I think you’d do well to watch the plank in your own eye... Generally, when I meet friendly or annoying French people, I don’t focus on where they’re from.
Your comment is stupid and tinged with real animosity toward Parisians,
Totally agree with you on that!! Stupidity isn’t any more localized in Paris than anywhere else... And some people just don’t adapt anywhere!
I have amazing Parisian friends whom I adore, and they’re the first to admit that in Paris, the mentality is "generally" every person for themselves—if we’re being polite.
I spent part of my life in Paris and the eastern suburbs, and now I live in the southeast (Vaucluse). Without generalizing, even though I personally find the quality of life better in the southeast, I’ve experienced way more solidarity and sharing in the Paris region than in the southeast, where individualism and superficiality are everywhere. That said, I’ve still made some great friends here...
I sincerely believe it all depends on who the tourist "ends up with"...
I’ve had experiences in Kuala Lumpur—a generally welcoming city—where I ran into a jerk upon arrival, or a corrupt taxi driver in Bangkok... On the other hand, I’ve met charming people who helped me with directions in both places, just as an example.
A foreigner who—without bragging—crosses my path will likely find Parisians charming. I speak English, I’m patient, and I even offer to help tourists I see struggling with a metro map, warn them to watch their belongings, etc.
Of course, the same people, if treated like "a bull in a china shop" by someone rude or in a hurry, will leave with a bad impression of Paris.
We need to stop stigmatizing—Paris, like all megacities, isn’t necessarily the ideal place for pleasant, friendly encounters...
What’s more, it’s become a hotspot for pickpockets, but that’s not the fault of the French...
Possibly... I’ve never lived in Paris and I never would.
I assume it’s easier for a native to live in their home region and experience solidarity. But I wasn’t talking about solidarity among people who know each other—I meant the spontaneous welcome given to visitors.
The "superficiality" often criticized in the south of France is actually the friendliness that many mistakenly see as "friendship," when in reality, friendship takes time to develop, just like anywhere else in the world.
Being welcoming, smiling, and friendly has nothing to do with solidarity.
Every time I’ve passed through Paris, I’ve mostly encountered closed-off and dull people...
But I’ll take your word for it... we shouldn’t be too far off from having a great reputation for welcoming tourists :))
Vivre pleinement, c'est rester libre de ses choix.
What a controversy, what a fuss about this and that; some people clearly enjoy getting tangled in the OFF-TOPIC meanders so much that they forget Voyage Forum is first and foremost about TRAVEL, period!
That said, I’m definitely not targeting you personally, Sylviasenva, since you’re just responding to certain assertions. I’d love for this forum not to be distorted by partial and often unjustified outbursts, so that what we read is more digestible while avoiding going in circles around the same old remarks and other mood swings without real substance.
Have a good evening to all of you who truly love travel and nothing else.
Best regards, Vietalier.
Cela dépend de l'humeur du moment et va de Jean-Claude à Viet à lier.
I share your opinion, but in every country we visit, there’s a general behavior that tends to reflect travelers' positive or negative views of the place...
The catch is that we travelers rarely venture beyond Paris—with a bit of luck, we might also visit the French Riviera or Bordeaux...
I was lucky enough to meet someone (from another continent) who had traveled extensively in France. The first question I asked him was how he’d been received here. Outside Paris, people almost took his hand to show him the way, while in Paris, they wouldn’t even answer him.
Clearly, he didn’t have the chance to meet you :)))
Vivre pleinement, c'est rester libre de ses choix.
I really don’t understand your point. What’s the point of traveling if not to discover others and EVERYTHING that comes with it?
Traveling alone doesn’t mean anything. We’re talking about tourism, and tourism is tied to travel.
If you only want to talk about the latest hill you’ve photographed, that’s your prerogative, and I respect that—but please, as far as I’m concerned, let me have the freedom to talk about what I want and how I want.
Vivre pleinement, c'est rester libre de ses choix.
Paris, the great desert for wild souls
With no oasis of love for lonely hearts
Tribes of barbarians, adorned with concrete
Paths of asphalt without a hint of an estuary
A glass jungle, opaque and spartan
Where predators and vultures have metal fangs
Dens made of checkbooks, and spears of ties
And the stag’s call echoing in the wedding tower
Where forests of antennas for satellite rain
Are plugged into "stars," false screen idols
When the air far from the alpine meadows is breathed through hoses
And the blue water stops at the bridges of sighing lovers
Je porte plainte contre le "monde moderne", c’est lui le monstre. Il détruit notre terre, il piétine l’âme des hommes."
