- For lunch and dinner, suggest two to three restaurants that are well-rated by customers.
- Give me a day-by-day program with details on travel times, visiting times for each point of interest, and recommendations for transportation (taxi, train, bike, etc.).
Estimate the total cost of the trip, including accommodations, food, transportation, and activities, and suggest two tips for saving money in each category.
- Don’t make anything up—be realistic about travel times, take into account the opening dates and hours of sites, and give me the entry fees for places to visit.
- Ask me all the questions until you’re 95% sure you understand what’s being asked. Don’t generate your response until you’ve understood."
The AI asked for a few clarifications:
"Great request—I can build you a really optimized and enjoyable itinerary, but to be 95% sure I hit the mark, I need a few key clarifications (this will really influence the pace, areas, and accommodations)."
In the end, it proposed a program very close to what we actually did.
I’ll skip its accommodation and restaurant suggestions...
Its proposal:
"Ubud (4 nights) => we did 5 nights
Sidemen (2 nights)
Amed (3 nights) => we’d planned 2 nights
Gili Meno (3 nights) => we did Gili between Sidemen and Amed
Munduk (3 nights) => we did 2 nights before Pemuteran
Pemuteran (3 nights) with Ijen => we did 4 nights
Sanur (2 nights + 1 last night) => we chose Jatiluwih instead of Sanur
It suggested "activities" (and accommodations too):
IN UBUD:
- Walk around central Ubud (1–2h)
- Campuhan Ridge Walk
- Tegalalang Rice Terrace
- Tirta Empul
- Gunung Kawi
- Massage / market / slow café
IN SIDEMEN:
- Rice terrace hike (2–3h)
- Cooking class
IN AMED:
- Snorkeling
- Japanese Shipwreck
- Beach + relaxation
- Volcano sunset
ON GILI:
- Snorkeling at Gili Meno Turtle Point, Nest Underwater Statues
IN MUNDUK:
- Jungle & waterfall hike - Munduk Waterfall + Melanting Waterfall
- Loop: 3–4h (perfect for your level)
- Ulun Danu Bratan Temple
- Twin Lakes
IN PEMUTERAN
- Snorkeling: Menjangan Island
For Kawah Ijen, it detailed the day well:
👍 from Pemuteran = best possible option
12 PM: leave hotel (we left at 10 PM)
1 PM: ferry
3 PM: arrival in Java + transfer
11 PM: start ascent
2 AM–6 AM: volcano
Return to Bali around 11 AM–12 PM (we got back at 4 PM)
👍 still very intense, but doable with an agency
💰 ~80–120 €/person all-inclusive
IN SANUR:
- Relaxation
- Quiet beach
- Proximity to airport (30 min)"
I’ve kept the habit of blowing my nose in the sink and then washing my hands—a custom I picked up in India. Sometimes, non-travelers are shocked when they catch me in the act... 🤪
Also, when I run out of toilet paper, it doesn’t bother me—unless I’ve got company over... 🤪
Just got back from walking a friend’s dog (while they’re on vacation), wearing a djellaba and Tibetan boots... 😏😏😏 Oh, for sure, if I’d run into locals, I probably would’ve shocked them? 😏
Anyway, as long as I’m not spitting on the floor at a restaurant or squatting on the side of a highway with a water bottle in hand...
After taking a little trip around the world, I came back a few months ago with an idea in mind.
I mostly do diving, and I love observing animals in their natural habitat without disturbing them.
During the trip, I realized it was quite complicated to know where and when to see certain species.
For example:
where to dive with sharks or manta rays
where you might get a chance to swim with whales
I even discovered thresher sharks during my trip… I didn’t even know this species existed before, even though they’re incredible to see.
We spent a ton of time searching for info all over the place, especially on social media, without ever getting a clear picture.
So I started putting all this together on my own, in the form of a map, to make it easier to visualize where to go depending on the seasons.
I recently put a first version online (it’s called Fauneya).
There are probably mistakes, inconsistencies, or things to improve, and that’s partly why I’m posting here.
I’d really love to know how you all go about planning this kind of trip.
