I often eat Thai food in Paris, and I really like it, but I imagine it’s not quite the same as there, like it usually goes!
I also love Indian food.
Actually, I enjoy variety. In that sense, Paris suits me well since I can eat pretty much any cuisine in the world there... though I rarely eat French food!
I often eat Thai food in Paris, and I really love it, but I imagine it’s not quite the same as there, as is often the case!
Whether in France or Thailand, both cuisines have their ups and downs—from street food and home cooking to fusion cuisine, there’s something for every taste and budget.
The best in Thailand? A little hole-in-the-wall joint that doesn’t look like much, but where there’s always a line. (Smile)
(The best Thai food in Paris? Word of mouth among friends.)
Paris suits me just fine since I can eat a bit of every cuisine in the world there.
You really made my mouth water with your Russia/St. Petersburg travel journal if I remember correctly!
Everyone ends up in Tatra because he doesn’t buy into the stories about the best healthcare system, the best social protection, the best democracy, etc... you’d happily put him in a psychiatric hospital like in the good old days of the USSR.
The latest example today is Nantes airport: in defiance of the majority opinion of the Bretons (I deliberately say Bretons since Nantes was the capital of the Breton state annexed by France), it’s Paris that decides. Provincials (in good Latin, the vanquished), move along and go take your flight in Paris, and keep funding the RATP, Parisian theaters and museums, while waiting for the Olympics.
I think there’s some truth in the arguments from both sides, and they seem quite respectable to me, actually.
Our country is still living off past achievements, but we’re about to lose several of the most essential ones—whether we pay attention or not.
« Tout le monde s'interroge sur comment laisser une meilleure planète à nos enfants, mais on devrait plutôt penser à laisser de meilleurs enfants pour notre planète. » Clint Eastwood
I do think that many Bretons genuinely see this as a betrayal and a repeated assertion of the desire to isolate the region. In Brittany, we're farther from the rest of the world than anywhere else in Europe—you’re closer to the world when you live in Mogilev or Moldova.
You’d have to be a bit foolish to stay here, or really love your job like I do. But I blame myself for it.
Michel
Everyone picks on Tatra because he doesn’t buy into the stories about the best healthcare system, the best social protection, the best democracy, etc. You’d happily put him in a psychiatric hospital like in the good old days of the USSR.
The latest example today is Nantes Airport: in defiance of the majority opinion of Bretons (I deliberately say Bretons since Nantes was the capital of the Breton state annexed by France), it’s Paris that decides. Provincials (in good Latin, the defeated), move along and go take your plane in Paris, and keep funding the RATP, Parisian theaters and museums, while waiting for the Olympics.
There’s no accounting for taste...
To each their own, as they say...
But once again, I don’t see how this connects to the original topic:
... why is it better (or best) somewhere else?...
Best wishes to everyone anyway.
Viet-à-lier or: Vietalier.
Hee hee hee !!!
Cela dépend de l'humeur du moment et va de Jean-Claude à Viet à lier.
For NDDL (that old chestnut that quite a few politicians have latched onto), there wasn’t a referendum, just a consultation held in the Loire-Atlantique department—the only place where the majority was in favor. And now we’re hearing about a "denial of democracy"?
I just read an article today with a headline along the lines of "most French people are against the NDDL airport"... No referendum in the affected regions, Brittany and Pays de la Loire, but now they’re polling the whole of France! We’re even discovering that some neighbors of Nantes Atlantique aren’t bothered by the noise—people who didn’t seem to exist before.
Anyway, even without this airport, they keep talking about the "Grand Ouest"... unless it’s just a way to tread carefully...
If there’s one thing that really felt like a betrayal, it was the lack of Breton reunification during the territorial reform. Oh, there were some who pitched reunification by merging Brittany and Pays de la Loire, with this new airport as a kind of hyphen, in pro-reunification circles and even in cultural spheres. We saw them coming to court support during the territorial reform, with elections on the horizon. Hmm, they must’ve already been out west before that, if you ask me.
