C'est vrai ça c'est quoi l'occident comment le définiriez vous?
Est ce un niveau de vie, un mode de vie, une localisation géographique, une appartenance ethnique?
Ce qui m'a emmené à me demander cela c'est que je ne sais pas si l'Amèrique du sud, tel que Brésil, Argentine, Chili peut être associé à l'occident. Oui où non?
Le plus grand voyageur est celui qui a su faire une fois le tour de lui-même
Au tournant du XXIe siècle, on admet généralement que l'Occident regroupe essentiellement l'Europe et l'Amérique du Nord anglophone. On y adjoint aussi généralement l'Australie et la Nouvelle-Zélande, voire l'Afrique du Sud.--
Il ne s' agit donc pas d' une localisation geographique, pour en revenir a la question de JC. Tous les pays mentionnes sont politiquement domines par une population originaire de la Vieille Europe, et ce serait peut-etre la meilleure definition (?), mais appartenance ethnique n' est pas le bon mot, il s' agit plutot de culture, de facon de penser et d' organiser (avec beaucoup de variations), qui resultent en general en un mode de vie eleve. C' est tres evident en Australie, et je suis sur en Nouvelle Zelande egalement. "Occident" rime avec "pays developpe", mais pas avec "Japon", par exemple.
Mais c' est la surface et il y a des laisses pour compte. Certains pays font peut-etre partie de l' "Occident" a premiere approche, mais il ne faut pas longtemps pour quitter la facette "Occident". Que dire des Aborigenes? Que dire des Maoris? Vivent-ils en "Occident"? Peut-on dire que les Antilles Francaises ou la Nouvelle Caledonie font partie de l' Occident? Meme question pour les pays d' Amerique du Sud.
C' est un peu en vrac, je sais. C' est une question interessante, mais la reponse n' est pas vraiment evidente.
PS 1: s.v.p., pourrait-on eviter de parler d' "arborigenes"? Ils ne vivent pas dans les arbres, et ne pratiquent pas l' arboriculture....
🙂 tu as compris le sens de ma question, et comme tu dis difficile d'y trouver une réponse, comme cité si c'est un niveau de vie le Japon en ferait parti hors le Japon n'est pas l'occident.
En effet je comprends que l'occident englobe l'amérique du nord, l'europe de l'ouest, est ce que en se devellopant l'europe de l'est va passer dans l'occident? En font ils déja parti? Est ce que l'Argentine est sortie de l'occident après la chute de son économie, car l'Argentine semble vraiment être un pays d'europe situé hors de l'Europe, avant son désastre économique était elle occidentale?????
Le plus grand voyageur est celui qui a su faire une fois le tour de lui-même
Est ce que l'Argentine est sortie de l'occident après la chute de son économie, car l'Argentine semble vraiment être un pays d'europe situé hors de l'Europe, avant son désastre économique était elle occidentale?????--
D' aucuns diront que nous nous tripotons les meninges en roue libre (si! si!), mais puisque la question est posee, je dois dire que certains pays d' Amerique Latine me posent un probleme. En anglais, on parle de "West", et de "Western" en parlant des gens, des comportements etc.... Il ne viendrait pas a l' esprit de dire que l' Argentine est "western", je crois.......
Ca fait rien, ce sont des pays sympas a visiter, peu importe la reponse 🙂
Pourtant en Argentine c'est bien de la western food qu'on mange 😏😏😏😏 je te rajoute un triturage de méning en roue libre 😏😏😏😏
Comme je t'ai dit ce sujet m'est venu en pensant à l'Amèrique du sud, je pense que les Brésiliens ou Argentins prendraient mal le fait qu'on leur disent qu'ils ne font pas parti de l'occident, car les descendants d'européens se sentent Européens.
Le plus grand voyageur est celui qui a su faire une fois le tour de lui-même
car les descendants d'européens se sentent Européens--
Bien sur, et meme chose en Australie et en Nouvelle Zelande. On se sent souvent en pleine bonne vieille Europe avec eux. Ca peut ne pas etre evident pour un Francais qui n' est jamais sorti de son trou, mais l' Europe ne se limite pas a la France......
