Yeah, yeah, don’t worry, we’ll be out of your hair soon. Haha! 😛
Oh, please, no! A Herodotus leaving is like the Library of Alexandria going up in flames.
« 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
After that, I might be the next Jeanne Calment or you might be a super-centenarian.
That’s funny, I pictured you more as Jeanne Annoying
« 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
Maybe, but people didn’t live long back then either.
True, but not any less than in the 18th century—or even, to some extent, the 19th. What I mean is, we tend to associate the words "medieval" or "Middle Ages" with obscurantism, which isn’t fair. It’s all thanks to Renaissance scholars who coined the term "Gothic" as an insult. Let’s give the Middle Ages the credit it deserves!
Maybe, but people didn’t often live to a ripe old age back then.
True, but no more than in the 18th century and, to some extent, the 19th. What I mean is that we tend to associate the words "medieval" and "Middle Ages" with obscurantism, which isn’t accurate. It’s all thanks to the Renaissance men who invented the term "Gothic" out of disdain. Let’s restore the Middle Ages to its rightful glory!
The idea we have of "time passing" makes me smile...
First of all, time doesn’t flow—it’s *us* moving through it...
What will our descendants say about our era when they can live to 120 or 130 years old? With twenty years or more (very likely) spent in a wheelchair in a grim nursing home? Euthanasia will be on the agenda, and many will certainly ask to end things sooner than planned!
What’s the difference between 40 years or 85 years in the face of infinity? None. When life expectancy was 40 or 50 years, people lived their lives just as fully as they do today with a life expectancy of 75 or 80 years... The perception of "time passing" could have been different. And when the end was near in the Middle Ages, I think the idea of impending death was more accepted (at least by most) than it is today...
Women's independence, medical advances, technological innovations—none of that matters compared to the fact that real estate is more expensive?
In the Middle Ages, a roof must have cost less too, but strangely enough, I prefer living now.
(After the war, you couldn’t find housing either because of the destruction... And then the repatriated Algerians must have been thrilled in their shantytowns...)
You’re focusing on real estate and forgetting everything else, as if it were a given.
And besides, the baby boomers are a dying generation.
Soon, you won’t have anyone to envy.
Oh, it’s not about envy. Every generation has its problems. We’ve made undeniable progress socially—being gay, child-free, or just different is way less frowned upon. We’re making strides in gender equality.
When you love traveling, you see it’s more accessible now.
But we’re regressing in other areas. Real estate is just a symptom. Before, one salary was enough to support a family modestly, and now two salaries aren’t even cutting it.
Everything’s becoming more unstable—work, housing, relationships, you name it.
There’s never been so much depression. Sure, people talked about it less before...
And the skyrocketing insecurity.
Anyway, I won’t go on and on.
What really gets to younger people is the moralizing from boomers who are completely out of touch with reality (no one in particular).
On the other hand, we’re heading toward a healthcare crisis because soon there’ll be too many "old people" compared to the working population, and I’m not sure how that’s going to play out.
Before, one salary was enough to simply support a family without excess
Really without excess. A life no one would want today: mom in the kitchen, doing laundry, ironing, shopping, cleaning... dad at work then feet under the table... kids at attention...
A little movie now and then, but no other paid activities. Card games, board games, reading, TV in tiny doses, walking, etc. I don’t know if people under 30 could handle it?
Even in my parents' time, one salary wasn’t enough anymore.
And then, one salary meant the end of the other’s independence, leaving them high and dry in case of divorce. A great way to exert pressure.
Everything is becoming more and more unstable—work, housing, couples, etc.
It’s also because people allow it. A society of constant zapping where we no longer know how to be bored.
And besides, not all older folks ended their careers in the same place. In times of full employment, you’d slam the door if you weren’t happy and go somewhere else. Lifetime housing didn’t exist either. You might start more modestly: a studio, then a two-room apartment, and eventually a house. As for divorces, it was better not to know what was really going on in couples...
When it comes to work, door-slamming is making a comeback.
It’s very hard to retain younger generations.
There have never been so many depressions.
It seems to me that the depressive side of the French isn’t new. It’s not even linked to the standard of living.
I think a lot of undocumented immigrants are much less depressed than salaried workers earning 3000 €.
I don’t know what’s wrong. Why does this nation see the glass as half-empty rather than half-full?
I get the impression that developed countries aren’t swimming in happiness, as if they’ve forgotten how to enjoy life’s little joys.
Rising insecurity too.
This point is indeed quite sensitive. It’s especially a certain violence that stands out.
But didn’t it exist before? Today, every incident makes the headlines, whereas yesterday it would’ve just been three lines in the local rag.
What really annoys younger people, though, is the moralizing from boomers completely out of touch with reality (no offense to anyone).
I think this phrase works both ways...
And besides, the generational conflict has always existed.
Yesterday, we’d say "yes, grandpa" and do the opposite.
Today, we say what we think. It’s certainly less hypocritical, but it creates more tension...
Soon, there’ll be too many "old people" compared to the working population
Not if we open the tap to selective immigration.
And besides, boomers are the last to have had a fairly healthy life in their youth (non-industrial food, physical activity...).
I think other generations will have more trouble reaching old age. Especially the most recent ones, where obesity is starting to cause real damage.
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I don’t know what’s wrong. Why does this nation see the glass as half empty rather than half full?
Because men and women belong to a nation, to a people, when it feels like an obvious truth to them—when it’s tied to an ethnicity, a language, a culture, often a religion, and, to put it bluntly, blood.
You’re Polish, Hungarian, Greek, Scottish, or Russian as a given; and if you’re part of a nation by choice, like in the United States, it’s because you live in communal freedom, not under centralist ideals.
As a French person, you have to accept values that sometimes forced your parents or grandparents to deny their roots, a language, to stop passing it down. Values that are very intellectual, very globalizing, very universalist, very isolated in the modern world—values that only offer the comfort of abstraction.
If you’re okay with that, great.
I'm struggling to follow your reasoning, to understand what's stopping you from feeling French. Before speaking French, my parents already spoke two languages—they never denied their roots, and that didn’t stop them from integrating and feeling perfectly French. I went to a public school in France and felt completely French from early childhood, even if my mom sometimes spoke to me in another language when I was little. I see that as a plus, as a cultural richness.