Apart from a couple of Breton bosses, we haven’t heard many complaints so far. Why aren’t these complainers pushing to develop Rennes airport, Brest airport (and its port—could’ve been a *Le Havre* of its own)? In Brittany, we often say there are the "doers" and the "talkers"... For example, Brittany Ferries was created by farmers, initially to export their vegetables to the UK—definitely "doers." And yes, you can travel elsewhere by sea with more than just *bateaux-mouches* or catamarans!
As for politicians, with a few rare exceptions, they’re mostly "talkers."
The French state doesn’t want strong regions. It can enlarge them and give them odd names, but will they really hold their own against other powerful European regions as they are?
There you go. If elsewhere isn’t greener, it’s still nice to go there now and then, if only to get a break from our national news broadcasts.
Replying to you on this topic here, I risk taking the discussion off on a tangent, but it won’t be the first time—and that’s kind of the point.
You explain things much better than I do, and you’re right. I agree with your arguments and analyses.
Seeing how the Bretons are so enthusiastically and methodically shooting themselves in the foot never fails to surprise me.
That said, abandoning this poorly located airport isn’t a big deal. What leaves me stunned, though, is the suggestion that follows: centralizing everything in Paris airports.
Seriously, what a disgrace—a real slap in the face for Bretons. It’s humiliating for anyone who knows the cost of having to "chase" a flight in Paris—in time, money, and risk. For those who understand how much this disadvantages the region compared to the rest of metropolitan France, turning it into a second-tier area, cut off from Europe, deprived of opportunities, and kept under tutelage for its development.
Michel
For NDDL (an old political football that many politicians have clung to), there was no referendum, just a consultation held only in the Loire-Atlantique department, where the majority was in favor. And now we hear talk of a "democratic denial"?
I just read an article today with a headline along the lines of "Most French people oppose the NDDL airport"... No referendum in the affected regions—Brittany and Pays de la Loire—but now they’re polling the whole country! We even discover that some neighbors of Nantes Atlantique aren’t bothered by the noise—people who didn’t even exist before.
Even without this airport, they keep talking about the "Grand Ouest"... unless it’s just a way to sugarcoat things.
If there’s one thing that really felt like betrayal, it was the non-reunification of Brittany during the territorial reform. Oh, there were people—even in pro-reunification circles and cultural spheres—who pitched the idea of merging Brittany and Pays de la Loire, with this new airport as a symbolic link, during the reform, with elections in mind. Hmm, they must’ve been out West long before that for us to realize it now.
Apart from two Breton business leaders, we haven’t heard many complaints. Why aren’t these complainers pushing to develop Rennes or Brest airports (and what about its port? It could’ve been a Le Havre of the West)? In Brittany, we often say there are the "doers" and the "talkers"... For example, Brittany Ferries was created by farmers, initially to export their vegetables to the UK—real "doers." And yes, you can travel by sea to other places, not just on riverboats or catamarans!
As for politicians, with a few rare exceptions, they’re mostly "talkers."
The French state doesn’t want strong regions. It may enlarge them and give them odd names, but will they ever hold their own against other powerful European regions?
There you go. If the grass isn’t greener elsewhere, it’s still nice to go there now and then—if only to put our national news in perspective.
Hi there,
Personally, I won’t weigh in on the core issue since I’m not Breton—I don’t feel it’s my place. That’s for the Bretons to decide.
As for the big regions, it’s a charming Jacobin joke. Everywhere, regions are historical, cultural, and linguistic—some are huge, others tiny.
It’s pretty obvious that in France, infrastructure only makes sense if it’s useful to Paris. And if it’s any consolation, Brittany isn’t the only one getting the short end of the stick:
- To drive from Marseille to Nice on the highway, you have to go *against* traffic toward Aix to reach the Paris-Nice autoroute.
- A few years ago, I had to take the train to Perpignan—I had to change trains twice, in Montpellier and then Narbonne.
