Results for "Corse"

😉Dans le Journal " Le Parisien " d'aujourdhui, Vendredi 25 Mai 2007 sur toute la Page: 11 - il y a un Article très intéressant suite à une enquête de l'Institut GIK pour un voyagiste en-ligne très connu : " A l'étranger, le Français n'est jamais content !... " Mais il parle aussi des touristes d'autres nationalités . A lire absolument parce que c'est bon de le savoir ! Lien : www.leparisien.fr __

Bonjours à tous !

Fin juillet, je vais en Europe pour les vacances... j'aimerais savoir quel est le meilleur itinéraire pour faire le Tour du Mont-Blanc par la route en vélo ??? Site internet ??? Récit d'expériences ??? Je suis ouvert à tous. Merci Et Bonne saison de vélo !!!

DomBru😉

Connaissez vous la/les musiques d Albanie ?Peux t on se procurer des enregistrements en France et où?

Bonjour à tous !!

Tout d'abord, je me dois de féliciter tous les membres qui enrichissent régulièrement ce site, c'est une vraie mine d'or !! Peut importe la question posée, il y a toujours quelqu'un pour essayer de vous aider à y trouver une solution. Donc, merci de prendre le temps de bâtir un édifice de solidarité et d'entraide entre voyageurs des quatres coins du monde ainsi que pour les réponses apportées, passées et à venir...

Bon, entrons dans le vif du problème...

Petite présentation d'abord. Je m'appelle Lauren, j'ai 21 ans, normalement je suis animatrice pour enfants, mais j'ai pris une année sabatique (sans solde !!) pour voyager, me laisser guider au fil de mes envies... Je suis donc partie début Novembre (2006) pour rejoindre les côtes Andalouses de l'Espagne et vivre l'expérience de "l'auberge espagnole" !! Grand bien m'en fasse !!

Maintenant, nous (avec Lisha, compagne de route suédoise, rencontrée ici) planifions un voyage depuis le Vénézuela jusqu'à Los Angeles (Californie-USA).

Bon, pour le billet d'avion, on a réussi a en trouver un pas cher, donc la date de départ est fixée au 31 Janvier 2007. Maintenant, les choses se corsent... Nous n'avons pour le moment aucun itinéraire particulier de prévu (et nous n'en voulons pas !!), nous cherchons des hôtes pour nous héberger via le Net (genre HospitalyClub ou CouchSurfing), mais le grand problème, c'est le transport !!

Comment traverser ces pays (Vénézuela, Colombie, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, San Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Mexique) qui ont parfois une situation politique difficile ou des régions naturelles difficiles d'accès en sachant que nous n'avons pratiquement pas un sou en poche... (je sais, c'est pas bien malin, mais quand on aime l'aventure, on résiste difficilement à l'appel...) ???

Quels sont les bons plans pour deux routardes seules ? Comment je l'ai précisé plus haut, nous n'avons pas d'itinéraire fixe et beaucoup de temps devant nous, donc, si vous avez des idées, ça nous dépannerait !!

Merci à tous ceux qui nous aideront dans cette aventure...

Safyria.

Paris>> Bangkok - Alerte au sandwich au poulet La psychose de la grippe aviaire n’a décidément plus de limites ! Un passager l’a appris à ses dépens samedi dernier à l’aéroport de Roissy, alors qu’il embarquait pour Bangkok. Arrivé tôt le matin pour ne pas rater son avion, achète un sandwich au poulet et se dirige vers la porte d’embarquement. Il passe sans problème le contrôle des cartes d’accès à bord, mais c’est à son arrivée dans l’avion que les choses se corsent. « J’étais en train de manger mon poulet-crudités, lorsque l’hôtesse de l’air m’a demandé d’un air horrifié si mon sandwich contenait du poulet ». Lorsqu’elle apprend le contenu de l’encas, l’hôtesse lui demande de le jeter avant de monter dans l’avion. Le passager refuse catégoriquement : « Le personnel du bord vont vraiment trop loin, a-t-il déclaré, rien n’interdit, en France, de manger un sandwich au poulet ». Le ton monte rapidement et l’hôtesse excédée appelle le commandant de bord à son secours. Jugeant les propos de agressifs, il lui interdit alors de monter à bord de l’avion pour des « raisons de sécurité ». Refoulé de l’avion, a été placé une heure en détention et a perdu son billet. Il est également interdit d’accès à bord des avions de la compagnie pendant un an. Selon des sources judiciaires, risque jusqu’à une amende de 15 000 € pour cause de non-respect des mesures de sécurité aérienne. Cela fait cher le sandwich au poulet !