As part of my Master’s thesis, I’m currently conducting a public survey on a topic that concerns all of us when planning a trip: artificial intelligence and the role of human contact in travel planning.
These days, we’re using more and more digital tools to find ideas, compare options, and book trips... but is the role of human advisors still essential? At what moments? And for what types of trips?
The survey is anonymous and takes about 7 minutes.
It’s aimed at anyone who travels (or has traveled) for leisure, whether you plan everything yourself or go through an agency.
While browsing the forum to gather info for my upcoming trip to Thailand, I often see the terms "traveler," "great traveler," and also "tourist"—so what’s the nuance for you?
I've traveled quite a bit in Vietnam over the past few years—from the southern delta to bustling cities and even some small islands—but what really sticks with me is the north, the high mountains.
Up there, there's something different—maybe slower, more raw. The morning markets with ethnic groups, women in traditional clothes, the colors...
The stilt houses, kids following you and laughing for no reason, the terraced rice fields—it almost feels unreal at times, so vast and quiet, yet so human and simple.
You often hear that Sapa has become too touristy, and that's partly true, especially in the center. But as soon as you move a little farther away, everything changes quickly. The landscapes open up, encounters feel more natural, and you rediscover something truly authentic.
I think it's that contrast that struck me—the difference between what you imagine before going and what you actually discover when you take the time.
And you—what memory do you hold onto from Vietnam? A particular place that touched you more than others?
Hello,
We’re finalizing the plans for our upcoming trip to China in May 2025. The second-to-last stop will be in Zhangjiajie, where we’ve planned to stay for 2 full days before heading to Shanghai.
We’re traveling solo using local transport and have arranged to stay in the city of Zhangjiajie.
We’ve seen that there’s a lot to see:
Tianmen Mountain, the Grand Canyon and the glass bridge, Zhangjiajie National Park, and that the sites are quite far apart with fairly expensive entry fees.
We’re thinking of dedicating one day to the national park and the Grand Canyon (glass bridge) and one day to Tianmen Mountain.
But we’re not sure if this plan is realistic—any thoughts would be much appreciated!
I should be serving a warming drink to the participants in the discussion about gardens and parks that provide us with beautiful photos, I could mention the delicious buttery scent wafting from bakeries in the thread about returning to France, but my heart, its powerful pulse that nourishes my entire being, is elsewhere.
Dasht-e Lut, Yazd, Esfahan, Bam, Kerman, Qeshm, Hormuz—a melody, a prayer at the heart of desire.
A dream, an unattainable fantasy? No. Not anymore.
A very serious Italian travel agency is organizing this trip for 6 people this winter. I’m signed up, I’m going, I’m living. Maybe.
"But you’re completely crazy!!!!"
I know... I know that every civilization, every society has a vital need to create scapegoats to define and justify itself, pathetically. And Iran is one of them, top of the list. I laugh or sigh, and it doesn’t bother me.
But that unchanging red, deep red and garnet, so beautiful in itself, in all the Western chancelleries repeats, whispers, shouts: don’t go, don’t go, don’t go, you’re putting yourself in danger and we can’t do anything for you. You’ll be turned into mere bargaining chips, into arguments for endless negotiations. Fear must be instilled, its power absolutely preserved, no concessions made to the enemy. The information (how many French hostages, real or fake, compared to the number of travelers?) is always lacking.
Traveling becomes a merciless confrontation between desire, the vital pulse, and anxiety, its ghosts.
Hi everyone, here’s our itinerary. Arriving on the evening of December 13th. Departing on January 7th.
Thanks in advance for your tips and valuable feedback.
Manila – 1 night
Coron – 4 nights
Coron to El Nido cruise – 2 nights
El Nido – 4 nights
Port Barton – 5 nights
Flight from Puerto Princesa to Vigan
Vigan – 2 nights
Sagada – 2 nights
Banaue – 2 nights
Bagabag – 1 night
Manila – 1 night
I’ve only booked the flight to Manila and the Manila/Coron flight so far. Is it possible to book boat trips, accommodations, and the Puerto Princesa flight last-minute?
Really disappointed with Costa Rica! Pura vida? The scam of the century!
(Costa Rica pure emptiness).