Si tu n'as pas d'amour, embrasse la liberté
You shouldn’t just read what you like. We were discussing the reputation of the French in tourism—both as travelers and as hosts—and those who amplify it. The worst part is that it always comes from the same corner of France. I don’t see how living there changes anything.
I’m not repeating clichés but sharing real experiences, and if I’m going to do that, I’d rather they come straight from the people involved—meaning the tourists who’ve visited us. As for the rumors about those "nasty French people," I always dig deeper to find out where the person spreading them is coming from. It’s always "pretty funny" to realize that it’s always those (our fellow citizens) who’ve never left their own country who have a negative opinion of France.
But visiting France is more expensive than visiting poorer countries—those famous "elsewheres" that are supposedly so much more wonderful... I respect that everyone does what they can, but I don’t respect reducing France to just Paris, or judging it without even knowing it.
Even though I haven’t lived in Paris, I’ve traveled my country enough to make comparisons and get annoyed by these rumors—which, I’ll remind you again in case you "forgot" to read everything, mostly come from our Parisian friends. That said, I’ve been happy to meet some great ones, but they’re not the majority.
Vivre pleinement, c'est rester libre de ses choix.
What you seem to "forget" is that a debate, a clash of ideas, thrives on more than just examples drawn from your own tiny personal bubble ("people say," "I know someone who"), your feelings, your emotions, your self-righteousness... or your obsessions.
Insisting on stigmatizing a whole population or a tiny corner of France (are all Parisians from Paris *really* the same?) in loooong posts, where the systematic bias to belittle everything strips away any credibility... doesn’t prove anything. But it does say a lot about you.
Trapped by the system? We always have the choice to take a different path.
There are also some really nice Parisians—friendly, down-to-earth, humble, and generous. In my opinion, they mostly belong to one category of Parisians: those who want to get the hell out of Paris (but can’t always do it).
Je porte plainte contre le "monde moderne", c’est lui le monstre. Il détruit notre terre, il piétine l’âme des hommes."
Si tu n'as pas d'amour, embrasse la liberté
I’m far from perfect and don’t want to be seen as a role model. I can be unpleasant like anyone else, but when it comes to tourists, I always try to behave with civility and kindness—it’s the least I can do...
Wishing you a good life and happy travels!
In response to your second message, I’m Parisian and I can assure you that most city dwellers here are indeed closed-off and cold...
I’m hesitant about moving to the southeast precisely because I’ve heard from many people that it’s very difficult to form deep connections with the locals on the Côte d'Azur... I love the warmth, which motivates my desire to move, but I also need warmth in communication. Aside from one friend, I don’t know anyone on the coast. I have an open and outgoing nature, but from what I’ve heard, that might not be enough...
I’m 60 years old, not at all a "mémère"... What do you think if you live in that region?
Good evening Sylviasenva,
Sorry if I ruffled your feathers, but please note that my post emphasized I didn’t mean to attack you personally or your literature.
That said, if you’ve been following V-FORUM closely enough, you might have noticed some time ago that I was talking about travel in terms that align with what you’re asking for—for goodness’ sake—letting you choose freely. Indeed, back then, I believed that travel is about the eyes, the ears, the taste buds, AND ABOVE ALL THE HEART, all to be fully shared with locals or fellow travelers the moment you’re on the same wavelength or willing to tune into others—except, of course, those whose shallow and annoying habits my last post called out, the ones that never end!
Sorry for not making myself clearer, and please accept my sincere regards.
Vietalier, a bit contrite but hoping this time my message comes across as intended...
Cela dépend de l'humeur du moment et va de Jean-Claude à Viet à lier.
The French Riviera isn’t really the place where you’ll find what you’re looking for. Mass tourism means it’s pretty superficial. That said, you’ll find sunshine all over the Southeast and Southwest.
The Mediterranean coast is long enough, though, that you can still find sunshine and a good quality of life. My mother-in-law, who’s 70, lives in Perpignan and has made tons of friends. You just need to find a way to connect with people—affinities and time will do the rest.
Best,
Vivre pleinement, c'est rester libre de ses choix.
Don’t worry, Vietalier—even if I can come across as quite direct when I reply, I won’t form a negative opinion based on just one message.