Mais la ou le bat blesse, c' est qu' il y a beaucoup de gens dans ces pays qui n' ont rien a voir avec l' Europe. Pour prendre la Nouvelle Zelande comme exemple, meme si elle fait fait montre de bonnes intentions (hymne national chante en Maori, qui est langue officielle comme l' anglais; haka danse par l' equipe nationale de rugby), bien des Maoris n' ont pas le sentiment de faire partie de l' Occident. Il faut voir le film "Once were warriors". On y montre bien a quel point les Maoris peuvent etre paumes dans cette societe "occidentale". On retrouve des problemes similaires ailleurs. Les aborigenes en Australie en sont un cas aigu et particulierement triste.
D' ou mon essai de definition: l' Occident, ce serait au premier abord les pays domines politiquement, culturellement etc... par des gens d' origine Europeenne. A mon point de vue, l' Europe de l' Est et la Russie y comprise en font bien partie. Mais l' Occident, c' est surtout une facon de penser et d' etre, et certains pays ou il y a des populations tres diverses restent inclassifiables.
L'Empire Romain s'est divisé en deux, l'Orient et l'Occident, nous sommes héritiers de
"l'Empire Romain d'Occident" mais la Russie est héritière de l'Empire Romain d'Orient.
La Grèce est un cas "bizarre", çà découle de son occupation pluri-centenaire par les
turcs.
Classiquement, on appelle "Occident" les grandes puissances (ou ex) du 19e siècle
en gros les "colonisateurs" et les USA (si on ne les classe pas parmi les colonisateurs).
Australie, Canada, Nouvelle Zélande etc ... sont d'anciennes colonies "occidentales"
de peuplement émancipées.
Si vous avez compris tout ce que je viens de vous dire, c'est que j'ai dû faire une erreur quelque part. - Alan Greenspan
Science sans conscience n'est que ruine de l'âme - Rabelais
L'Empire Romain s'est divisé en deux, l'Orient et l'Occident, nous sommes héritiers de
"l'Empire Romain d'Occident" mais la Russie est héritière de l'Empire Romain d'Orient.--
Tout a fait, mais je crois que nous parlons du concept, assez flou il faut le dire (d' ou cette discussion), d' "occident" du temps present, et non de celui qui prevalait peut-etre jusqu' il y a quelques siecles (jusqu' au 15-eme/16-eme siecle???). La Russie etait devenue une grande puissance sous les Romanov, et faisait certainement partie de ces grandes puissances du 19-eme siecle et a mene ses propres campagnes de colonisation.
Classiquement, on appelle "Occident" les grandes puissances (ou ex) du 19e siècle .--
L' empire Ottoman etait l' une de ces grandes puissances, il me semble (j' oublie un peu, ca fait longtemps, les classes d' histoire!) et pourtant ne faisait pas partie de l' Occident.
Ben, ce concept est flou mais dérive de cette histoire d'Empire Romain !
La colonisation n'a pas grand'chose à voir avec les conquêtes de l'Empire Turc
ou d'autres ...
Il faut, pour s'en rendre compte, analyser les "bienfaits" (méfaits) de la
colonisation (déculturation, pillage etc ...).
La Russie est bien une "grande puissance" mais pas occidentale car elle
ne découle pas de l'Empire Romain d'Occident.
(prouvez que c'est faux ... 😉)
Si vous avez compris tout ce que je viens de vous dire, c'est que j'ai dû faire une erreur quelque part. - Alan Greenspan
Science sans conscience n'est que ruine de l'âme - Rabelais
Ben, ce concept est flou mais dérive de cette histoire d'Empire Romain !--
Faut-il s' en tenir a la vue du monde remontant si loin dans le temps? Tout est relatif, la polarisation occident-orient a change du temps des romains aux temps modernes. Sur leur flanc nord, les romains n' avaient pas pousse plus loin que l' Europe Centrale, il me semble. Il me semble egalement que quand on parle des grandes puissances occidentales du 18-eme et 19-eme siecles, on inclut la Russie. Mais je n' insiste pas, j' ai d' autres chats a fouetter.