We have different experiences. France absolutely wanted to impose monolingualism, and that’s still the case today. It has nothing to do with the Welsh, the Scots, or the Irish, who preserved their languages by allying with the English.
When I was a child, when my parents were, when my grandparents were, it was forbidden to speak anything other than French—Breton or Corsican, for example—and this ban was tied to school humiliations and denigration.
I’m orphaned from my cultures, and I know who’s to blame.
Every language gives you a different view of the world; one less language is a poorer world.
Speaking "at home," in secret, a language that’s been part of the land you’ve lived on for centuries isn’t the same as immigrating and blending into a culture you accept while knowing you’re a foreigner.
If foreign language education in France is such a failure, it’s actually a sign of this monolingualism push.
As for the current situation, we’re seeing a kind of hardening of French universalist ideas, which clash with a globalized world that no longer really accepts them. That’s why, around the 2000s, there was a shift from a secularism that protected freedoms to an increasingly authoritarian secularism, where this mindset no longer applies just to the state but to more and more public spaces—even recently affecting sports practices.
Our friend Agnès, like I’ve had the chance to do, can discuss this in Central Asia and hear, as I did, the serious image damage it leads to. I remember very reserved comments from taxi drivers, for example, on this topic: "France is surely very beautiful, but what you’re doing really isn’t good for us."
When I was a child, when my parents were, when my grandparents were, it was forbidden to speak anything other than French, Breton, Corsican, for example, and this ban was associated with school humiliations and denigration.
A language dies when it’s no longer spoken. There was nothing, in principle, preventing parents (if they spoke Breton) from speaking Breton with their children (in private). North African children manage to express themselves (more or less) in both languages. If French was required at school, the state didn’t send spies into homes to check if the rule was being followed, right?
When I was a child, I had family in Munster (Haut-Rhin). When we walked around town or went shopping, everyone spoke Alsatian. French was taught at school, and many children of farmers didn’t know a single word of it and learned it when they started school at age 6... Before that, it was Alsatian.
Later, I went to Corsica, the Basque Country, and all over, and you could hear Corsican in Corsica and Basque in the Basque Country. I’ve been to Brittany several times; my sister-in-law is Breton, the daughter of a fisherman in Morgat. I’ve spent time in bars, restaurants, and nightclubs in her region (Crozon/Morgat) and never heard a single word of Breton spoken... Strange, isn’t it? What reason(s) could there be? Was there a special regime for Brittany?
Yes, I understand your reaction, Jean Michel, but it doesn’t do justice to the reality of the constraint, which didn’t stem so much from positive law as from moral pressure.
You have to understand that many people indeed refused to pass on their language because they feared doing their children a disservice and excluding them from any social or academic advancement. Bretons are generally quite marked by a culture of duty and shame, vestiges of Christianity, and in the situation from roughly the 1920s to the 1980s, there were more discreet and subtle ways than coercion to discourage passing on one’s culture.
Regardless of the means—legal bans or moral pressures—the generations at the time, in a position of weakness, gave in. That doesn’t diminish the consequences.
The fact is, life is getting more and more expensive—that’s just how it is.
As for the instability, I’m not here to judge; it works for some people and not for others.
But it can really cause anxiety.
I don’t know if there were studies on this before, but we’re definitely seeing more and more of these kinds of issues.
When it comes to selective immigration—without getting into a cultural debate—it’s mostly about the fact that it costs money, and that’s where things get stuck.
The retirement system is falling apart, and so is the healthcare system.
Basically, everything’s kind of collapsing, more or less. It’s a slow decline.
You just don’t feel as good in a dying society as you do in a time of growth and improvement...
I wouldn’t want to be 20 years old today. I’ve already done most of the hard part—phew! !
You’re all describing a deculturalization of Brittany and noting the disappearance of the Breton language. I have to respond to such a misrepresentation: which region of France can assert its cultural distinctiveness as much as Brittany, with its multitude of summer festivals where *bagadoù* and Celtic dance circles perform? Go to Lorient for the Interceltic Festival or to Quimper for the Cornouaille Festival; look at the last Sunday in July, when a hundred bagpipers spectacularly close the festival on the banks of the Odet to see the proof. Even the French Navy has a *bagad*. A radio station broadcasts in Breton.
As for the language, it’s kept alive especially by Diwan schools; there are still speakers despite the French Jacobin steamroller, which has finally accepted Breton as an option for the *bac*. My ears have been charmed several times by the ancestral language heard in Kemper, Gwened, Kraozon, Sainte-Anne-la-Palud, and Sainte-Anne-d’Auray.
I don’t know where Choucarde is—she could speak about Breton culture better than I can; Breton is her reason for living.
I can’t conclude by saying *"Breiz Atao"* since those words were taken by a collaborationist movement, but I express the same sentiment with: *"Bretagne toujours"*.
You also have to understand that we’re no longer just Breton, Corsican, or Alsatian—we’re mostly a mix of all that plus contributions from across Europe and beyond.
If I had to learn, understand, and absorb all the cultures of my ancestors, I wouldn’t have enough time in one lifetime.
Brittany, Alsace, Lorraine, Normandy, Île-de-France, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Auvergne—who knows what else? I haven’t even finished my family tree...
Those days when you never ventured more than 20 kilometers from home are pretty much over.
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The fact is that life is getting more and more expensive—it’s a fact
Inflation does exist, sure, but it doesn’t affect everyone the same way.
How you spend matters too.
Back in 1967, a color TV cost the same as a 4L.
Who would buy a flat-screen today if it cost the price of a Dacia (12,990 € as of now)?
But we’re still seeing more and more issues like this.
It’s possible, like everything else, that it’s just getting more publicity.
And isn’t this anxiety the flip side of a more cushioned upbringing than before?
Newer generations are less used to boredom or frustration. Parents are obsessed with zero risk and might be passing their anxiety on to their kids.
As for selective immigration—without getting into a cultural debate—it’s mostly about paying for it
???
Attracting educated people from other countries is all upside for France. No need to pay for their education.
You feel worse in a dying society than in a time of growth and improvement...
You sound ready for expatriation...
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C'est le moment de poster vos meilleurs clichés !
Young people today often had divorced parents who experienced unemployment, which probably didn’t help reduce anxiety levels.
Still, I do see that inflation is very real and hits basics like housing and, increasingly, food.