- The Marseille-Grenoble autoroute? We’ve been waiting for it for decades.
- The Marseille-Turin autoroute? Not even planned (on the French side, of course).
Tonight on TF1 at 8 PM, there was a report about a comedian who gets laughs from his provincial childhood (which he probably never actually lived, since only Parisians use the word "province" and its derivatives; for example: "I was born in Mâcon to unknown parents"—the problem there is "Mâcon").
Do you know any other country where people outside the capital are seen as backward without any anti-racist organization batting an eye?
Try translating this sentence into English: "He looks provincial."
Ah! At last, and thank you, Tatra, for this attempt to refocus the discussion. I truly hope you’ll be heard, but will it remain just a pious wish?
Indeed, the latest posts have flared up over political and controversial digressions that have nothing to do with the original question—Notre Dame des Landes, etc.
So, freedom of speech, YES, but let those who are looking for a platform to air their feelings and... show off their knowledge go elsewhere, to other sections more in line with their moods, and stop cluttering up this one, which is all about travel. Let these overly sensitive reactionaries leave us to share our experiences, which stay on topic, and try to answer the original question as best we can.
Thanks to all of you who are willing to keep things positive.
Vietalier
Hello,
To refocus the discussion on the topic and satisfy the rainy constraints of some in this so gloomy and damp winter, I suggest clarifying the question:
Why is this tendency to think the grass is greener elsewhere so French?
What does it stem from?
A cultural trait, a worldview, a type of society?...
Michel
Cela dépend de l'humeur du moment et va de Jean-Claude à Viet à lier.
Hi there,
so if we explain why we think that in France, at the very least, it’s no better than elsewhere, we’re off-topic; only those who say it’s better in France get a say. Notre-Dame-des-Landes is the latest example showing that France is less democratic than others. Even Rajoy wouldn’t dare tell the Catalans: come take your flight in Madrid.
Hi,
so if we explain why we think that in France, at the very least, it’s not better than elsewhere, we’re off-topic; only those who say it’s better in France get a say. Notre-Dame-des-Landes is the latest example showing that France is less democratic than other places. Even Rajoy wouldn’t dare tell Catalans: come take the plane in Madrid.
so if we explain why we think that in France, at the very least, it’s not better than elsewhere, we’re off-topic; only those who say it’s better in France are allowed to speak; notre-dame-des-landes is the latest example showing that France is less democratic than other places; not even Rajoy would dare tell the Catalans: come take your flight in Madrid
Stop with this, please—it’s not about denying democracy. The project didn’t lead to a referendum but to a non-binding consultation with the residents of Loire-Atlantique. Who, by the way, didn’t exactly overwhelmingly voice their opinion.
NDDL is buried, let’s move on.
Watch out! You’re going overboard. Monsieur Vietalier is going to come scold you.
The denial of democracy is first and foremost in the fact that Paris decides for the Bretons. As for the airport, personally, I don’t care—I’m not Breton, and I don’t travel by plane.
The denial of democracy is first and foremost in the fact that Paris decides for the Bretons; the airport, personally, I don’t care—I’m not Breton and I don’t travel by plane
Loire-Atlantique, which is in the Pays de la Loire region, was consulted. Not the Brittany region, as far as I know.
Anyway, there’s no point discussing it for pages—the project is dead. Now they’ve decided to expand the current Nantes airport, much to the dismay of local residents. You see, there are always losers.
Alright MickXIII, if you don’t care about this airport, maybe it’s time to move on, no?
And doesn’t it shock you that a region of this size is kept outside the European Union?
The Bretons don’t need much help to bring about their own misfortune, I know that well; I also know there are plenty of airports in Brittany—I’ve been to all of them: Guipavas, Pluguffan, Lann Bihoué, Lannion Servel, Saint-Jacques, Nantes, and even Pleurtuit. Every area wanted its own, but we should’ve had just one proper one. Though, at the time, the state monopoly on transport made it impossible to serve it properly anyway...