bonjours à tous, je souhaite me rendre en bretagne, en voiture, au printemps et j'aimerais savoir si c'est une bonne saison pour découvrir la bretagne, sinon, quel est le meilleur momment de l'année ? je voyage accompagnée de ma petite chienne et recherche également des hotels ou pension ou chambre chez l'habitant qui acceptent les animaux ... si vous avez des renseignements et des conseils à me fournir, je vous en remercie par avance ...

le rachat de Star Airlines par Air Atlanta Icelandair (Avion Group), serait imminent et devrait intervenir au plus tard aujourd’hui. Les deux sociétés, partenaires dans la location d’appareils, ont décidé de convoler ensemble, l’acquéreur rachetant la totalité des parts de Raymond Lakah, le propriétaire actuel.

Bonjour à tous

Terminant mes études en Juin, je compte profiter de cette période pour réaliser un vieux rêve asiatique avant de rentrer dans le dur monde du travail... Nous voulons donc partir à 2 aux alentours du 15 aout pour réaliser le périple suivant: Débarquement à Pékin, 1 semaine environ pour assister à la folie du développement chinois, puis nous prendrons l'avion jusqu'à Chengdu où nous nous préparerons à entrer au tibet (apparement on peu obtenir permis + bus en même temps). Je compte 1 petite semaine à chengdu pour les formalités...Après départ en bus jusqu'à lhassa (comptons environ 2 jours) puis on reste dans la capitale tibétaine environ 15 jours (si pas de retard avant). De là, nous espérons effectuer le trajet jusqu'à kathmandou par la route (on compte encore 5 jours). Apparement, ce sera surement la partie la plus corsée..Aprés 15 jours à Kathmandou, puis on rejoint Dehli d'où nous repartons pour la france. Ne tenant pas à être bloqué à la mi chemin, s'il vous plait dites moi tout de suite si on se plante quelque part. J'aurai aussi besoin d'infos sur les différents permis au tibet est ce qu'on peut les obtenir à chengdu, en combien de tempset le prix, sinon où est ce que c le plus facile. Après j'ai aussi besoin d'infos sur ce qu'il faut pour passer tous les check point de lhassa katmandou sans problème. Apparement on peut obtenir visa népal sur place....Merci d'avance pour votre aide

Quelqu'un connait-il Malte et en particulier St George's Bay ? Nous envisageons de réserver au Corinthia Marina Hotel. J'aimerais beaucoup avoir des avis, des conseils. Merci à tous !

Faisant une croisière sur différentes îles du Nord de la Thailande, nous souhaitons ramener quelques souvenirs (pas nécessairement achetés dans des boutiques pour touristes) en qu' elles devises nous faudra t' il payer ? Dollars, euros ou monnaie locale ?

Oui je sais j'ai vachtement réfléchi pendant mon voyage ;)

En fait surtout au chili il y a pas mal d'hotels type auberges de jeunesse, avec salle de bains commune, cuisine à disposition.

Je voulais pousser un coup de gueule concernant l'image qu'essaient de se donner beaucoup de voyageurs qui fréquentent ces hotels, et concernant leur comportement. Je m'explique.

Au premier contact, tout le monde est super cool. On boit une biere tous ensemble au coin du feu le soir, c'est génial tout le monde s'aime, tout le monde trouve tout le monde sympa (y a pas de cons chez les gens cools).