And I stand by my point about insecurity.
Expatriating might be an option one day, but the problem is global—I don’t see any promised land. If I were forced to, it’s a possibility, but for now, I don’t see myself anywhere else and have no plans to move.
If I had kids, though, I’d encourage them to go see the world elsewhere.
We must also understand that we are no longer Breton, Corsican, or Alsatian, but above all a mix of all that plus European influences or even more.
I get that you think and say that, but I can assure you that you’re completely out of touch with the current mood. Here are a few references, including this one from 2018:
More French than Breton: 17%
Only French: 22%
All while saying and showing themselves to be very European.
https://hal.science/hal-03713437/document
I agree with you.
I’ll add: the road signs in both languages, the many evening classes for adults, masses in Breton, the Breton flag flying outside people’s homes, bilingual classes, etc.
It’s not just folklore.
That said, Diwan is facing financial difficulties.
In Vannes, you don’t hear Breton spoken.
I’m not going to bicker with you in this somewhat catch-all discussion, sure, but it does have a purpose.
The word "folklore" doesn’t have the same meaning in French as it does in Anglo-Saxon anthropology, and I’m using it in the first sense, where it *is* pejorative.
To me, what you’re presenting as proof of cultural vitality really does come across as folklore—something you’ve both willingly embraced, which is to your credit.
A nation’s culture is about more than just summer demonstrations. I mentioned Scotland and Wales earlier, and I could’ve added Ireland. A quick comparison will make things clearer.
Of course. I’m referring to the time when I used to go to the Vannes market at Place des Lices. The countrywomen selling their produce wore the traditional headdress and spoke Breton. Same with Marie Joseph, my grandparents’ servant. That was only yesterday!
By the way, Tatra didn’t fall into the cliché of calling Breton a dialect.
However, following Tatra’s point, you’ve confused "cultural vibrancy" (a lovely way to put it) — folklore — with "summer demonstrations" (no doubt organized by tourist boards to liven up resorts with performers) and the real culture that thrives in the true Celtic nations: Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Thankfully, Tatra is here to set the record straight.
The members of interceltic dance circles or *Bagadou* who meet every week to practice, the choreographers, the seamstresses, the costume designers — they’ll all appreciate Tatra’s statements. And where does Alan Stillvell fit in: culture or folklore?
Finally, let’s talk about the Festival Interceltique de Lorient. It’s the world’s largest festival of Celtic nations. Being invited is an honor. You can see photos of the Lorient festival in many pubs in Ireland or Scotland — *"these nations, keepers of true Celtic culture,"* — because it’s the Mecca of the Celts.
Every year, the people of Lorient (whether demonstrating "cultural vibrancy" or putting on "summer demonstrations" for tourists) invite Irish, Scottish, or Welsh "bands" to their festival. These representatives of authentic Celtic culture deign to perform alongside Breton folklore performers each year. Their understanding warms the heart, and we’ll always need a Tatra to provide an authoritative and insightful analysis — so we don’t get lost. I’m sure after this, you won’t confuse Celtic culture with Celtic folklore anymore.
I see what you mean; I know quite a few people who play in *bagadous*, or even pursue careers in that field, and from what I’ve discussed with them, they tend to agree with me.
When a language or culture has been uprooted, reduced to an anecdotal status, sometimes—often—looked down upon and implicitly belittled, it scatters into folklore, shifting from the political sphere to that of leisure and entertainment.
Think what you will about it, but I’ve lived in Brittany day in and day out for about 50 years—it gives you time to reflect.
It’s a bit like the snake biting its own tail.
After all, this Mr. Tatra lives in Bigouden country.
Let’s say I live in Ollioules and express my contempt for Provence and the Costa Azzurra 😛
You must definitely know Carlos Lagadec and his electric bagpipes then? 😛
Carlos Lagadec is to the bagpipes what Jimi Hendrix was to the electric guitar.
Can you be annoyed by the poor welcome some Brittany restaurants give tourists while still being thrilled when 100 bagpipers spectacularly mark the finale of the Fêtes d'Armorique in Quimper?
I don’t see any connection between these two things, and I’m surprised my post from 7 years ago is being brought up to seemingly contrast with my admiration for Breton culture today. The restaurant welcome and the cultural event in Quimper are completely unrelated!
If I’m repeating myself, you’re talking nonsense.
(The restaurant welcome has improved a lot since this post was written 7 years ago, but hotel capacity is worrying, driving prices up sharply in the summer.)
Your reply really makes me think; that’s what’s great about a forum.
From my research, actually, folklore is a subset of culture. So you can’t really pit them against each other, and of course, we should move beyond the level of "summer demonstrations" when it comes to folklore. It’s an entire tradition of songs, music, dances, costumes, and *pardons* that makes up this folklore, and it’s not just for tourists. Language is part of it too, but it’s fading away.
Now, about your main point: it was the French state that uprooted Breton culture, which later resurfaced as a thin layer of folklore. You back this up with 50 years of living in Brittany and meeting many key figures—but which ones? The Breton speakers who are hostile to France?
Fair enough! I don’t have that kind of experience since I’m part of the diaspora, but I can still have a perspective.
What I’ve gathered from my trips to Brittany and now through AI is that the French state did target the Breton language, but not the rest of the culture. And even then, not with the same intensity as, say, the treatment of Russian speakers in some countries or Kurdish speakers in another.
I think Breton culture has been passed down without interruption and is still very much alive today. And I can’t imagine such a stubborn community letting a central government dictate its rules.
I know there’s a very identity-driven, hostile, and resentful segment of the population in Brittany, but I think most Bretons feel fully French and don’t fear threats to their culture. They’ve learned French and are managing just fine now.
Remember: they won the battle for bilingual city names and road signs.
The state, in a generous move, now recognizes Breton as an optional subject for the *bac* and even includes a *Bagad* in its military.
I suggest we all open a thread about Brittany to keep the conversation going.
« 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’ll keep my reply brief—otherwise, we’ll stray too far from the original topic.
Pondy started a thread: “AI: The Holy Grail of Travel and Travel Journals.”
I don’t write anything with AI; it’s an ultra-powerful research and synthesis tool that writes in proper French. To stay on the Brittany topic, I asked it the difference between culture and folklore. Then I asked if the French state had oppressed Breton culture. It answered yes, and only regarding the language. It included a poster that said it was forbidden to spit and speak Breton. What chance would I have had of finding that poster on my own?