But beyond the airport, what’s truly insulting is being forced—at great expense—to go through Paris for even the shortest trip.
Michel
But you’re right, we won’t dive into a heated discussion here. Still, I’m far less convinced than you that the story is really over.
You take a map of Europe, mark the major international airports—meaning in France, you mark Paris twice, Lyon, Nice, Marseille, Bordeaux, and Toulouse, all connected to the big European air networks—and you’ll see what I’m saying.
Ever taken the A4 highway east of Paris? Noticed where most of the cars are registered? What do you think drives people from Brittany to drive to Germany or Belgium?
I think you don’t realize how things really are, that you don’t grasp the distances. By the way, do you even know the Nantes airport? I do.
How many hours does it take by road from Normandy to reach Roissy?
From Auvergne, how many alternatives do we have—north, south, east, west?
Michel
What’s truly insulting is this expectation to come—at great expense—to Paris for the slightest trip.
And do you think there’s an airport of international or even just European scale in Auvergne or Normandy?
People in Brittany have access to Nantes airport via toll-free highways, which is a rare exception in France, and the TGV serves the regional metropolis.
Really, it’s not that bad.
I’ll also remind you that you need a large enough traveler base for a decent-sized airport to exist and for ticket prices to stay competitive...
Nantes was the capital of the Breton state annexed by France; yes, I know, annexation is for other countries, but when France annexes, it's called an extension of the royal domain or reunification with France.
The denial of democracy is first and foremost in the fact that Paris decides for Bretons. As for the airport, personally, I don’t care—I’m not Breton and I don’t travel by plane.
Loire-Atlantique, which is in the Pays de la Loire region, was consulted. Not the Brittany region, as far as I know.
Anyway, there’s no point in discussing this for pages—the project is dead. Now, they’ve decided to expand the current Nantes airport, much to the dismay of local residents. You see, there are always losers.
Alright, MickXIII, if you don’t care about this airport, maybe it’s time to move on, no?
Since when have the highways been toll-based in the Paris region?
It’s still curious that we only talk about profitability for the provinces, as you say, while in Paris, the lack of profitability is shouldered by provincial taxpayers (in good Latin, the vanquished).
Is the RATP profitable?
Are the suburban trains profitable?
Are the state-subsidized Parisian museums and theaters profitable?
Will the Olympics be profitable?
What’s truly insulting is this invitation to come—at a cost—to Paris for even the smallest trip.
And do you think there’s an airport of international or even just European scale in Auvergne or Normandy?
Bretons have access to Nantes Airport via highways that are free—a rare exception in France—and the TGV serves the regional metropolis.
Really not so bad.
I’d also like to point out that you need a sufficiently large traveler base for a decent-sized airport to exist and for ticket prices to be competitive...
No, it doesn’t make sense.
Brittany Point to Roissy, about 600 km. Taking a plane, train, and leaving the day before costs around 200 €. More like 250 € from the high-speed line, and you still risk losing everything due to one of the very frequent disruptions on that route.
Often, it’s more expensive than the rest of the trip by plane from Paris.
Between Auvergne and Brittany, there’s another slight difference—but this one might upset you.
One is a nation, the other isn’t.
Michel
By the way, do you know that airport in Nantes?
Yes.
It’s really good compared to Clermont’s, and I won’t even mention the superb airport in Saint-Étienne... 😄
From Normandy, how many hours by road to get to Roissy?
Cherbourg to Roissy: 380 kilometers...
Not exactly next door, and not free.
From Auvergne, how many alternatives do we have—north, south, east, west?
Only one that’s relatively close: Lyon.
4 hours by train and shuttle if you’re lucky enough to live in Clermont.
And if you want options, it’s Paris... 😏
You mention Paris twice, Lyon, Nice, Marseille, Bordeaux, and Toulouse
The most populated and/or most tourist-heavy areas...
I won’t upset more than 5 or 10% of Brittany’s residents by saying this, and certainly no Breton.