The country where animals are free and people are in cages.
3 weeks in December in this country and never again. Imagine the trailer of a movie that seems interesting, and when you go see it, you realize it’s a flop and the best moments were in the trailer.
Well, that’s exactly how we felt with Costa Rica pure emptiness.
My wife and I have traveled quite a bit and didn’t expect to be so wrong about a place.
On the main routes, we visited:
San José
Alajuela
Limón, Cahuita, Puerto Viejo, Manzanillo (Caribbean side)
Jaco, Quepos, Manuel Antonio (Pacific side)
And a few short stops in intermediate towns.
Our dissatisfaction grew gradually like this:
When we arrived at the hotel, the taxi dropped us off on a small street in front of a white metal gate with ground-floor windows barred. We looked at it skeptically, but the sign matched.
He approached the gate, rang the bell, the buzzer sounded, and the door opened slightly. The hotel wasn’t bad for the price, a 10-minute walk from downtown, but with a "Fleury-Mérogis" vibe guaranteed.
So far, so good.
After showering and regaining our bearings, we headed downtown.
What started to unsettle us on the way was seeing houses with bars on the ground-floor windows and even on the second floor.
At first, we thought the hotel’s neighborhood wasn’t great.
Downtown San José:
It’s a generic city, not very exotic, with a pedestrian street and a small mercado where you can eat local food without frills. Very few tourists—if any—which let you blend in with the locals. We had lunch and struggled to make ourselves understood because, aside from one or two shops, English wasn’t spoken.
On the way back to the hotel, we took a different route, and while chatting and strolling, my wife pointed out a beautiful two-story white house completely barricaded like Fort Knox.
From that moment, we started noticing the facades of houses and buildings, and wow, it was creepy—most looked like prisons, some even with barbed wire.
Though put off, we told ourselves it was probably a big-city thing and the rest of the country couldn’t be like this.
So far, so good.
We relaxed at the hotel and had a drink at the bar. Night falls early, around 5:30 PM. By 7:30 PM, we headed back downtown for dinner. A bit unsettling for a capital—downtown was almost deserted, and aside from fast-food chains, very few restaurants were open, with hardly anyone on the streets.
Bars with security guards out front.
I won’t say we felt unsafe that night, but once it got dark, we realized the bars on the windows weren’t for nothing. First day in, and our impression was already mixed.
The next day, we explored the city and surroundings, and our feelings didn’t change.
So far, so good.
Off to Cahuita by bus—4 hours of travel.
The landscapes are very green but quickly become monotonous. The road runs alongside the forest and passes through a few towns and villages, and even in the countryside, there were just as many prison-like houses.
The bus dropped us off at Cahuita’s terminal station—only four of us got off. It’s a village, or rather, a small town. Cahuita is basically one straight road and a perpendicular one, and honestly, doubt started to creep in.
A few restaurants that add 13% tax and 10% service charge—so 23% extra. We dropped our stuff at the hotel and went to explore. In 20 minutes, we’d seen it all. We had lunch and planned to check out the famous park.
Entry is by donation—well, the "entry" is a joke. There’s a path along the forest by the sea, and that’s it.
Nothing’s going right anymore.
We thought it was a total scam, but since we hadn’t gone far, we decided to come back the next day to explore further.
We returned to the hotel, relaxed, and around 8:00 PM, we went out for dinner. Only two restaurants were open, and the streets were deserted.
Creepy!
The next day, we explored the so-called park more thoroughly and really got it.
A path along the forest by the sea—2 hours there and 2 hours back, where you see animals that feel like showing their faces.
A total joke—"all that for this?"
The beach was full of wood debris and coconut husks. We wondered if the photos online were edited because the sea, very rough, wasn’t the azure blue we’d seen in pictures.
But calling this a park is a joke—it’s like a new concept.
When we thought about the reviews online, we started to suspect that professionals with interests in the country were monitoring and countering any negative feedback that could harm their business.
Too bad we didn’t check the negative reviews beforehand—we did while we were there, and it helped. We wondered if we’d become too demanding after all our travels, but no—when something’s bad, it’s bad.