Writing can sometimes lead to odd reactions, and I’m no exception. What we write and what the other person perceives aren’t always the same, so sometimes we need to clarify.
Cheers, and looking forward to more.
Vivre pleinement, c'est rester libre de ses choix.
Thanks, Sylviasenva, for staying on the path that should be the only one taken by V-Forum regulars when it comes to travel.
Happy travels and forum vibes; see you soon, I hope.
Sincerely, Vietalier.
Cela dépend de l'humeur du moment et va de Jean-Claude à Viet à lier.
Anyway, whether here or 'elsewhere,' whether 'rich or poor,' stuffing ourselves with luxuries or living in misery, humans are never content or satisfied. These rutting primates, overpopulating the world, prove that copulation is far from being the exclusive domain of other animals, who are often much wiser—especially since humans have been exterminating or exploiting them for ages. In short, even those who have a big polluting car, a wife and kids, a house or even a villa, a second home, and who burn through flight tickets every three days will always want more—often even more than the simple gardener tending his vegetable patch and content with little.
Desires are insatiable, and consumer society (including in the realm of 'tourism,' that hotspot of oil pollution) pushes us to satisfy them, to 'work more to consume more,' then to 'work even more to consume even more,' and so on. But happiness isn’t created that way. It’s a society of slaves—and the more desires they have, the more enslaved they become, even if they can satisfy them. Because they’re addicted to desires (whatever they may be): the desire to possess, to buy, to have more money, sex, to cheat on their spouse or partner, or to collect them like they change shirts every three days or countries every week.
It’s this limitless greed that’s destroying this poor planet, lost in a solar system, itself in an insignificant cluster of stars, itself in one of the arms of an ordinary galaxy among others in an expanding universe... The problem is that this tiny rock we call Earth has finite resources and space. And it’s only protected from ionizing rays, UV radiation, and solar radiation (not to mention the freezing void) by a very thin atmospheric layer, which barely shields life on Earth.
In just a few thousand years, humans are destroying this fragile balance, which took millions and billions of years to create.
They keep buying round-trip tickets to the other side of the planet, hoping their 'descendants' will do the same, and so on, in the best of all possible worlds. Except they prefer to stay blind to reality: oil and kerosene are rapidly killing the atmosphere, climate change is causing ever-greater and more obvious disasters, and fossil fuels are running out anyway—even if humans double down by exploiting hyper-polluting shale gas, nuclear power, and more.
Humans will wipe out all life on this planet in just a few decades (7 billion now, and soon 10 billion by 2025—basically tomorrow). Frankly, aren’t you tired of reproducing? 🤪 They won’t even be able to feed everyone, especially since over 1 billion people already lack access to drinking water, and billions more don’t have enough to eat or are starving.
If humans disappear as a result of these extreme behaviors, it’s the least of our worries—they’ll have deserved it. 😉
Je porte plainte contre le "monde moderne", c’est lui le monstre. Il détruit notre terre, il piétine l’âme des hommes."
Si tu n'as pas d'amour, embrasse la liberté
I think it’s because not everyone loves routine... spending your whole life in the same place. We always want to discover new things. The planet is so vast, varied, and full of happiness everywhere, and we just want to make the most of it all.
because I hear from many people that it's really hard to form deep connections with the locals on the French Riviera...
It turns out that in Provence, more and more people are coming from all over France—Bretons, Parisians, Nantais, etc.—and it’s easier to bond with fellow "expats" that way!
Thank you ... for staying on the path that should be the only one taken by regulars of V-Forum when it comes to travel.
But what path are you talking about, and where exactly does this path lead, marked with such pebbles in your shoe?
A non-exhaustive selection:
"Parisians (with a few exceptions) have the annoying habit of generalizing their own stupidity and inability to be friendly and open to others to the whole of France"
"not all Parisians and other 'capitalists' are like that, but a good number are often very arrogant, even contemptuous toward 'provincials'"
"Unfortunately, nice Parisians are quite rare"
"the idiots who keep harping on about how the French have every flaw are also Parisian journalists."
"they’re arrogant, thinking they’re the center of the world"
"The French Riviera isn’t really the place where you’ll find what you’re looking for. Mass tourism means it’s pretty superficial."
"I hear from many people that it’s very difficult to form deep connections with locals on the French Riviera"
.../...
Travel...
Travel opens unsuspected horizons. Travel elevates the spirit. Travel sheds light on the beauty of the world. Travel teaches humility. It’s so wonderful to travel. Travel sharpens curiosity...