Upsetting Auvergnats doesn’t bother me much, actually 🙂.
Feel however you like, but if you feel European like I do, you’re probably going through a tough time right now.
Michel
One is a nation, the other isn’t.
You won’t upset me, but you might upset some Auvergnats (not the Bourbonnais...) or some Bretons.
I have no reason to feel Auvergnat or Breton.
I don’t feel particularly Norman or Alsatian either, even though my "roots" are there...
Nantes was the capital of the Breton state annexed by France; yes, I know, annexation is for other countries, when it's France that annexes, they call it an extension of the royal domain or reunification with France
Yes, in the 16th century! Like Metz, where I was born and which was part of the Holy Roman Empire. So what do I do? Take to the streets waving little black, red, and yellow striped flags and demand a return to the Germanic fold? 😏
Not sure that’d go over well with the people of Moselle who lived through the war.
Just to clarify, I know Nantes well—I lived there until recently.
Dear Micko13,
It’s not about that at all, and I think you’ve perfectly understood the meaning of my last post, yet you’re twisting its sense and scope, looking for an argument. If that’s the case, know that you’re wasting your time—my adrenaline levels remain very low.
In my opinion, and regarding this forum, what’s off-topic is the political-polemical drift that too many forum members dive into, which derails the original conversation.
Now, I have no issue with interjecting here and there, and if verbose, epistolary arguments amuse some, well, good for them!
I wish you a good evening and assure you I hold no bitterness toward you.
That’s all!
Vietalier
Cela dépend de l'humeur du moment et va de Jean-Claude à Viet à lier.
Indeed, the latest posts have spiraled into political and controversial tangents that have nothing to do with the original question—Notre Dame des Landes, etc.
Poor little privileged French folks 😏... Meanwhile, the average Bangladeshi or Guatemalan just has enough to eat and ride overcrowded buses 😄
And does that justify having second-class and first-class French citizens?
Michel
Indeed, the latest posts have flared up over political and controversial excesses that have nothing to do with the original question—Notre Dame des Landes, etc.
Poor little privileged French people 😏... Meanwhile, the average Bengali or Guatemalan just has enough to eat and ride overcrowded buses 😄
Taking a flight, train, and leaving the day before costs around 200 €.
Yeah, it’s expensive, but well... on an Indian or Ethiopian train, in a compartment meant for, say, 100 people, there are often 200 or even 300 people crammed in!
And does that justify having second-class and first-class French citizens?
The idea of first-class and second-class French citizens is complete nonsense—a gaping stupidity invented by journalists and the mass media.
Sure, there are run-down council estates in France, but let’s not exaggerate—we don’t live in Bangladesh, where workers toil eleven hours a day for a few rupees to make Nike clothes.
And as for the so-called "sensitive" areas, the government has still launched a major rehabilitation program.
Whether I’m a first-class French citizen or the nth-class, I couldn’t care less—I’m completely indifferent. What interests me is traveling and wild lands 😏.
The social stratification we’re so good at in France (unlike in Quebec, where I lived) doesn’t bother me at all...
Dear Forum Member,
Please be assured that I’m not here to play the grumpy old man—it’s never been in my DNA, and at 82 years old (I was born in December 1935), I’m certainly not about to start annoying folks who just want to connect with each other.
But do read my latest reply to Mick13, and you’ll see what I mean.
Otherwise, I took a peek at your profile and found some really interesting things:
- the various destinations you’ve wandered to,
- your love for baroque music...
Have a great evening, and I’ll look forward to crossing paths with you around Voyage Forum.
Vietalier.
Cela dépend de l'humeur du moment et va de Jean-Claude à Viet à lier.
I imagined you a bit judgmental, but you're actually really sweet.
Otherwise, I took a look at your "profile" and saw quite a few interesting things:
- the various destinations of your travels,
- your love for baroque music...
If you love baroque music, do click on the "youtube" link in my signature. Maybe God does exist after all... 😏
Looking forward to crossing paths again. On VF, not in Moulins—I stopped there once and... that was more than enough. [;]
I don’t understand much of what you’re saying.