Manuel Antonio’s park is even more ridiculous—there’s a short path along the sea for about 500 meters, and then nothing. You have to climb through mud and hack your way through the forest. We ended up barefoot because the mud was up to our calves. All that to see a raccoon and a few parrots flying overhead.
We didn’t expect Noah’s Ark, but we’ve seen more animals in Bali, Mexico, and Thailand while visiting temples or just walking around than in these so-called parks!
Puerto Viejo, not far from Cahuita and supposedly livelier—well, it couldn’t be worse!
According to Lonely Planet, it had a Caribbean vibe and wild nights, but maybe that was a long time ago. The good reggae music playing everywhere isn’t enough.
In the evening, Puerto Viejo was a bit livelier than Cahuita, but that’s not saying much. Very few tourists—if any—no night market, just two or three shops open selling $20 T-shirts. Same vibe as San José.
No big deal—we enjoyed the beach and the sun, which was reliable.
Our itinerary was supposed to include Tortuguero Park, but after talking to other travelers who’d just been, we changed our minds, knowing we’d be visiting Manuel Antonio Park on the Pacific side.
To get back to the Pacific side, you have to take the bus and go through San José again—5 hours this time—then switch bus terminals and another 4.5 hours to Quepos.
A stopover town to get to Manuel Antonio’s beach and park!
A town just like the others we’d seen—deserted as soon as the sun sets, and not exactly bustling during the day either. (Where are all the tourists?)
Still as many bars on the windows and that feeling of being in the wrong place.
7 km later: Manuel Antonio beach and park.
The beach is very beautiful and quite large, but don’t expect turquoise blue water—the waves stir up the sand, giving the water a brownish color.
Along the beach, shops and restaurants for about 300 meters, and then nothing. At night, after sunset, the town shuts down too.
Manuel Antonio Park is highly praised for its wildlife, so we were eager to see it. When you express dissatisfaction with Cahuita or Manzanillo parks, the response is always, "But you should’ve gone to Monteverde or Manuel Antonio!" No matter what you do or say, they’ll tell you, "You should’ve gone there or here."
Back to our famous park—entry was about $16, and contrary to what we’d heard, it wasn’t crowded!
Guides at the entrance with spotting scopes offered their services for about $30.
The park: a mix of boardwalk and dirt paths through the forest, sometimes running alongside beautiful coves and beaches.
As soon as we entered, a crowd was taking photos of a deer eating leaves.
A little further on, a guide with a group of five stopped. The guide raised his arm and set up his spotting scope! He showed them, about 100 meters away, a hummingbird perched on a branch. Some, looking through the scope, exclaimed, "Oh my God! Amazing! Incredible!"
For a moment, we thought they’d discovered a unicorn or were in Jurassic Park and had just crossed paths with a T-Rex!
The concept is comical—looking at a bird or another animal through a spotting scope because it’s too far away. Isn’t that what TV is for?
For our part, we saw monkeys, ants, an armadillo, an iguana, and the backside of a sloth climbing a tree. Amazing, incredible!
We stayed a few days in Manuel Antonio to enjoy the beach, changing hotels often because prices varied wildly from one day to the next for shameful services. On top of that, they’d quote a price in dollars and convert it at their discretion—thieves!
Alajuela, a city near the airport, has a two-story mall and a local market downtown! No interest except its proximity to the airport.
What we liked:
The climate and, in hindsight, San José—the most authentic city we visited.
What we didn’t like, in addition to what we’ve already mentioned:
Costa Ricans aren’t very friendly or communicative. English is barely spoken, not even by doctors at Quepos Hospital, where my wife ended up with food poisoning (thanks, Google Translate). The widespread obesity among Costa Ricans, who eat like Americans. The insecurity. The eco-hipsters who leave their $150 lodges in minivans with guides to visit parks and other sites, then return to barricade themselves in their fortresses at nightfall (oh my God, amazing, incredible). The blue signs at the entrance of towns that accept this payment method: "We accept American Express." Parking lots that become paid just because a guy is watching your car. Prices displayed in dollars. The cost of living (hotels, restaurants, taxes). Landscapes that are too green and not flowery enough. Beaches—nothing exceptional. Pollution in cities where big American trucks rule. Sewage dumped directly into the sea. Aside from the jungle, there’s nothing to visit—no ruins, monuments, or anything worth seeing.