Mais les choses se corsent quand il s'agit de vivre en communauté (puisque c'est un peu de cela qu'il s'agit). Exemple*. Il n'y a qu'une petite cuisinière qui marche pas top dans la cuisine pour 15 voyageurs. Au lieu de faire chauffer des pates sur un des feux, un groupe de gros malins fait chauffer des pates, revenir des oignons, cuire de la soupe et cuire une omelette. Resultat, les autres attendent une heure que ces messieurs-dames aient fini. Ahn oui mais c'est pas grave tout le monde est cool. Ah ça y est ils ont fini leur banquet. Bon ben je vais m'y mettre à cuire mes pauvres pates. Ah ben non pas possible parce que toutes les casseroles sont sales, dans l'évier en attente d'un hypothétique et incertain lavage plus tardif. Bon ben je vais me taper la vaisselle alors.

Autre exemple. Internet est gratuit. Il est écrit en gros de se limiter à une demi-heure parce qu'il n'y a qu'un PC. Evidemment tout le monde reste une heure devant l'écran. mais c'est pas grave on est cool.

Autre exemple. Une seule salle de bains avec les seules toilettes à l'intérieur. Qui va se doucher, se laver les cheveux pendant une heure à 11h du soir pendant que le reste de l'auberge attend d'aller pisser avant de dormir ? Quelqu'un de cool soyez-en sur.

Bref je commence à en avoir sacrément ras-le-bol des gens cools qui vont dans les auberges de jeunesse (à noter que dans certains pays comme par exemple en écosse les gens m'ont paru plus respectueux) et qui sont les plus égoïstes qui soient.

Marre aussi dans un autre registre que les seules discussions qu'on puisse avoir avec ces gens-là c'est "oh j'ai vu ça c'était gé-nial" ou bien "quoi 10 heures de bus c'est rien la semaine derniere j'ai fait 25 heures non stop" ou bien "oh ben moi je fais le tour du monde, j'aime pas me presser" (alors qu'ils traversent le pays plus vite que vous, ah ah ah).

Marre pour finir des de ces gens qui se la jouent fauchés alors qu'ils sont intégralement habillés en North Face ou Patagonia, ont payé un billet d'avion 1000 euros et qu'ils portent rien qu'en vetements, lunettes, sac à dos et chaussures ce qu'un habitant du pays gagne en 10 ans. Si ça vous fait chier d'etre riche je connais des boliviens qui prendraient bien l'avion à 300 balles au lieu de se coltiner 40 heures de bus pourri. ET puis jouer au fauché ça empeche pas de prendre la douche si ? Ils puent pas les paysans boliviens alors pourquoi vous oui ?

Histoire d'etre raleur je vais aussi etre chauvin parce que j'ai trouve les français rencontrés plus respectueux et en tous cas ils essayaient moins de se donner une image en bois.

Voila j'ai poussé mon coup de geule je suis content.

* tous les exemples sont vécus bien sur

J AI LOUE UNE VOITURE POUR MON SEJOUR QUELLES SONT LES PRECAUTIONS A PRENDRE

Bonjour,

je suis actuellement a Tianjin (Chine) et dispose d un visa pour 3 mois. j ai entendu dire qu il y avait une tolerance de 15 jours apres la fin du visa pour rentrer en France : est ce que quelqu un peut me le confirmer?

Indy

The 139th edition of this contest is now open, and this month’s theme is: « Metal, Metallic».

From ore to rockets, wire to the Eiffel Tower—or in a pinch, even a self-portrait at the bottom of a spoon—the theme is broad enough that you should be able to come up with at least three ideas pretty easily! Sure, things might get tricky when it’s time to vote, but that could just be a sign of a successful contest, right?! But we’re not there yet.

Contest rules: You can post up to three photos, each in a separate message, clearly indicating their number (1, 2, or 3) along with the location where the photo was taken. Any explanations about your photos are welcome.

You’ll vote for three photos, clearly stating the name of the participant you’ve chosen, followed by the photo number. The first photo in your vote will receive three points, the second two points, and the third one point.