Leaving your daily life so far behind, opening up to a different culture, marveling at all that splendor, having tears in your eyes... Travel teaches you to be innocent again.
Travel challenges preconceived ideas, clichés, prejudices... about others here or people elsewhere.
Travel............. What, isn’t that the case?
If you want to side with the idealistic "optimists" who see good people and open-mindedness everywhere, or if you're looking to endorse the equally pessimistic and hypocritical idea that people are ultimately just as selfish and bad everywhere,
I prefer to stick with a more "realistic" view: when traveling—as in life—there are jerks and less jerky people everywhere, honest folks and dishonest ones.
In Thailand, the "land of smiles," just to give a quick example, on my first day in Bangkok, I met a guy coming home from work, probably tired. When I asked him where a certain hostel was, he played the "free guide" and offered to walk several kilometers with me on foot—even though he knew nothing about me.
On my last day before flying out, in too much of a rush to miss my flight, with no buses around, I was offered a taxi near a "fancy" hotel. The driver, who clearly had "the means," turned out to be a total crook and pulled his scam in baht for just 5 kilometers. The world is relative—there’s plenty of mental dust out there, but sometimes you find rare little nuggets of light.
Je porte plainte contre le "monde moderne", c’est lui le monstre. Il détruit notre terre, il piétine l’âme des hommes."
Si tu n'as pas d'amour, embrasse la liberté
Travel...
Travel opens unsuspected horizons. Travel elevates the spirit. Travel enlightens us about the world's beauty. Travel teaches humility. It's so wonderful to travel. Travel sharpens curiosity..."
Yes, who wouldn’t agree? It also teaches the reality of a much sadder world—if we’re willing to see it.
"Leaving your daily life so far behind, opening up to a different culture, marveling at all that splendor, having tears in your eyes... Travel teaches us to rediscover innocence."
For those who know how to marvel, there’s no need to go very far. But regaining that innocence in front of beautiful landscapes, opening up to a different culture while ignoring the cultural and regional differences in France, not knowing how to marvel at the Alps, the gorges of Ardèche or Aveyron, or the sometimes wild landscapes of Brittany—it makes me think this kind of talk is mostly meant to lull the masses.
Knowing how to look is like knowing how to read. You have to be open to what doesn’t please you as much as to what delights you.
"
Travel shakes up preconceived ideas, clichés, prejudices... about others here or peoples elsewhere.
Travel............. What, isn’t that it?
What a joke!
"
Yes, I agree with you again, but you’re forgetting something:
What do you do with the realities you encounter in your travels? Do you "forget" them, "forgive" them, "not look at them"? Or do you have a mountain of excuses for everything that doesn’t come from that awful country, France?
Vivre pleinement, c'est rester libre de ses choix.
Well said, YUROK,
Your whole spiel is quite something; the Greens and Nicolas Hulot are small potatoes compared to the rant you just hit me with!
As for me, I’m one of those pleasure-seekers who looks for enjoyment wherever I can find it—and why not somewhere other than France—through sharing the life I experience there with all the people I meet—locals or tourists—as long as they’re able to respect others.
Maybe it sounds simplistic to you, but I live just fine this way, and it doesn’t strike me as selfish at all.
Vietalier.
Cela dépend de l'humeur du moment et va de Jean-Claude à Viet à lier.
Hi Kola,
Thanks... for staying on the path that should be the only one taken by regulars of V-Forum when it comes to travel.
I think most reasonable people will have understood by now that you, just like YUROK 999, felt the need to put me on trial—oil, kerosene, copulation ad nauseam, overpopulation, famine in the third world, and so on—thank you for saving your outbursts for others, as I don’t feel concerned by your sweeping generalizations.
Consider yourself warned! — Vietalier.
Cela dépend de l'humeur du moment et va de Jean-Claude à Viet à lier.
Well... how can I put this... my response was a parody, a mix of worn-out commonplaces and cringe-worthy clichés taken from Sylviasenva’s posts and that sad individual who keeps coming back in different forms... which were met with a little over-the-top (but harmless) text, also packed with travel clichés.
Their messages would’ve deserved your outrage way more.