The graphic tool is mind-blowing but refuses to touch Brigitte Bardot’s clothing.
I wouldn’t want to be in the shoes of a French or history teacher who has to detect the authenticity of a paper.
Right now, I’m looking for an AI that would address me by saying: “At your command, venerable master.” I made the same request to my family, and they shot me down.
So, to stay on the Brittany topic, I asked them the difference between culture and folklore; then I asked if the French state had oppressed Breton culture.
AI (or "AI," depending on how you spell it) is a useful tool, but it’s totally incapable of nuance, subjectivity, or taking a stance.
It just lists facts.
And that’s not interesting—might as well read Wikipedia.
I wouldn’t want to be in the shoes of a French or history teacher having to detect the authenticity of a paper.
A text generated by AI is easy to spot.
Anyway, aside from being a regurgitation of clichés, I don’t see the point.
The AI wasn't very helpful when it came to Conlie. On the other hand, a classic search led me to a good article from *Ouest France*. I wasn’t familiar with the event—it’s truly eye-opening. Thanks for bringing it to my attention!
I don’t see many new members logged in—I see quite a few members connected but who don’t participate or no longer do.
While there are a number of "old-timers" who don’t log back in, it’s crazy how few "ghost" contributors there are who pop up every now and then ;)
Like Ms. Sophie L., who posts a photo of herself—let’s just say scantily clad—and who’s, well, not exactly virtuous ;)
These people must definitely be reading the *guide du brouteur*...
I feel a little bad for the moderators of this forum.
Oh, and off-topic: thanks to Mr. Zorba and Tatra—I just found out that *la Champagne mancelle* exists too!
I get that you think and say that, but I guarantee you’re totally out of touch with the times. Here are a few references, including this one from 2018:
More French than Breton: 17%
Only French: 22%
All while saying and showing themselves to be very European.
https://hal.science/hal-03713437/document
The most interesting part of your survey is the roughly 5% of "others or won’t say." Too bad they weren’t broken down further because there’s a world of difference between Well, I feel Venezuelan and What’s the point of this question? I don’t care—none of this defines my identity.
The spirit of the times and these groupings into mythological nations, religions, economic ideologies. The era of stunted anthropos.
Catherine
By this, and this only, we have existed. Which is not to be found in our obituaries. (T.S. Eliot)
Like Ms. Sophie L., who posts a photo of herself, let's just say scantily clad, and who seems to be, shall we say, of questionable virtue 😉
Could you please send me a screenshot as soon as possible?
« 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
The spirit of the times and these aggregations into mythological nations, religions, and economic ideologies. The era of stunted anthropos.
Isn’t this what people live by?
All nations are mythological.
Besides, this isn’t "my" survey—I know from experience and discussions that very few people are indifferent to it.
Totally agree.
But the mythology of this new millennium is Star Wars, it’s the space conquest with Mr. Musk sending spacecraft while running SpaceX.
The downside is we might forget the first peoples—the Aboriginal Australians, the Amazonian Indigenous peoples, etc.—
and miss understanding the earliest roots of humanity.
Isn’t this what men live for?
All nations are mythological.
Besides, this isn’t "my" survey, but from experience and conversations, I know very few people are indifferent to it.
And do their kisses follow them from afar?
It’s all about the setting. The setting.
Given the marinade we’re developing in, indifference on this matter has to be earned.
Catherine
By this, and this only, we have existed. Which is not to be found in our obituaries. (T.S. Eliot)
Given the marinade we’re developing in, indifference on the matter is something we achieve.
No, I don’t think so.
And the fact that you or I might possibly be capable of it doesn’t mean it’s something we should wish for everyone.
Without roots and without religion, people are orphaned and unhappy—I’ve seen it many times, and in my opinion, what we’re seeing in France and Europe right now illustrates that.
I’ve even come to believe that the French universalist ideology’s inability to address religious and identity issues isolates it from the world, erases its influence, and leads it to ruin.
After that, are they ready to be? That’s another question.
Apparently not in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria, etc.
Hi,
Freedom is your own vision of things, but maybe freedom is conceived differently in those countries.
You see things through your own Western filter.
And Pakistanis don’t want the Western way of life.
Without roots and without religion, people are orphaned and unhappy—I’ve seen it many times, and in my opinion, what we’re seeing in France and Europe right now illustrates this.
I see some truth in that, as long as we take the word *religion* in a very broad sense. When it comes to simply belonging to a religious denomination, though, I think people remain trapped by outdated rules... These rules may serve a purpose as a regulator of instincts to maintain social cohesion, but that’s about it for the individual, who often stays stuck in a hypocritical morality.
Religion as a social police force or to keep society together? Maybe... But for individual happiness, I’m pretty skeptical.
If we consider the "religious" as a transcendent experience, that’s a whole different story.
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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, 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 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)"
J'ai gardé comme habitude, de me moucher à l'évier, et de me laver ensuite les mains, coutume ramenée d'Inde, parfois, ca choque certains non voyageurs quand je suis prise en flagrand délit...
Aussi, quand je tombe en panne de pq, ca ne me dérange pas, sauf si j'ai de la visite... 🤪
Maintenant je reviens d'avoir baladé le chien (d'un copain en vacance), portant djellabah et bottine tibétaine... 😏😏😏 Ah pour sur si j'avais croisé des locaux, sans doute aurais je choqué?😏
Enfin, tant que je ne suis pas à cracher par terre au resto et à m'accroupir sur le bord d'une autoroute bouteille d'eau en main...
Et vous, vous ramenez des coutumes au pays?
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.
en parcourant le forum pour glaner des infos pour mon prochain voyage en thailande, je vois souvent les mots "voyageur, grand voyageur" mais aussi "touriste" donc pour vous quelle est la nuance?
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?
Vraiment déçu du Costa Rica ! Pura vida ? L'arnaque du siècle !
( Costa frica pure vide ).
Le pays où les animaux sont en liberté et les hommes en cage .
3 semaines en décembre dans ce pays et bien plus jamais. . Imaginez la bande annonce d'un film qui paraît intéressant, et en allant le voir vous vous apercevez que c'est un ''nanard'' et que les meilleurs moments tenaient dans la bande annonce.