You’ll have to excuse me for not responding.
Michel
And does that justify having second-class and first-class French people?
the idea of first- or second-class French people is complete nonsense—a bottomless stupidity invented by journalists and the mass media.
Sure, there are run-down housing projects in France, but let’s not exaggerate—we don’t live in Bangladesh, where workers slave away eleven hours a day for a few rupees to make Nike clothes.
And as for the so-called "sensitive" neighborhoods, the government has still launched a major rehabilitation program.
Whether I’m a first-class French person or the nth-class, I couldn’t care less—I’m totally indifferent. What interests me is traveling and wild lands 😏.
I couldn’t give a damn about social stratification, which France does so well (unlike Quebec, where I lived)—it doesn’t matter to me at all...
With the caveat that Bretons face the same taxes as Parisians, right?
Same charges, fewer rights.
I think that’s probably a brilliant take on equality. 🙂
Michel
Taking a plane, train, and leaving the day before costs around 200 euros.
yeah, it’s expensive, but well... in an Indian or Ethiopian train, in a compartment meant for, say, 100 people, there are often 200 or 300 people crammed in
Thanks for the "sweetie"—I like it vanilla... or with mild curry, but most of all, very tender and full of affection.
For Moulins, you’re right; in fact, that’s why I spend about ten months a year in Vietnam (I was born there and speak the language like a true Vietnamese). Since I’m a widower, if my sons didn’t keep me tied to France (I come back every year for two or three months), I’d go live out the rest of my days in the sun, under the coconut trees, among the children and the beautiful women with almond-shaped eyes!
Thanks for the YouTube tip and baroque music—I’ll listen to it tonight, and if you don’t mind, I’ll let you know what I think afterward?
Have a great weekend, and... see you soon, maybe.
Vietalier.
PS: To my great joy, Voyage Forum has allowed me to make friends here and there with other Forumers (through private messages). I meet them whenever I’m in France and exchange little snippets of correspondence that warm my heart when it gets a bit chilly.
— Don’t look back on your path, or you might fall
into the abyss you leave behind...
(Confucius... very roughly = the future is ahead!)
Cela dépend de l'humeur du moment et va de Jean-Claude à Viet à lier.
Just so you know, Breton teachers and others assigned to eastern France all arrive with long faces. The east is ugly, it's cold, and people speak strangely there. Sure, we might be close to borders, German airports, at the heart of Europe, and all that, but according to them, after comparing, Brittany isn’t far from resembling paradise, and all they want is to go back.
Indeed, the latest posts have spiraled into political rants and controversies that have nothing to do with the original question—Notre Dame des Landes, etc.—.
Poor little privileged French folks 😏... Meanwhile, the average Bangladeshi or Guatemalan just has enough to eat and rides overcrowded buses 😄
To refocus the discussion on the topic and accommodate everyone’s rainy constraints during this dreary, damp winter, I suggest we clarify the question:
Why is this tendency to see the grass as greener elsewhere so French?
What does it stem from?
A cultural atavism, a worldview, a type of society?...
Michel
Hello.
Thank you for picking up the thread I started, Jupiteria.
The French often take pride in defending their little patch of land, their region, their country, etc., believing—somewhat vainly—that the advantages of this societal structure will make their lives better, though not necessarily more enthusiastic, as we all know.
I’d like to move past the clichés and narrow-minded views of those who, too grounded in reality, only consider the purely material and profitable side of a DESIRE FOR ELSEWHERE.
Let’s get back to what truly matters, but from a completely different perspective—one that suggests this ELSEWHERE could be a return to our roots, a stripping away of the self, a conscious way of living that recognizes the importance of what’s essential for the survival of the hu…man… species!!!! After all, we’ve come to understand the futility and absurdity of all the psychological prisons we’ve built, which are supposedly leading us to a "successful" life… yet few are truly convinced or convincing about this ideology when HUMANS NATURALLY IGNORE ONE ANOTHER in the most basic ways—starving, destroying, exploiting each other in a dizzying system designed for the wealth of a few! France or not France, it’s the same everywhere!