(You should read the discussion more carefully.)
reincarnated many times, which makes sense, since Buddha is me 😉
Incidentally, I’m also my own "god" in the kingdom of my life,
so I don’t expect anything from Jesus, Adam, or even less from Eve (who poisoned herself by offering her apple to just anyone—poor thing ), nor from society (the city-dwelling monkeys I mentioned earlier), nor from some little Parisian (maybe, maybe not, doesn’t matter) who acts like a "seasoned traveler" with her "I know everything, I’ve seen it all" attitude, even though she’s mostly seen her own prejudices, her arrogance-contempt (but that’s another story), and her ego-pride swelling in proportion to her tourist trips, like many others. It’s well known that travel improves the wise and worsens fools.
Je porte plainte contre le "monde moderne", c’est lui le monstre. Il détruit notre terre, il piétine l’âme des hommes."
Si tu n'as pas d'amour, embrasse la liberté
Look, the mascot of this section is back.
For your next incarnation, I recommend you use this maxim at the bottom of your messages: chase away the natural and it comes back at a gallop.
It would suit you perfectly on all levels.
Il y a trois sortes d’hommes : les vivants,
les morts, et ceux qui vont sur la mer.
Aristote (parait il)
It’s mostly that we don’t shake off the "disdainful" and arrogant nature of many women in these materialistic societies (pun intended or not) 😉 and their ego-worship.
Your ego doesn’t exist, just like your societies, which are nothing but houses of cards.
The funniest part? When they collapse—when the Earth has had enough—I’ll be grabbing my popcorn to watch the show (in all your movie theaters and cities!). Free entertainment for ages 0 to 99 and beyond, if you’re into that.
Je porte plainte contre le "monde moderne", c’est lui le monstre. Il détruit notre terre, il piétine l’âme des hommes."
Si tu n'as pas d'amour, embrasse la liberté
Good evening Kola, Sorry, my brain’s a bit dusty sometimes and I don’t always catch the humor right away. I hope I didn’t ruffle your feathers—if I did, know it was totally unintentional on my part.
Warm regards,
Vietalier.
Cela dépend de l'humeur du moment et va de Jean-Claude à Viet à lier.
Hi again, Kola,
Before shutting down my Mac/Apple, I took a look at your profile on your latest V-Forum post. I see you're a woman, and in light of that, I want to reiterate my regrets for not realizing you were joking around and teasing some folks.
I really like the shortcuts in your profile—it gives me a little glimpse of who you are. If you read some of my posts, there’s one where I say you can travel without leaving home, comfortably settled in a good armchair with a pastis, a great book, and a big purring cat. That’s travel too, you know.
Around the age of 12, I inherited a huge atlas, which I still have. I’ve spent—and still spend—countless hours poring over its pages, and every time, I’m whisked away to places I’ve never been and would love to visit. What’s more, this treasure helped me write a few chapters of a book (256 pages total), with some scenes set in the Caribbean, Argentine Patagonia, Chile, Tierra del Fuego—all about travel. If you’d like, I can send you a copy by mail, even with a dedication. In that case, it’ll cost you 20 €, shipping and packaging included. You’d just need to send me your details via private message on V-Forum so the postman knows where to deliver the package.
Warm wishes for a good night. See you soon... if you’d like?
Vietalier.
Cela dépend de l'humeur du moment et va de Jean-Claude à Viet à lier.
Anyway, going "elsewhere"—whether for a short time or for good—sometimes lets you escape the ambient "mediocrity," especially if nothing and no one is waiting for you here, and if nothing’s holding you back ;)
It’s better to leave with a good guitar in your luggage than with a bad travel companion, especially if you’re heading off alone, as is often the case ;)
Je porte plainte contre le "monde moderne", c’est lui le monstre. Il détruit notre terre, il piétine l’âme des hommes."
Si tu n'as pas d'amour, embrasse la liberté
Sometimes you reap what you sow
or rather "what goes around comes around" ;)
Je porte plainte contre le "monde moderne", c’est lui le monstre. Il détruit notre terre, il piétine l’âme des hommes."
Si tu n'as pas d'amour, embrasse la liberté
Hi Green Melting Pot, Uh... almost off the mark!!!
In this V-Forum section, someone already called out the "me, myself, and I" posts with their peremptory, no-appeal opinions and dripping, permanent egocentrism.
You’re responding to what I never said or thought! Indeed, in my spots, there’s no Cabrel or fireside corner—but allow some to appreciate the one’s writing and the other’s comfort...