Et bien c'est ce que l'on a ressenti avec le Costa frica pure vide .
Nous avons ma femme et moi pas mal voyagé et nous ne nous attendions pas à nous tromper a ce point.
Dans les grands axes nous avons fait :
Sant José
Alaiela
Limon cahuita Porto viejo manzalino ( côté caraïbe)
Jaco quepos manuel Antonio ( côté Pacific)
Et d'autres courts passages dans les villes intermédiaires.
Notre mécontentement c'est fait crescendo de la sorte:
Arrivés à l'hôtel le taxi nous dépose dans une petite rue devant un portail métallique blanc avec les fenêtres du RDC entravé par des barreaux. Nous le regardons dubitatif mais l'enseigne correspondait .
Il s'approche du portail appuie sur la sonnette le buzzer retentit et la porte s'entrouvre .Hôtel pas trop mal pour le prix , à 10 minutes à pied du centre ville, mais avec effet " Fleury merogis" garantie.
Jusqu'ici tout va bien .
Après la douche et après avoir repris nos esprits, nous partons faire un tour au centre ville.
Ce qui a commencé à nous interpeller sur le trajet c'est de voir quelques maisons avec barreaux aux fenêtres au RDC et même au premier étage.
Sur le coup nous nous sommes dit que le quartier de l'hôtel ne devait pas être trop top .
Le centre ville de san José :
C'est une ville quelconque pas dépaysante avec une rue piétonne et un petit mercado où vous pourrez manger local sans artifice. Très peu de touriste pour ne pas dire pas du tout ce qui vous permettra de vous noyer dans la population . Nous déjeunons et avons des difficultés à nous faire comprendre car hormis un ou deux magasins l'anglais n'est pas parlé.
Sur le trajet du retour à l'hôtel nous empruntons un autre chemin et en papotant et flânant ma femme me fait remarquer une belle maison blanche à étage complètement barricadé façon fort Nox.
Dès cet Instant on s'est mis a regarder les façades des maisons et des immeubles et lá , glauque de chez glauque, la plupart des façades ressemblent à des prisons avec barbelés pour certaines.
Bien que refroidi nous nous sommes dit que c'était peut être l'effet grande ville et que tout le pays ne devait pas être comme ça .
Jusqu'ici tout va bien.
On se pose un peut a l'hôtel on prend un verre au bar de celui ci. La nuit tombe tôt vers 17h30 . Sur les coups de 19h30 on repart pour le centre pour dîner . Un peu flippant le soir pour une capitale, le centre était quasi désert et hormis les chaines de fast food , trés peu de restos ouverts et pas grand monde dans les rues .
Des bars avec agent de sécurité devant .
Je ne dirai pas ce soir là que nous nous sommes senti en insécurité mais la nuit tombée on s'est dit que les barreaux aux fenêtres n'étaient pas la pour rien . Premier jour sur place un peu mitigé.
Le lendemain journée ville et environ , et sentiments inchangés .
Jusqu'ici tout va bien.
Direction cahuita par bus ,4 h de trajet
Paysages très vert , mais vite lassant la route longe la forêt et traverse quelques villes où villages et à la campagne aussi autant de maisons prisons .
Le bus nous dépose à la station terminus de cahuita, nous sommes 4 a descendre . C'est un village, que dis-je un bourg , c'est simple cahuita c'est une ligne droite et une perpendiculaire et franchement la le doute commençait à s'installer sur nos visages . Quelques restos qui appliquent 13 % de taxes et 10 % de service soit 23% .on pose les affaires a l'hôtel , et on part visiter ce lieu . En 20 minutes on en fait le tour , on déjeune et devions aller jeter un œil a ce fameux parc .
L'entrée est sur donation , enfin l'entrée c'est comique , il y a un chemin en bord de forêt qui longe la mer et voilà le tour et joué.
Jusqu'ici rien ne va plus .
Là on s'est dit que c'était une belle fumisterie mais n'ayant pas été très loin nous décidons de revenir demain pour approfondir.
On rentre a l'hôtel , on se pose, et sur les coups de 20h00 on sort dîner . Et bien , 2 restos ouverts et rues désertes .
Flippant !
Le lendemain on approfondit la visite du Pseudo parc et là vraiment on a compris.
Chemin qui longe la forêt en longeant la mer , 2h de parcours aller et idem retour où vous croisez les animaux qui veulent bien montrer leur museaux
Une belle connerie " tout ça pour ça "
Plage avec plein de morceaux de bois et de cadavres de noix de coco . on s'est demandé si les photos sur le net n'étaient pas retouchées , car la mer trés agitée n'est pas du tout bleue azur
Mais oser appeler ça un parc c'est comique et ressemble à un nouveau concept..
Quand on repense aux avis émis sur le net , on a commencé à se dire que des professionnels ayant des intérêts dans ce pays épiés et contrecarrer tous avis qui risquerait de nuire a leur business.
Dommage que nous n'avons pas pensé a regarder les avis négatifs avant , nous l'avons fait pendant et je dois dire que cela nous bien aidé, car nous nous sommes demandé si nous n'étions pas devenu trop exigeant grâce où a cause nos nombreux voyages, mais non quand c'est pourri c'est pourri .
le parc de manzalino est encore plus comique il y a un début de chemin qui longe la mer mais que sur 500 mètres et ensuite plus rien vous devez escalader dans la boue et vous frayer un passage dans la foret . nous avons fini pieds nues car la boue nous arrivé aux mi- mollets . tout ca pour croiser un raton laveur et un survol de perroquets
On s'attendait pas a voir l'Arche de Noé mais on a vu plus d'animaux a bali au Mexique en thailande en allant voir les temples ou en baladant que dans ces soi disant parcs !
puerto vierjo non loin de cahuita et apparemment plus vivant et bien oui ça pouvait pas être pire !
sur le lonely planet il était question d'ambiance caribéenne et de soirées endiablées et bien peut etre que cette époque a eu bien lieu mais ce n est plus le cas et le très bon son reggae diffusé un peu partout n'y suffit pas .
le soir a puerto viejo un peu plus vivant que cahuita mais ça c'est pas difficile ; pas enormément de touristes voir trés peu, pas de marché de nuit mais 2 à 3 boutiques ouvertes avec leurs t shirts à 20 dollars et même constat qu' a san jose.