En tout cas pendant la guerre en Georgie Poutine fustigeait souvent "l'occident" donc j'ai pas l'impression que les russes se retrouvent dans l'AOC "occident". De plus je lis souvent dans les discours des représentants Russe des critique sur ce même occident.
Le plus grand voyageur est celui qui a su faire une fois le tour de lui-même
Cette notion d'Occident a pris corps après la division de l'empire carolingien.
Elle s'est enrichie ensuite du qualificatif de chrétien en opposition à l'Europe du nord et de l'est encore paienne et à l'orient arabo-musulman.
La fin de la christianisation forcée des baltes et des slaves, l'échec des croisades et les multiples guerres en Europe ont mis fin à cette idée d'Occident chrétien, plus mythique que réel d'ailleurs. Même si la papauté en a encore rêvé pendant des siècles.
C'est donc comme tu le dis une notion datée historiquement, mais qui a correspondu à son époque à un fort élan des peuples européens chrétiens.
Quasiment oubliée et tombée en désuétude, elle a refait surface pendant la guerre froide. Les stratèges de Washington ont voulu en faire la grande idéologie du "monde libre" contre la menace soviétique.
Il fallait ratisser plus large que l'OTAN. Ainsi dans la prose idéologique des USA, l'Occident a perdu son qualificatif "chrétien" et il a été mis en avant son soi-disant rôle de défense de la démocratie contre l'expansionnisme communiste (sous direction US bien entendu).
Dans cette optique l'Occident incluait le Japon, l'Afrique du Sud, la Corée du Sud, l'Australie etc..
Donc adieu la géographie, la religion, la culture: l'Occident devenait une notion fourre-tout à laquelle se rattachait tout ce qui était anti-communiste.
Peu importait d'ailleurs la réalité des régimes politiques des pays englobés: les pires dictatures devenaient magiquement des défenseurs de la liberté et de la démocratie, a égalité avec les vieilles démocraties européennes.
L'effondrement de l'URSS et le passage de la Chine au libéralisme a fait perdre provisoirement tout intérêt à cet "Occident" tout aussi mythique (voire plus) que celui du Moyen-age.
Mais les néo-cons encore au pouvoir il y a peu à Washington, ont tenté de nous le resservir sous forme de conflits des civilisations: Occident contre Islam(isme).
Et cette fois ci on a voulu nous faire avaler qu'Israël était la forteresse avancée et menacée de ce nouvel Occident.
Donc pour moi l'Ocident n'est rien d'autre qu'un concept historique qui a eu du sens à son époque, mais qui est complètement périmé et qui n'existe plus que comme prétexte manipulatoire pour arrimer l'Europe à la défense des intérêts des USA.
Il vaut mieux à mon avis oublier tout ça et avoir les meilleures relations possibles avec nos voisins de toujours: la Russie et les pays musulmans du sud de la Méditerranée, entre autres.
"Faut-il s' en tenir a la vue du monde remontant si loin dans le temps?"
Ben, c'est l'origine du mot, de "la chose" ...
On peut broder, s'inventer des trucs et des machins plus ou moins "virtuels"
mais la réalité est dans ses origines 😛
Si vous avez compris tout ce que je viens de vous dire, c'est que j'ai dû faire une erreur quelque part. - Alan Greenspan
Science sans conscience n'est que ruine de l'âme - Rabelais
Oh, vous savez, mes chats ne craignent pas grand'chose !