Back to the guitar, my preferences lean toward Narciso Yepes and Andrés Segovia in the repertoires of Rodrigo or Albéniz, and sometimes toward Portuguese guitar accompanying Amália Rodrigues in her stunning fados, or when it’s Brazil singing through Gilberto Gil or the Andes through the voice of Atahualpa Yupanqui (Duerme negrito or El Cóndor Pasa).
As for the fireside corner, if you don’t like it, don’t forbid those who enjoy reading a good book in winter, warmed by a crackling vine shoot fire or the sound of a log slowly burning in the hearth. Just noting that I don’t impose my tastes on everyone.
When it comes to ladies and young women, while their company is pleasant, so is that of good, true friends.
Best regards, forum member. Vietalier.
Cela dépend de l'humeur du moment et va de Jean-Claude à Viet à lier.
... this monument helped me write a few pages of a book (256 pages total) with scenes set in the Caribbean, Argentine Patagonia, Chile, Tierra del Fuego, all about travel. If you'd like, I can send you a copy by mail—dedicated if you prefer. In that case, it’ll cost you 20 €, shipping and packaging included. Just send me your details via private message on V-Forum so the postman knows where to deliver the package.
Nice try, but... not sold! Still, you did make me laugh.
Caught up in other travel invites (which are more than just a possibility)... I’ll have to pass on your signed copy. But could I suggest polishing your pitch before posting about your book in the dedicated section: Books, films, and documentaries?
It’d fit better there than in this smoke-filled discussion.
Thanks to all of you, I’ve heard mixed things...
I’m sure there are plenty of associations (animal welfare, walks, arts, etc.) where I can meet open-minded people.
I’ll go take a look (and pick up after myself) in Cagnes at the start of spring...
Best regards😉
If you're going to Cagnes, check out Mouans-Sartoux (which just finished its great book festival) because the coastal strip might leave you disappointed anyway.
Il y a trois sortes d’hommes : les vivants,
les morts, et ceux qui vont sur la mer.
Aristote (parait il)
😎Thanks for the tip! I stopped by Saint-Maxime at the end of summer (a friend lives in Le Muy, which must have been a charming village but is now overrun by immigration that’s not exactly cool...). Saint-Maxime was gorgeous but way too crowded, I thought... indeed.
I’ll check out the place you mentioned.... thanks for the tip!
It's a fact, whether you like it or not, that most tourists go to Paris and base their judgment of France on that.
Whether you like it or not, it also seems frankly dishonest to ignore that the idiots who keep harping on about how the French have all the flaws are also Parisian journalists.
When you go to the countryside, ask for directions, and you’ll easily find a hand to guide you.
Try that in Paris, but be very, very patient....
I’m not trying to prove anything, and I don’t hold any animosity toward Parisians (only since I’ve traveled outside our borders). Because if I went by the ones I meet in the provinces, I’d definitely have some, for sure. I don’t like jerks, and I don’t care if they don’t like me back.
That said, few people from the provinces appreciate them, as they’re so arrogant, thinking they’re the center of the world.
I’m just tired of hearing nonstop that the French have all the flaws and realizing that a bunch of people repeat it like parrots because they’ve been brainwashed. Yet when I share plenty of anecdotes proving the opposite (like we easily do for other countries), suddenly they remember that they, too, have had positive experiences in France.
So why my fixation on Parisians? Because it’s often from the capital that these rants about the French originate.
You clearly have a real misunderstanding of "tourism in France"—believing that tourism is just about visiting PARIS is a huge mistake, and it dismisses all the Belgian, German, English, Spanish tourists, and those from various French provinces who explore the entire country....
I didn’t know journalism was only practiced in PARIS....
As for the Paris/province divide, it’s just a classic case of rejecting the other....
I have Parisian friends who’ve moved to the provinces, and friends from the provinces, and honestly, we rarely bring up where we’re from unless it’s about specific topics—food quality, job issues, quality of life, cost of living, politics, etc. Topics that sometimes divide us but don’t lead to rejection or envy....
PS / My farmer friends don’t live in la-la land—they know the struggles and harshness of rural life.... They’re no less respectable or friendly, and they’re certainly as valuable as your friends!
So try to be a little less dismissive when you talk about PARIS and Parisians. Stop spreading clichés and secondhand ideas since you’ve never even lived there!
I don’t like jerks either, but I know they’re everywhere—in PARIS, in the provinces, around the world.... But I also know we’re always someone else’s jerk! 🤪
It's not me who comes up with tourism statistics...