Pas grave on a profité de la plage et du soleil qui lui était fidèle au rendez vous.Notre programme devait inclure le parc de tortuguero mais après avoir échangé avec d'autres touristes qui en revenaient nous nous sommes ravisés sachant que nous devions faire côté pacifique le parc de manuel Antonio.
Pour repartir côté pacifique vous êtes obligés de reprendre le bus et passer par sans José . 5 h cette fois ci et ensuite il faut changer de terminal de bus et c'est reparti pour 4h30 pour arriver à quepos .
Ville étape qui permet de se rendre a manuel antonio plage et parc !
ville à l'image de ce que nous avons pu voir jusqu'à present c'est à dire : qui se dérsertifie dés le
coucher du soleil sachant que la journée il n y a pas foule ! ( mais ou sont les touristes ?, )
toujours autant de barreaux aux fenêtres et cette sensation de s'être trompé d endroit
7 km plus loin ; manuel antonio plage et parc
la plage est très belle et assez vaste mais ne vous attendez pas à avoir une mer bleue turquoise car les vagues font remonter le sable en surface et donnent une couleur marron a l'eau ;
le long de la plage boutiques et restos sur 300 mètres et plus rien ; quand au soir après le coucher du soleil la ville se couche aussi .
parc de manuel antonio assez vanté pour la richesse de sa faune nous l'attendions de pieds ferme car quand vous exprimez votre mécontentement concernant les parcs de cahuitat et manzalino , la mode est de vous dire
''mais non il faut faire le parc de monteverde ou manuel antonio '' en fait quoi que vous fassiez ou disiez on vous dira '' mais tu aurais dû aller là bas ou ici
revenons à notre fameux parc ; entrée 16 dollars de mémoire et contrairement à ce que l'on a pu nous dire on ne s'y bouscule pas !
des guides a l entrée équipés de longue vue vous proposent leurs services moyennant une trentaine de dollars
le parc ; un chemin planchéié ou pas dans la forêt qui longe par moment de magnifiques criques et plages .
Dès notre entrée dans le parc , un attroupement qui prenait en photo une biche qui mangeait des feuilles,
un peu plus loin un guide accompagné d'un groupe de 5 personnes marquent l'arrêt, le guide vient de lever le bras et pose sa longue vue ! il leur montre à un centaine de mètres niché sur une branche : un colibri mais oui vous avez bien entendu un colibri! certains en regardant à travers la longue vue s'exclamaient:" oh my good ! amazing ! incredible"
on a cru un moment qu'ils avaient découvert une licorne ou qu'ils étaient à jurassic park et qu'ils venaient de croiser la route d un tyranosor rex !
le concept est comique; regarder un oiseau ou un autre animal à travers une longue vue ! car trop loin ! idem qu'à la télé non ?
pour notre part on a croisés des singes , des fourmis, un tatou, un iguane et le cul d un paresseux qui montait à l'arbre ! amazing incredible !
nous sommes restés quelques jours à manuel antonio pour profiter de la plage en changeant souvent d'hôtel car les prix variés du simple au double du jour au lendemain pour des prestations honteuses ; en plus ils vous annoncent un prix en dollars pour le convertir à leur guise ! des voleurs!.
Alajuela ville proche de l'aéroport avec un mall sur deux étages et marché local au centre ville ! sans interêt si ce n'est la proximité avec l'aéroport !
Ce que nous avons appreciés :
Le climat et la ville de san jose qui avec le recul est la ville la plus authentique que nous avons traversés .
Ce que nous n'avons pas appreçiés en plus de ce que nous venons de citer :
Les costaricains qui ne sont pas très avenants ni communicants , l' anglais qui n' est pratiquement pas parlé , même pas par les medecins de l'hôpital de Quepos où ma femme victime d'une intoxication alimentaire y ait passé, ( merci Google translate) , l'obésité omniprésente des Costaricains qui s'alimentent à l'Américaine, l'insécurité, les bobos ecolos qui quittent leur lodge à 150 dollars en mini-van avec guide pour visiter les parcs et autres sites puis reviennent se barricader dans leur forteresse la nuit tombée (oh my god amazing incredible), le panneau bleu à l'entrée des villes qui acceptent ce mode de paiement ; "acceptamos american express" les parkings devenus payants par la seule présence d'un gars qui surveille vos voitures , les prix affichés en dollars , le coût de la vie (hotels rerstos taxes ), les paysages trop verts et pas assez fleuris , les plages rien d exceptionnelles , la pollution dans les villes où les gros camions trucks américain sont rois , les eaux usées rejetées directement à la mer . Hormis la jungle il n'y à rien a visiter, aucun vestiges , ruines , monuments , digne de ce nom .
Bref , nous pensons ma femme et moi que la publicité faite pour ce pays soi disant ecolo est surfaite , mais que c est un peu le pays à la mode du moment ! Il y a beaucoup mieux , moins cher , et plus authentique .
Avec le recul nous gardons que les bons moments et nos belles photos , mais si c'était à refaire .............
Avant de vous quitter petit message à tous ceux qui n'aiment pas que l'on puisse avoir un avis divergent du leurs :
Et bien certaines choses ne se discutent pas , et á ceux qui voudraient nous faire croire qu'en 3 semaines on n'a pas le droit de critiquer un pays ou d exprimer un ressenti , et bien comment pouvez vous l'encencer en si peu de temps. Belle supercherie, Costa frica pompe à fric , pura vida , pure vide sidéral.
Si vous aimez passer vos soirées barricadé dans votre douillé hôtel le soir tombé , et bien ce pays est pour vous .
Pour les autres : fuyezzzzzzzzz !
Hello,
Since the war between Russia and Ukraine, nothing is simple anymore for traveling to Belarus due to sanctions.
No more direct flights from the EU to Minsk.
Driving is a huge hassle, especially crossing through Poland at the only open border in Brest—you can wait 2, 3, or even 4 days just to get through by car.
The least painful driving option is to come via Lithuania and cross at the only open border, with a minimum wait time of 8 hours, sometimes up to 20 hours or more!!
Controls are very strict and annoying on both the Lithuanian and Belarusian sides. Avoid bringing alcohol, food, or cigarettes—everything will end up in the trash, especially when leaving Belarus for Vilnius, where the Lithuanians are tough, even with EU citizens.