In short, my wife and I think the hype about this supposedly eco-friendly country is overrated. It’s just the trendy destination of the moment. There are much better, cheaper, and more authentic places.
In hindsight, we keep the good memories and our beautiful photos, but if we had to do it over...
Before signing off, a little message to those who don’t like hearing opinions different from theirs:
Well, some things aren’t up for debate. And to those who’d have us believe that in 3 weeks, we don’t have the right to criticize a country or express our feelings—how can you praise it in so little time? What a scam. Costa Rica is a money pit. Pura vida? Pure cosmic emptiness.
If you like spending your evenings barricaded in your cozy hotel after dark, this country is for you.
For everyone else: run!
Hello,
Since the war between Russia and Ukraine, nothing is simple anymore for traveling to Belarus due to sanctions.
No more direct flights from the EU to Minsk.
Driving is a huge hassle, especially crossing through Poland at the only open border in Brest—you can wait 2, 3, or even 4 days just to get through by car.
The least painful driving option is to come via Lithuania and cross at the only open border, with a minimum wait time of 8 hours, sometimes up to 20 hours or more!!
Controls are very strict and annoying on both the Lithuanian and Belarusian sides. Avoid bringing alcohol, food, or cigarettes—everything will end up in the trash, especially when leaving Belarus for Vilnius, where the Lithuanians are tough, even with EU citizens.
The joy I once knew when visiting my wife in Minsk is sadly over—it’s now a real ordeal.
The fastest solution is to fly. My wife travels to France by taking a bus to Kaunas in Lithuania, where you can catch a flight (though not daily) to Paris Beauvais or Charleroi in Belgium with Ryanair, for example.
For the return trip, it’s the same: a flight to Kaunas and then a direct bus from the airport to Minsk.
The bus crossing is quicker than driving—the 250 km journey, including border checks, takes about 6 to 8 hours for buses leaving Lithuania around midnight, but controls are still strict at the border.
The biggest challenge is finding flight schedules that align with the bus routes between the two countries, given the unpredictable border crossing times.
Now, my wife travels via Charleroi in Belgium (near Brussels), and you can take a train to Paris. Alternatively, you can fly into Beauvais and take a bus to Paris (Porte Maillot).
For those driving, note that EU insurance and assistance policies no longer work in Belarus or Russia. You’ll need to get local insurance, usually limited to third-party liability (I don’t think full coverage exists?), as well as mandatory medical insurance. This is available at the border.
You now have to pay highway tolls—no more BELTOLL boxes. Instead, you pay a flat fee for the duration of your stay. Stop at the first gas station after crossing from Lithuania to fill up on fuel and cigarettes.
From what I know, Lithuania bans carrying more than 60 € in cash, but there’s no limit for USD (though it’s capped at $10,000??).
With a Visa card, you can now withdraw 1,000 rubles per week (about 270 €)—two months ago, it was only 500 rubles!!
For now, you can still pay by card in shops and gas stations.
However, major retailers like KORONA (which may be Russian-owned??) no longer accept foreign Visa cards.
Unfortunately, the additional sanctions announced by the U.S. on August 5, 2025, against Russia—and possibly Belarus—aren’t promising for the future.
After 20 years of visiting Belarus, I’m truly saddened to see the joy of living in this country with my wonderful wife turn into such a bleak situation, all because of human folly.
Hi everyone!
I’m putting together our travel itinerary for Veneto at the end of April. And the more I look and research potential sites to visit, the more I find!
We’ll only be there for a week—my family and I—including 3 days in Venice. So we have to make some choices...
I plan to rent a car when we arrive in Venice and head straight to Bergamo, which would be our first stop. We’d leave the car at the airport when we return to Venice so we can explore the city at our leisure.
What do you think:
1 night in Bergamo (a 2h15 drive from Venice airport),
1 night in Garda,
1 night in Verona,
1 in Padua, and
3 in Venice—would that be doable?
Thanks in advance for your tips and experiences! :)
Now that the curtain has fallen on the past year, it’s time to see what’s happening around here.