Honestly, either I'm not expressing myself clearly, or you just can't read. Did I say tourism is all about Paris? No, very specifically, I said that most tourists go to Paris, and therefore, we should give credit where it's due.
Tourists aren’t just Europeans, and to be honest, right now I’m more interested in other continents.
Journalism isn’t just about Paris, no, but if you want to bury your head in the sand, go ahead. The fact remains that it’s not in *Le Midi Libre*, *La Provençale*, or others that those ridiculous articles about the "mentality" of the French are written.
"As for the Paris/province divide, it’s a classic case of rejecting the other...
The classic intellectual bad faith! If I had, as you say, a rejection of others, I wouldn’t have Parisian friends since I’m supposed to hate them. I get that you don’t like people criticizing Parisians, but stop twisting my words to rally the fence-sitters. Though, "twisting others’ words to rile up fools" has become a habit our politicians use. Clearly, they have followers...
"I have Parisian friends who moved to the provinces, provincial friends, and honestly, we rarely bring up where we’re from unless it’s about specific topics—food quality, job issues, quality of life, cost of living, politics, etc. Sometimes these topics divide us, but they don’t lead to rejection or envy..."
Oh, so you never discuss the causes or behaviors within your own regions that affect your "quality of life"? That’s rich...
From what I’ve read from my critics, your arguments are based solely on personal attacks. Taking phrases out of context, only picking what suits you, lumping people with different opinions together just to create a smear in the minds of fools—it’s almost like some of you can’t resist insulting me. It vaguely rings a bell...
"So try to be less dismissive when you talk about PARIS and Parisians. Stop spreading clichés and secondhand ideas since you’ve never even lived there!"
Just read above, and you’ll understand why I’d rather trust the guy who honestly tells me how he felt during his trip than your two-bit rambling.
Vivre pleinement, c'est rester libre de ses choix.
Go for it, my "friend"! (well, sort of ;))
Parisians, you know the type...
Parisian snobs, etc. (ad lib)
Stay focused! You’ll get there.
And a little Brassens to back up the point 😉
It’s true that all those little villages are charming,
All those towns, hamlets, localities, cities,
With their fortresses, churches, beaches—
They’ve only got one flaw: they’re inhabited.
And they’re inhabited by people who look down
On everyone else from their high walls,
The breed of chauvinists, the flag-wavers,
The smug fools who were born somewhere,
The smug fools who were born somewhere.
Damn those children of their motherland,
Impaled once and for all on their steeple,
Who show off their towers, museums, town halls,
Make you see their homeland until you’re cross-eyed.
Whether they’re from Paris, Rome, Sète,
Or the back of beyond, or Zanzibar,
Or even Montcuq—they’re so proud of it,
The smug fools who were born somewhere,
The smug fools who were born somewhere.
The sand where their cozy ostriches
Bury their heads—you won’t find anything finer.
As for the air they use to inflate their egos,
Their soap bubbles are made of divine breath.
Little by little, they work themselves up,
Convinced that even the manure from
Wooden horses makes everyone else jealous,
The smug fools who were born somewhere,
The smug fools who were born somewhere.
It’s not just a cliché in their minds—they truly pity
The unlucky ones,
The poor souls who didn’t have the presence of mind
To be born where they were.
When the alarm sounds for their fragile happiness,
Against foreigners—all more or less barbarians—
They crawl out of their holes to die in war,
The smug fools who were born somewhere,
The smug fools who were born somewhere.
My God, how good life would be on Earth
If we didn’t keep running into that absurd breed,
That annoying race that’s everywhere,
The race of locals, the homegrown folks.
Life would be beautiful in every way
If you hadn’t pulled all these clowns from the void,
Maybe proof of your non-existence,
The smug fools who were born somewhere,
The smug fools who were born somewhere
Je porte plainte contre le "monde moderne", c’est lui le monstre. Il détruit notre terre, il piétine l’âme des hommes."
Si tu n'as pas d'amour, embrasse la liberté
:)))) I'm not sure I'm your "friend," I prefer the kind of consumption that makes life easier to the kind that would take me back to the oxcart (laugh). My bad for not pleasing everyone.
Nice catch with the Brassens song! 😏😉
Vivre pleinement, c'est rester libre de ses choix.
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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.
Thanks... for staying on the path that should be the only one taken by regulars of V-Forum when it comes to travel. 
.
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