So yes! It’s a challenge to broaden our horizons in search of "something better elsewhere." By that, I mean countries where modernism and egocentrism haven’t yet corrupted people and cities—places where, though we might be poorer, we’d be freer in our minds. Where respect, simplicity, and sharing complete the circle in wonderful glances and smiles, even if we still have to go about our daily tasks, but with a lighter heart. Yes, I cling to this idea of elsewhere, even knowing they’ll envy me for having known France… and yet, I’d tell them that the sweetness of life isn’t where they think it is, that true values are found and passed on through authenticity, and that materialism has sown bad seeds.
Ah! What a utopia you must think… and how I understand you… but green grass—or less green grass—grows everywhere ELSEWHERE… and I’ll be content with little as long as I’m free. To wrap up, thousands of French people leave and live abroad, never to return! We’d love to hear from them on this forum.
But precisely...
You’re touching on one of the many harmful consequences of centralism and Jacobinism. In no other modern European country are teachers "assigned" a thousand kilometers from home, like pawns in some kind of army. It’s no wonder this institution is struggling, that people are often deeply unhappy there, and that its efficiency is questionable.
Most French people don’t realize the authoritarian, dirigiste, even militaristic tradition of France. You either thrive in the shadow of the central state, under its supposedly protective wing, or you don’t thrive at all. Many people take civil service exams without fully understanding—out of ignorance, or because hearing things repeatedly makes them seem natural and true—and then struggle to "escape" the system when nothing works... I wouldn’t be telling you anything new if I said that in these situations, you don’t even have the right to resign... 🤪
And that brings us back to the topic of this discussion: the grass seems greener "elsewhere" because it’s freer. Because elsewhere, you live with fewer guarantees, protections, and safety nets, but with more freedom.
Few countries in the world—China, maybe—have societal, everyday life, moral, free speech, and religious issues so tightly controlled by the state, a state that’s also centralized and monopolistic.
Yesterday, I came across a France Culture program (it’s related to my work, so I’m looking into it a bit... 🙂) about the Estates General of Bioethics. The professor on the show set the context:
"First, there’s a uniquely French characteristic: entrusting social changes to the law. No other country has such an extensive body of bioethics laws, so it’s extremely interesting, and we must adapt to it."
He acknowledges the situation, doesn’t question it, and accepts it.
That said, you’re not obligated to feel comfortable in a context—almost unique in the world—where the state regulates everything, including what could perfectly well be left to personal freedom, cultures, or religions, all within an ever-growing legislative framework and now with media hype.
In the same vein, the previous five-year term got lost trying to impose the universality (that word always makes me laugh when it comes from the French state—we’re seeing the same thing now with the "national service" for young people, billed as "universal," no less 🤪...) of a 19th-century bourgeois tradition: marriage. Instead of simply giving everyone freedom on a minimal basis.
Michel
Just so you know, Breton teachers and others assigned to eastern France all arrive with long faces. The east is ugly, cold, and people speak strangely. Sure, you’re close to borders, German airports, at the heart of Europe, and all that, but according to them, after comparisons, Brittany isn’t far from paradise, and all they want is to go back.
To refocus the discussion on the topic and accommodate everyone’s rainy constraints during this dreary, damp winter, I suggest clarifying the question:
Why is this tendency to see the grass as greener elsewhere so distinctly French?
What does it stem from?
A cultural atavism, a worldview, a type of society?...
Ciao,
Well... I’ll answer... since I’m one of those who went off to wander elsewhere. 🙂
What I found nearly unbearable when I lived in France was the tendency there to spin stories about itself.
Here’s a very concrete example, taken from this morning’s press: "Macron, the lonely leader of a convalescent Europe" (Le Monde). Oh, how beautiful solitary heroes are!