The winner will be the person whose photo earns the most points. In case of a tie, the winner will be the one with the most first-place votes—or, if still tied, the most second-place votes. Finally, if it’s a perfect tie, the winner will be the one who reached their score first. The winner will then have the pleasure of choosing the theme for the April 2026 contest and organizing it. Ties for any position other than first won’t be broken. Lastly, you don’t need to participate in the contest to vote. However, participants (and I hope there’ll be lots of you!) are strongly encouraged to vote!

Please only post contest photos in this thread, and starting Thursday, March 26 (00:01 Paris time), only votes.

Key dates: You can submit your photos starting today, Tuesday, March 3, 2026, until Wednesday, March 25, 2026 (23:59 Paris time). Voting will begin the minute after and end on Monday, March 30 (23:59 Paris time). Results will be announced on Tuesday, March 31, 2026 ... if all goes well!

A discussion thread for this contest is open HERE: The photorama can be found HERE

Hi everyone, Here’s a little story about what happened to me—I was supposed to go on a cruise on the CELEBRITY INFINITY on February 16th, but nothing went as planned 😕 We left for Athens on February 14th, had a good flight, and stayed at the same hotel as last year, the PHIDIAS PIRAEUS HOTEL, which we really liked. But this year, it was disappointing—no upgrade from BOOKING, so a smaller room and, above all, noisy because of a compressor sound.... Anyway, we arrived in the late afternoon, took a walk, and found a really nice restaurant in the pedestrian streets of Piraeus. The next day, the 15th, we maybe thought about going to the island of Aegina, but we got up a little too late, so we just went for a walk. We came back to the hotel for a break, then got ready for a massage I had booked online. I absentmindedly checked my phone… an email from CELEBRITY announcing the cancellation of the cruise!!! That’s a first for us—we were a little shocked by the news 😕 TO BE CONTINUED....

It’s an understatement to say that Japan is a world apart. All around me, people exclaim: "How lucky you are to be able to go there! I’ve always dreamed of visiting, of finding myself in that culture blending tradition and technology!" Yes, they’re right. Until the moment their dreams become reality and things appear as they truly are, without the filter of fantasized preconceptions. Because in the collective unconscious, Japan indeed seems like a civilization—if not neutral—at least stripped of any social maturation. As if it had emerged all at once from its canonical ages, offering only the best of its traditions, and as if those traditions were undoubtedly the foundation of its extraordinary discipline. Yet, as always, the truth is far more complex. Modern Japan is likely shaped by its millennia-old traditions. But that Japan is also the result of its own uncertainties and contradictions. I’ve always been wary. I’ve never understood why the cleaning women on the platform bow when the train arrives. At some point, too much discipline, too much deference—it makes you smile, it raises questions.

Finally, thanks to F., a dream is coming true! Not the dream of going to Japan—a country I’ve visited more than any other, except for Réunion and the UK—but the dream of completing the fastest round-the-world trip of my career. Indeed, due to the restrictions imposed by the Russians*, the plane flies over the Caucasus and China on the way there; on the return, it gracefully heads toward the Arctic after skirting the Aleutian Islands, Alaska, and Greenland. So, in nearly 26 hours of flight, I complete my 6th round-the-world trip. A round-the-world trip with just one stopover. Or two, if you count our impromptu detour to Okinawa.

(* In response to Western sanctions, Russia closed its airspace to Western airlines on February 28, 2022, except for Air Serbia, Turkish Airlines, Pegasus, and Belavia. This decision adds 2 to 3 hours to flight times and, incidentally, increases operating costs.)