The joy I once knew when visiting my wife in Minsk is sadly over—it’s now a real ordeal.
The fastest solution is to fly. My wife travels to France by taking a bus to Kaunas in Lithuania, where you can catch a flight (though not daily) to Paris Beauvais or Charleroi in Belgium with Ryanair, for example.
For the return trip, it’s the same: a flight to Kaunas and then a direct bus from the airport to Minsk.
The bus crossing is quicker than driving—the 250 km journey, including border checks, takes about 6 to 8 hours for buses leaving Lithuania around midnight, but controls are still strict at the border.
The biggest challenge is finding flight schedules that align with the bus routes between the two countries, given the unpredictable border crossing times.
Now, my wife travels via Charleroi in Belgium (near Brussels), and you can take a train to Paris. Alternatively, you can fly into Beauvais and take a bus to Paris (Porte Maillot).
For those driving, note that EU insurance and assistance policies no longer work in Belarus or Russia. You’ll need to get local insurance, usually limited to third-party liability (I don’t think full coverage exists?), as well as mandatory medical insurance. This is available at the border.
You now have to pay highway tolls—no more BELTOLL boxes. Instead, you pay a flat fee for the duration of your stay. Stop at the first gas station after crossing from Lithuania to fill up on fuel and cigarettes.
From what I know, Lithuania bans carrying more than 60 € in cash, but there’s no limit for USD (though it’s capped at $10,000??).
With a Visa card, you can now withdraw 1,000 rubles per week (about 270 €)—two months ago, it was only 500 rubles!!
For now, you can still pay by card in shops and gas stations.
However, major retailers like KORONA (which may be Russian-owned??) no longer accept foreign Visa cards.
Unfortunately, the additional sanctions announced by the U.S. on August 5, 2025, against Russia—and possibly Belarus—aren’t promising for the future.
After 20 years of visiting Belarus, I’m truly saddened to see the joy of living in this country with my wonderful wife turn into such a bleak situation, all because of human folly.
Hi everyone!
I’m putting together our travel itinerary for Veneto at the end of April. And the more I look and research potential sites to visit, the more I find!
We’ll only be there for a week—my family and I—including 3 days in Venice. So we have to make some choices...
I plan to rent a car when we arrive in Venice and head straight to Bergamo, which would be our first stop. We’d leave the car at the airport when we return to Venice so we can explore the city at our leisure.
What do you think:
1 night in Bergamo (a 2h15 drive from Venice airport),
1 night in Garda,
1 night in Verona,
1 in Padua, and
3 in Venice—would that be doable?
Thanks in advance for your tips and experiences! :)
Now that the curtain has fallen on the past year, it’s time to see what’s happening around here.
It seems pretty quiet, but I’ll read more in detail later.
First, I need to tell you all an anecdote.
My eldest little girl, in her third year of law school, was really scared she wouldn’t pass the year.
I told her:
“Trust yourself, you’ve worked so hard, and worst case, if you fail, you’ll just redo the year.”
“But I don’t think I’ll make it—they changed the rules, and if I mess up even one unit, I have to start all over.”
I knew her grades weren’t exactly stellar, and with what I was about to say, I wasn’t taking much of a risk.
“Here’s the deal, sweetheart: if you pass, I promise I’ll take you to India, just the two of us.”
I have to admit, India is a country I’ve talked about so much to all my grandchildren that in their minds, it’s become a magical, mythical place (hmm).
July had barely begun when my phone rang, her name flashing on the screen.
“Mamido, I did it!”
My promise came rushing back—oh no, oh no, oh no!
“Congratulations, sweetheart!”
A little shyly, she said:
“Is the India trip still on?”
And me, replying:
“Of course it is!”
And that’s that—a promise is a promise, or you risk losing that precious trust that keeps hearts warm and at peace.
We’re leaving in February. Only 8 days—yikes, the carbon footprint!
But we can’t miss her tutorials, or she’ll be kicked out.
Personally, that works just fine for me.
Going to India has become a challenge for me. It’s far, it’s exhausting, I sweat, I hate mosquitoes, the spices bother my mouth when I used to love them. There’s noise all the time—at night, the dogs bark nonstop, and we almost get run over. I’ll get lost in the streets because my sense of direction has vanished. I don’t like rice anymore. All that chaos and those cultural differences that once enchanted me now just overwhelm me.
But I promised.
The upside—and it’s a big one—Raman, the same driver I’ve had forever, will be at the airport with a sign with our names. We’ll stop at the same little shop for chai (or tea, plain and simple) with that aroma that intoxicates me, halfway through the trip.
It’ll be a tiny trip—staying with friends, I’ll show her a few places I love: Chidambaram, Mamallapuram, and the clinic where I worked. Then we’ll head back.
My little girl will go home to her parents.
As for me, I’ll leave right away for our Scottish island with Homme for our chilly winter.
How can you love a country so much you want to live there, then suddenly reject it, no longer able to appreciate what once made it special?
That’s the mystery of love, I guess.
I’ve visited the U.S. four times myself, including two long road trips. The last one was just this past August...
I won’t be going back. I already felt guilty last August, but recent policies have finally convinced me: the humiliation of Zelensky, authoritarian excesses, Gestapo-like methods for detaining people of foreign origin, the murder of innocent people (a mother shot dead), corruption, insane "tariffs," skyrocketing healthcare costs for Americans, the abduction of foreign figures to secure oil, the requirement to disclose social media accounts, and now... threats and blackmail to forcibly take Greenland—a region that belongs to Denmark and thus the European Union!
The reality is that simply posting this could get me denied entry to the U.S.!
In this context, I just can’t keep spending money there. I loved my trips, but there are so many other countries with stunning landscapes to explore.
So I get why you’d want to travel there. I did, and I loved it. But once a country no longer respects any of the values that made us love it, why go?
How can we even consider traveling to a country that threatens to take one of our territories by force?
Hello everyone,
Controversial topic? Not necessarily—maybe just a reflection on a world to come.
I spent the last 15 days of August on a cruise in Greenland, from Kangerlussuaq to Tasiilaq.
I was utterly amazed by this unique world of rock and ice, the little houses in every color, a simple life that’s also complicated by isolation and climate, among other things...
I carry in my heart the kindness of the people I met, the raw and gentle majesty of the icebergs, the colors of the sky...