Pour "les fouetter", il faudrait d'abord venir ici braver mes gourdins et
la célèbre machette de Madame LOL
Si vous avez compris tout ce que je viens de vous dire, c'est que j'ai dû faire une erreur quelque part. - Alan Greenspan
Science sans conscience n'est que ruine de l'âme - Rabelais
Etant + lectrice que posteuse je constate les conversation de salon son souvent en tache de petite pique mechante et hipocrite😠
Sous de faux air d amablite😇 bien dommage ce cote "petit occidental"🙁
Je vous trouve tres philosofi oriental la machette y est sans doute pour baucoup
Toujour un plaisir de vous lire😉
Poutine ... etc...--
Bien sur, bien sur, mais il ne faut pas confondre les manipulations demagogiques d' une classe politique (ou d' un individu) avec la realite d' un peuple. On peut aligner un certain nombre de faits qui, je pense, montrent bien que les russes sont bien europeens, donc font bien partie de l' occident:
literature, peinture et musique: des tres grands, tres comparables aux auteurs de "notre cote", qu' ils soient anglais, allemands, francais ou autres. sciences: de meme, grands mathematiciens, entre autres. langue indo-europeenne - je sais, ca ne suffit pas car alors il faudrait inclure l' Iran, une partie de l' Inde etc.... mais ca rapproche quand-meme.
Ou ailleurs qu' en occident pouvait-on trouver cette recherche, dans ces styles, dans ces domaines? Je fais court, par manque de temps, car helas j' ai a travailler. 😕
ethnies caucasiques - pas tres "politiquement correct", le concept de race etant suspect de nos jours, mais toujours est-il que les slaves, dont les russes, sont des blancs - comme la plupart des gens ailleurs en Europe. Meme si on n' est pas d' accord sur les definitions, j' espere qu' on se comprendra. les familles royales europeennes sont bien connues pour avoir ete etroitement liees, du front Atlantique jusqu' a la Russie. Qu' on me cite un seul cas d' une famille royale europeenne ayant forme des liens familiaux en dehors de cet espace. On me dira qu' il ne s' agit que d' un petit groupe de gens et que finalement, on se moque pas mal des royautes, mais cela indique quand-meme qu' il y avait (et donc qu' il peut encore y avoir) des "terrains communs" dans cet espace - facons de penser, d' etre etc....
Mais a vrai dire, toute cette discussion, ce ne sont que des mots. Il ne faut pas se frapper si nous ne sommes pas d' accord sur toute la ligne, ca ne changera rien au monde, hein?
Ben, c'est l'origine du mot, de "la chose" ...--
Bien d' accord, et aussi comme l' a dit Phillipfrench plus haut, concept depasse, concept abuse etc.. etc... Mais les concepts evoluent, changent avec le temps. Mettons-nous d' accord pour dire qu' il y a plusieurs definitions possibles, et que peut-etre nouns n' avons besoin d' aucune.
un pote a fait la meme en Irlande, 'l a son permis moto sans jamais meme l'avoir passe--
À croire que les anglo-saxons, malgré leur sens de l' organisation, ne sont pas infaillibles.
Pour ceux qui voudraient suivre mon exemple, voici ce qui m' a délivré un permis moto "plein" : Passé mon permis voiture dans les Hauts-de-Seine en 1976. Echangé contre un permis néerlandais en 1979 Echangé le permis néerlandais contre un permis britannique en 1983 Echangé le permis britannique contre un permis néerlandais en 1987 Produit ce dernier permis néerlandais aux autorités de droit à Perth pour obtenir le permis australien.
Où y-a-t-il eu erreur ? Je pense à la dernière étape de ce parcours, car le permis néerlandais indique très clairement les catégories de véhicules autorisées.
Comme je n’ avais fait qu’ un peu de 125 cc jusque là, en Indonésie et en Thailande, dans les années 80 (et je m’ étais offert le fameux « thai tattoo » dans la montagne au nord de Chiang Mai), j’ avais bien besoin de prendre quelques lecons avant de profiter de ce permis moto tombé du ciel !
Vous savez, ici c'est encore très poli, si on compare à d'autres forums dont
je ne citerais pas -par pûre charité- le nom !