The empire of noise. The empire that dazzles. In Japan, the auditory and visual space is constantly fed. No respite. You have to be strong. Navigating public transport feels like playing the most advanced video game: moving between language barriers and a different organization, the hero tries to ignore the numerous visual and auditory distractions. Mostly auditory, though. Because in Japan, there’s a culture of noise that has undoubtedly inspired our national railways. Everything must be announced. So, here and there, all along the route, we find agents whose sole role is to endlessly repeat safety messages through megaphones more or less suited to the situation. The result is a constant murmur, a kind of tinnitus, a subtle but incessant buzz that fades only at bedtime and returns with a vengeance at first light, when we descend back into the supposedly sterile depths of Osaka’s subway. "To go right, please turn right, kudasaï. When descending the stairs, please mind the steps, kudasaï. To go straight, please take the left corridor, kudasaï." That *kudasaï* ("please" in Japanese), I assure you, has permanently lodged itself in my auditory cells.

Screens are no exception; the brain is constantly stimulated. But paradoxically, passengers massively retreat into their own worlds via their screens. Literally glued to their phones, earbuds firmly in place, people escape into the virtual aisles of a furniture store, a game, a movie... In the train cars, raised voices are rare. The field is clear for announcements and other jingles. Each stop is announced by a little tune unique to each station. Simply incredible.

If we usually judge a country by the welcome its inhabitants offer, in Japan, we’re left wanting. Indeed, the Lost in Translation* spirit doesn’t just apply to verbal exchanges—it applies to everything, especially non-verbal communication. In Japan, me, the slightly North African Corsican, I’m at a loss. I speak loudly, I gesture, in front of a hotel concierge just as lost. Each for our own reasons. Yes, he speaks some English, but we can’t seem to connect. It’s a losing battle trying to find a bit of compassion from a local who’s far from familiar with Western concerns. I try to buy tickets for the World Expo? I run into a systematization as rigid as it is abrupt, which the concierge can’t seem to navigate. While we might still have a shred of common sense, here in Japan, everything is digitized. Soon, no one will be surprised that a QR code becomes essential just to go to the bathroom.

(* Film by Sofia Coppola, released in 2003, which explores isolation, unease, Japanese culture, and language through the experiences of two protagonists.)

In the end, we get that ticket for the Expo. After providing personal information on yet another account created for the occasion, we buy electronic tickets—a QR code, then—to regulate the comings and goings, the souls and aspirations of all these wandering beings scattered across the globe. And it’s probably for the best... Because we’ll be tens of thousands of visitors—100,000 to 150,000 per day—walking the aisles of this enormous improvised amusement park, a kind of delirious superstructure surrounded by the Grand Ring, the largest wooden construction in the world. Inside the park, the pavilions, flagship vessels of their respective countries, compete in ingenuity, proportionate to their GDP, to attract visitors. But you have to wait up to two hours to visit the most popular ones! Fortunately, about a hundred countries can be explored without waiting in shared, more spacious areas. What will I remember from this adventure? The beauty of that wooden structure, despite any environmental or financial considerations—200M € for barely renewable elements; a certain poetry, even magic, in the expression of this event—conversing with Juliette Petit, the splendid representative of Vanuatu, had something indescribable; a close-up experience of Japanese discipline when it came time to return to the subway after that epic evening—thousands upon thousands of people converging at the same time toward a single place without any interruption in the flow.

But my real passion is the countryside. So, I’ll especially remember that brief escape, on the very first day, to the Mino-o waterfall, where the journey itself was already enchanting. Quickly leaving the underground lines, our train speeds through the city’s endless expanse and drops us at the foot of a hill, the abrupt edge of the urban sprawl. The slope was too steep to build anything? We leave behind an impressive hotel, a capitalist eyesore defying the laws of elevation to tackle the climb toward the waterfall. A bucolic walk where the stroller can choose between a paved path or more epic trails. Here and there, stalls, temples, everywhere, a certain serenity. The city’s pulse gives way to a magnificent spectacle magnified by giant sequoias. From the depths of a ravine, we try to glimpse the sky beyond the foliage. Everything is oversized. Here, you can breathe.