So, I can’t even imagine a massive presence of raw material prospectors, heavy machinery requiring roads to be built—if that’s even possible—changing their way of life... putting sled dogs out to pasture!
Do fast food and Greenland’s northern lights really mix?
I wouldn’t trade my memories for an ESTA!
All opinions are respectable, which is why this isn’t a controversy—but I’m sorry, I have a soft spot for *my* Greenland.
We’re a couple aged 58 and 63. We’ve just returned from a wonderful trip to South India in Tamil Nadu and a few days in Kerala. We traveled with a local French-speaking guide and his friend, the driver. They both live in Pondicherry. We spent 3 weeks with them in the most authentic way!
We covered just over 2,500 km and visited not only temples but also archaeological sites, museums, and small artisanal businesses making tiles, tea, sculptures, bronze, and silk spinning. We were lucky enough to visit a public school, attend a wedding, and even a death announcement in a small countryside village. We were fully immersed in the culture, food, noise, and colors—it was incredible!
The hotels and guesthouses we chose were very clean and mostly quiet. We’re returning from India with amazing discoveries!
We’re happy to share more info if you’d like!
M-Claire and Jean
This isn’t exactly a traveler’s question... I’d like to know who handles the technical side of this forum?
I run a similar forum on a different topic (unrecognized children), and we’re dealing with a few technical issues that are slowly killing our forum... so I’d have one or two questions to ask 😊.
Also, I was wondering who created this forum... who the administrators or moderators are, etc.
I think this forum is great. Much better than Facebook, which I’ve been using since it shut down (so I’m happy to see it’s working again...)
Hi there, I’ve been traveling for 18 years now, at least 6 months a year, and as the years go by, I actually enjoy coming back to France more and more—a feeling I struggled with at first. I mean, we always think the grass is greener elsewhere.
But in the end, I find meaning in that saying about how there’s no place like home. I still love traveling just as much, but now my trips are shorter, and I enjoy spending more time in our beautiful country, even though I don’t hesitate to criticize it.
How about you? How do you handle coming back from your travels?
Il y a quelque années, j'étais parti avec un groupe d'amis donner un coup de main dans une petite école rurale à côté de Thiès, au Sénégal.
Ambiance détendue mais travailleuse, avec les mains dans le mortier, la rigolade, les échanges, et tout ce qu'une COOPERATION peut engendrer.
Aujourd'hui, le petit projet vole de ses propres ailes.
Voulant profiter des richesses du Sénégal, on est parti faire un peu de tourisme dans le Siné Saloum. Une fille de notre groupe est tombée malade (crise de paludisme) et on a décider de l'emener voir un médecin dans un grand complexe touristique juste à coté. Malgré son état, il a fallu montrer patte blanche (si j'ose dire) pour entrer. Elle a été soignée et va bien depuis.
Cette "étape" dans ce centre style Club Méditerranée à la sauce teutonne, ressemblant au Grau du Roy en plus chic à été pour nous une vision d'horreur : Piscines, immenses bassins artificiels teintés de bleu, de rose ou de vert (!!!!), animateur hurlant autour d'un concours de teeshirt mouillés ou d'escalade de cocotiers, et toubabs rotis, ou rosés.
L'ensemble de l'hotel était ceinturé d'un immense mur derrière lequel s'était constitué un petit bidonville de marchands de souvenirs digne des derniers faubourgs de Dakar
En repartant, on a vu un minibus de clients de retour "d'excursion", avec masques, tissus et djembés - Souvenirs d'Afrique ?
Ce sera peut être le leur ?
Quel sera l'impression des gamins agglutinés devant les grilles de l'hotel ?
Quel sera l'impression des serveurs noirs en "costumes traditionnels africains", servant à tour de bras cocktails et glaces ?
Pour moi, qui ai connu l'Afrique très jeune, et dans la brousse, cela reste une vision d'horreur, gravée en moi.
Sur V.F. ce genre de vacances ne semble pas être le lot commun des internautes, et c'est bien la raison de mon inscription.
Avez vous aussi connu ce genre de voyage intersidéral ?
Comprennez vous les martiens ?
Leurs motivations sont elles pacifistes ?
I’ve been wondering: Is it still reasonable to rent a car in the U.S.?
Apparently, since early January 2025—and very quietly—the most important insurance coverage, namely the driver’s civil liability, has seen its coverage amount drop from $1 million to just $300,000. This coverage is supposed to protect us from damages we might be responsible for while driving. We can go decades without a single scrape (especially if it’s our fault), but anything can happen in a split second. A motorcycle appearing out of nowhere, a misjudgment at one of those huge intersections with staggered traffic lights, and suddenly we could be deemed at fault for the accident. We’d then have to pay out of pocket for the other party’s medical expenses. Given what hospitals charge... it can easily exceed $300,000 and turn into a nightmare in no time!!! Plus, anyone who’s driven on American roads has seen those billboards for lawyers offering their services to accident victims. So on top of the sky-high medical bill, the lawyer will demand compensation worthy of a Hollywood movie!!!! So, is it even worth getting behind the wheel in America anymore? Well... that’s just my take! And on top of that, I haven’t found any insurance company that offers such high civil liability coverage. Chapka and others do offer coverage in the millions, but motor vehicles are excluded.... So here’s the thing... Unless I’ve "missed something," I’ve come to this conclusion: Renting a car in the U.S. is like playing Russian roulette! But maybe I’m being too pessimistic? What do you think?
My two bullfighting traditions when I'm back home in Camargue (France) and in Colombia (Caribbean) every time I return. 🤠
Details:
Bullfights (corridas) aren’t part of my two bullfighting traditions, but I respect those who attend them!!!
In these two ancestral bullfighting traditions—which aren’t bullfights—the Bulls and Toros aren’t killed or tortured, as some might think.
These are bull games where the animals return to their pastures afterward and only come back to the Arenas 2–3 times a year at most.
They spend 15 minutes in the ring for the Camarguais and 5 minutes for the Toros in the Colombian Corralejas.
They’re cared for and pampered. They’ll die of old age in miles of open fields.
The young people who face them are professionals, risking their lives to support their families and live their Passion for the Toro!!! 😄
https://youtu.be/yYKQer42HoQ
Colombian Corraleja in the link below (hope it works) 🤪
https://fb.watch/BMfmuCgQpG/
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