France is a country that constantly generates its own myth. And I don’t like grandiose myths.
The wry fatalism of my adopted country suits me infinitely better.
Have a cold, dry Sunday.
Catherine
By this, and this only, we have existed. Which is not to be found in our obituaries. (T.S. Eliot)
On May 16, 2013, Jeanbrfr gave a beautiful response to Jupiteria:
"... it seems to me that elsewhere is what we don’t know
and what is often wonderful."
That’s exactly what the nearly 18 pages that followed Jupiteria’s original post *shouldn’t* have been about.
Frankly, it’d be great if we could stop cluttering the forum with metaphysics and exegeses that don’t belong here—other than to annoy fellow members who just dream of travel, discovery, and MEETING OTHERS. And there’s plenty to discuss, share, and appreciate there. So, let’s keep that in mind...
But before wrapping up, I’d like to revisit something only briefly touched on by a few:
solidarity.
A dear friend of mine suffers from painful neuromotor disorders. Just before last Christmas, he wanted to do some shopping when a paralyzing episode left him collapsed on the floor of a hypermarket’s entrance hall. Not a single person helped him up, and some even let their venom show:
"Unbelievable, already wasted at this hour!"
Fortunately, the episode was short, and he managed to get up on his own.
This makes you think—especially since this friend was a volunteer firefighter, serving the community for over forty years!!!
On top of that, when he had to go to Paris for a consultation at the end of January, no one offered to accompany him. I told him we’d go together in my car.
Vietalier
Cela dépend de l'humeur du moment et va de Jean-Claude à Viet à lier.
The other evening, while listening to French state radio, I had a similar thought. They were discussing the Estates General on Bioethics—this really is my topic—and surrogacy. A renowned professor, a scientist, shared his reservations based on his own principles, which are absolutely respectable.
At the end of the professor’s few sentences, the presenter of this "news" segment felt the need to add: "Emmanuel Macron, by the way, is also opposed to surrogacy."
As if, in this case, that had the slightest importance.
Have a good day, with endless drizzle.
Michel
Hello,
To refocus the discussion on the topic and accommodate everyone’s rainy constraints during this dreary, damp winter, I suggest clarifying the question:
Why is this tendency to think the grass is greener elsewhere so French?
What does it stem from?
A cultural trait, a worldview, a type of society?...
Ciao,
Well... I’ll respond... since I’m one of those who went off to wander elsewhere. 🙂
What I found almost unbearable when I lived in France was the tendency there to spin stories about itself.
Here’s a very concrete example, taken from this morning’s press: "Macron, the lonely leader of a convalescent Europe" (Le Monde). Oh, how noble solitary heroes are!
France is a country that constantly generates its own myth. And I don’t like grand, self-important myths.
The cheeky fatalism of my adopted country suits me much better.
Well, I admit I’m not too sure where Auvergne is... 🙂
But it seems like it has air transport options in all four directions.
How many hours is the drive to Lyon Airport, for example?
Michel
Who’s cut off from Europe’s gateways?
Auvergne. 🙂
But never mind—those die-hard Gauls (well, almost...) are the real deal.😄
In no modern European country are teachers "assigned" a thousand kilometers from home, like pawns in some kind of army.
It’s not just teachers.
All civil servants are in the same boat.
Afterwards, some are quite happy to find a foolproof excuse to discover France.
The problem for Bretons is being over-qualified compared to the average, so they pass civil service exams more easily.
Few elected officials in the 93, but lots of positions to fill.
Lots of elected officials in the 29, but few positions.
What to do?
Territorial exams?
The best for the best and the less good for the less good?
Not very egalitarian all that...
Then you could imagine decentralizing services other than education to where civil servants want to go.
But you’d end up with an even emptier France than it already is, with on one side Brittany (many locals quite attached) and on the other the southern regions near the coasts and urban centers (appeal of sun and supposedly better quality of life).
No chance for the 93, the Ardennes, the Marne, the Meuse, the Creuse, etc...
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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.
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