C'est gentil de me lire, mais pourquoi ne pas poster, les machos, n'en ayez
pas peur, je m'en charge (après qu'ils aient été traités par "asiaonly" et ses
célèbres ciseaux "à faire des chapons"). 😛
NB:La "machette" de ma femme est surtout symbolique, elle représente la
jalousie proverbiale des thaïlandaises "qui aiment" (par opposition aux
pros). 😇
Si vous avez compris tout ce que je viens de vous dire, c'est que j'ai dû faire une erreur quelque part. - Alan Greenspan
Science sans conscience n'est que ruine de l'âme - Rabelais
un pote a fait la meme en Irlande, 'l a son permis moto sans jamais meme l'avoir passe--
À croire que les anglo-saxons, malgré leur sens de l' organisation, ne sont pas infaillibles.
euh... t'es jamais venu en Irlande pour affirmer une telle chose - ou tout du moins inclure l'Irlande a ce "malgre leur sens de l'organisation"! 😄 J'aime souvent citer un ami mexicain sur ce sujet, vivant ici depuis une dizaine d'annees, qui dit qu'il aime bien la vie en Irlande, parce que ca lui rappelle souvent le Mexique avec son cote jungle, bordel, aucune logique. 😄
Ton meli-melo de permis, c'est le meme genre de truc qui s'est passe pour mon pote mais je ne saurais pas te dire comment exactement.
Permis moto tombe du ciel, j'imagine que tu le mets bien a profit maintenant dans le WA... Et t'as bien raison.
en réponse à :"Mais les néo-cons encore au pouvoir il y a peu à Washington, ont tenté de nous le resservir sous forme de conflits des civilisations: Occident contre Islam(isme).
Et cette fois ci on a voulu nous faire avaler qu'Israël était la forteresse avancée et menacée de ce nouvel Occident. " il faut remonter bien au-delà des néos-cons. La contribution du socialisme à l'avènement du sionisme est considérable : fondateurs, activistes, soutiens, mouvement des kiboutzs etc... jusqu'à la guerre des 6 jours l'expansionnisme de l'Etat d'Israel faisait l'unanimité en Occident toutes tendances confondues.
merci pour ces remarques qui traduisent globalement ce que je pense de ce concept d'"Occident" et que je n'avais pas pris la peine d'indiquer.
Un petit bémol tout de même :
le terme "Occident", s'appliquant au Moyen Âge, n'a-t-il pas plutôt été inventé récemment ?
Je me souviens, dans mes lectures de "nos frères d'Orient" de l'appel d'Urbain II, mais pas plus. Une lacune de ma part, ou effectivement le terme d'"Occident" (entendu comme l'espace de la Chrétienté latine)* n'existait pas, et ce sont les médiévistes qui l'ont introduit, par facilité plus qu'autre chose ?
D'accord pour la suite, Guerre Froide et néo-cons.
* d'ailleurs, le terme "Occident" n'est pas employé seul : "Occident latin" ou "Chrétienté occidentale" (faudrait pas oublier l'Occident musulman...)
Honnêtement je n'en sais rien. Peut-être qu'un spécialiste du Moyen age pourra répondre?
Je serai tenté de répondre non. Les empires se veulent universels, ils ne se donnent pas de limites. Sinon celles imposées par la résistance des peuples rétifs aux impérialismes.
Les historiens parlent d'empire romain oriental et occidental mais l'intitulé "d'origine" c'est "Impérium Romanum pars Occidentalis" et "pars orientalis".
Quant à Charlemagne, il se pare du titre de "gouverneur de l'Empire", sans restriction géographique.
Pourtant jusqu'au 15ème siècle (sous réserve de date, mes souvenirs sont vagues) il y a un vrai sentiment d'appartenir à un ensemble religieux et culturel commun à l'Europe "occidentale "(ce terme est bien pratique malgré tout!!).
Au moins chez les lettrés et les hommes d'église qui ont une langue commune quel que soit leur pays d'origine, le latin, et qui circulent facilement entre les universités européennes (l'église ayant le monopole de l'enseignement).
Il y avait le sentiment d'Occident, mais peut-être pas le terme.
Voilà ce que je peux en dire.
En souhaitant ne pas avoir été trop long.
La contribution du socialisme à l'avènement du sionisme est considérable : fondateurs, activistes, soutiens, mouvement des kiboutzs etc... jusqu'à la guerre des 6 jours l'expansionnisme de l'Etat d'Israel faisait l'unanimité en Occident toutes tendances confondues.