It seems pretty quiet, but I’ll read more in detail later.
First, I need to tell you all an anecdote.
My eldest little girl, in her third year of law school, was really scared she wouldn’t pass the year.
I told her:
“Trust yourself, you’ve worked so hard, and worst case, if you fail, you’ll just redo the year.”
“But I don’t think I’ll make it—they changed the rules, and if I mess up even one unit, I have to start all over.”
I knew her grades weren’t exactly stellar, and with what I was about to say, I wasn’t taking much of a risk.
“Here’s the deal, sweetheart: if you pass, I promise I’ll take you to India, just the two of us.”
I have to admit, India is a country I’ve talked about so much to all my grandchildren that in their minds, it’s become a magical, mythical place (hmm).
July had barely begun when my phone rang, her name flashing on the screen.
“Mamido, I did it!”
My promise came rushing back—oh no, oh no, oh no!
“Congratulations, sweetheart!”
A little shyly, she said:
“Is the India trip still on?”
And me, replying:
“Of course it is!”
And that’s that—a promise is a promise, or you risk losing that precious trust that keeps hearts warm and at peace.
We’re leaving in February. Only 8 days—yikes, the carbon footprint!
But we can’t miss her tutorials, or she’ll be kicked out.
Personally, that works just fine for me.
Going to India has become a challenge for me. It’s far, it’s exhausting, I sweat, I hate mosquitoes, the spices bother my mouth when I used to love them. There’s noise all the time—at night, the dogs bark nonstop, and we almost get run over. I’ll get lost in the streets because my sense of direction has vanished. I don’t like rice anymore. All that chaos and those cultural differences that once enchanted me now just overwhelm me.
But I promised.
The upside—and it’s a big one—Raman, the same driver I’ve had forever, will be at the airport with a sign with our names. We’ll stop at the same little shop for chai (or tea, plain and simple) with that aroma that intoxicates me, halfway through the trip.
It’ll be a tiny trip—staying with friends, I’ll show her a few places I love: Chidambaram, Mamallapuram, and the clinic where I worked. Then we’ll head back.
My little girl will go home to her parents.
As for me, I’ll leave right away for our Scottish island with Homme for our chilly winter.
How can you love a country so much you want to live there, then suddenly reject it, no longer able to appreciate what once made it special?
That’s the mystery of love, I guess.
I’ve visited the U.S. four times myself, including two long road trips. The last one was just this past August...
I won’t be going back. I already felt guilty last August, but recent policies have finally convinced me: the humiliation of Zelensky, authoritarian excesses, Gestapo-like methods for detaining people of foreign origin, the murder of innocent people (a mother shot dead), corruption, insane "tariffs," skyrocketing healthcare costs for Americans, the abduction of foreign figures to secure oil, the requirement to disclose social media accounts, and now... threats and blackmail to forcibly take Greenland—a region that belongs to Denmark and thus the European Union!
The reality is that simply posting this could get me denied entry to the U.S.!
In this context, I just can’t keep spending money there. I loved my trips, but there are so many other countries with stunning landscapes to explore.
So I get why you’d want to travel there. I did, and I loved it. But once a country no longer respects any of the values that made us love it, why go?
How can we even consider traveling to a country that threatens to take one of our territories by force?
Hello everyone,
Controversial topic? Not necessarily—maybe just a reflection on a world to come.
I spent the last 15 days of August on a cruise in Greenland, from Kangerlussuaq to Tasiilaq.
I was utterly amazed by this unique world of rock and ice, the little houses in every color, a simple life that’s also complicated by isolation and climate, among other things...
I carry in my heart the kindness of the people I met, the raw and gentle majesty of the icebergs, the colors of the sky...
So, I can’t even imagine a massive presence of raw material prospectors, heavy machinery requiring roads to be built—if that’s even possible—changing their way of life... putting sled dogs out to pasture!
Do fast food and Greenland’s northern lights really mix?
I wouldn’t trade my memories for an ESTA!
All opinions are respectable, which is why this isn’t a controversy—but I’m sorry, I have a soft spot for *my* Greenland.
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