Et justement je ne crois pas. Il y a au sein du sionisme et depuis toujours un fort courant socialiste qui trouve son origine historique et sociale lorsque le petit artisanat juif a été en partie ruiné par l'avènement des grandes bourgeoisie occidentales à la fin du XIXe siècle.
Depuis il n'a cessé d'alimenter ce mouvement d'expansion. Tous ces sensibilités très diverses qui composent le sionisme s'unissent lorsqu'il s'agit d'attaquer un ennemi commun : les arabes.
Le sionisme va perduré et Israel continuera pour longtemps encore à être la citadelle de l'Occident en terre arabe, même sans les néo-cons...
Pourtant jusqu'au 15ème siècle ... il y a un vrai sentiment d'appartenir à un ensemble religieux et culturel commun à l'Europe "occidentale "(ce terme est bien pratique malgré tout!!).
Au moins chez les lettrés et les hommes d'église qui ont une langue commune quel que soit leur pays d'origine, le latin, et qui circulent facilement entre les universités européennes .....
Il y avait le sentiment d'Occident, mais peut-être pas le terme.
__
Tres bien, merci (et pas trop long!). 100%
J' avais oublie l' usage du Latin, et l' element religieux. Quand je mettais la Russie "en ligne", plus haut, j' aurais du y penser, mais il s' agit plutot de l' usage du grec (question aux specialistes?). Que ce soit le latin ou le grec, ca ne change rien a l' appartenance a un fonds culturel et religieux communs.
L' Occident pourrait-il decrire (maintenant) tous les gens et les systemes de pensee qui decoulent de ce fonds commun? Ca incluerait l' Europe toute entiere, y compris la Russie, les pays en dehors de l' Europe a forte population issue de ce fonds commun et le plus souvent domines politiquement, culturellement etc... par ces gens? Ce qui pousserait a inclure certains pays d' Amerique Latine par exemple?
Ceux qui decouvrent la Thailande aujourd'hui en reviennent emerveilles..Ceux qui l'ont connus dans les annees 80 et 90 a l'epoque ou le portable et internet…
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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!
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
"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.
We’re a couple aged 58 and 63. We’ve just returned from a wonderful trip to South India in Tamil Nadu and a few days in Kerala. We traveled with a local French-speaking guide and his friend, the driver. They both live in Pondicherry. We spent 3 weeks with them in the most authentic way!
We covered just over 2,500 km and visited not only temples but also archaeological sites, museums, and small artisanal businesses making tiles, tea, sculptures, bronze, and silk spinning. We were lucky enough to visit a public school, attend a wedding, and even a death announcement in a small countryside village. We were fully immersed in the culture, food, noise, and colors—it was incredible!
The hotels and guesthouses we chose were very clean and mostly quiet. We’re returning from India with amazing discoveries!
We’re happy to share more info if you’d like!
M-Claire and Jean
This catchy and somewhat mysterious title comes from several questions I’ve been asking myself.
VF has been back open for a reasonable number of weeks and months now.
The number of visitors overall matches past averages, but the number of members online in the last 24 hours seems relatively lower than what we used to see.
Yet, to my surprise, I’m seeing fewer travel journals, way fewer messages, and way fewer questions.
I don’t see many new registered users online, and I notice a number of members who are logged in but either aren’t participating or have stopped participating.
Something’s not adding up for me because, in my opinion, VF is still appealing, and I don’t see which other sites could really compete.
Was there a real break between pre- and post-Covid?
Does it just take more time for some people to discover the site or learn that it’s active again?
Do people now prefer quick consumption on sites like FB or others I’m not familiar with?
Where have the site’s old-timers gone, and what are they doing with their time now?
What’s really going on here?
This isn’t exactly a traveler’s question... I’d like to know who handles the technical side of this forum?
I run a similar forum on a different topic (unrecognized children), and we’re dealing with a few technical issues that are slowly killing our forum... so I’d have one or two questions to ask 😊.
Also, I was wondering who created this forum... who the administrators or moderators are, etc.
I think this forum is great. Much better than Facebook, which I’ve been using since it shut down (so I’m happy to see it’s working again...)
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