***

In reality, Japan has never undertaken any real work of memory. Aside from a few feeble gestures to appease Washington in its choice of Asian partners, one wonders if the Japanese have ever truly grasped the horror they were forced to participate in. While our Judeo-Christian society has more or less assimilated the notions of forgiveness and self-questioning, where does Japanese society stand, juggling a millennia-old Zen philosophy and the unabashed Machiavellianism of an emperor utterly possessed? Is it just me, or does there float in the atmosphere a kind of unease, a malaise, an awkward relationship with reality? For me, bowing to a train as it enters the station is just the result of a poorly directed moral dilemma...

Ah, how distant is the time of sakoku, that closure of the country—both concrete and ideological—that was in vogue for two centuries. Because if no one could enter, no one could leave either! A boon for neighboring countries. But from 1854, following the skirmishes of Commodore Matthew Perry, who demanded Japan’s participation in trade, the country suddenly became aware of the disparities separating it from the West. Bring Japan up to the level of other nations? Industrialization, competition, search for raw materials... Hirohito (1901–1989) emerges on the scene, a bit expansionist and willing to stop at nothing to achieve his goals. Above all, he knew how to use, in his own way, the incredible capacity for self-sacrifice of his people...

We protest, we condemn, we all rally behind an acceptable discourse when it comes to discussing the use of the atomic bomb. Yet, we forget one essential thing: Hiroshima wasn’t enough to make Hirohito yield. While we’re bombarded with anti-fascist elements, as if the sole purpose of school curricula were to prevent us from voting for the National Rally, we completely overlook those events of rare cruelty that took place on the other side of the globe at a time contemporary with Nazi atrocities. Why? Because it was farther away, on the other side of the world? Because we must both condemn the use of nuclear weapons and Nazism? What a dangerous game. Killing civilians is beyond comprehension, everyone agrees on that. But hasn’t Japan ever been guilty of such atrocities? Our empathy is legitimate; it won’t, however, remove from my mind the idea that there was no other solution. Nagasaki is the most telling proof of that.

At least in France, in school textbooks, Hitler will have completely overshadowed the existence of people crueler and more abject than him. Certainly, Adolf was a deeply disturbed man whom events propelled to power. But I’m justified in believing that his approach was probably more humane than that of Joseph Stalin at the height of his art*. And if Hirohito followed the same line as Hitler, in the sense that he represented the superior race, he would apply with conviction what was Stalin’s credo: contempt for his own people when sending them to slaughter, and an even fiercer contempt for the human race when it didn’t have the good fortune to be Japanese. Just look at how China was invaded and by what means millions of Chinese were annihilated, burned, deported, buried alive! Operation Scorched Earth or Three Alls Policy for kill all, burn all, loot all? No comment. Even today, the Japanese are convinced they waged a patriotic war, when clearly, that war served only vague ideological (and certainly economic) interests.

(* "In many ways, Hitler’s National Socialism was far more humane than Communism: it wasn’t unthinkable to speak to the SS or the Gestapo, and dissuading them from sending you to a prison camp wasn’t utopian. To some extent (compared to the Communists), you could still expect a semblance of justice. All those who lived under Hitler and under Communism will tell you: as the front lines shifted, they always managed to end up in Germany, where, though it was a strange place ruled by a madman, life went on. Under Communism, there was no life; totalitarianism was absolute. Probably, Hitler’s conservatism prevented him from fully imitating Bolshevism." Seraphim Rose in The Revolutions of the 19th and 20th Centuries (circa 1970))

In Naha, we visit two strategic sites: the Imperial Navy headquarters and Maeda Escarpment, in Urasoe, better known as Hacksaw Ridge. I love this confrontation with history. In the hand-dug tunnels of the headquarters, we meet Japanese people seeking information. They’re not responsible for this tragedy. Neither are we. I would have liked to tell them that, to hug them, to move on. To finally believe in those peace messages displayed here and there. Yes, it’s curious to read those calls for peace* when no real work of memory** has been undertaken. Two civilizations, two perspectives, a profound misunderstanding. When I analyze the waste of that war—and particularly the waste of those Pacific battles—like Peleliu in autumn 1944 and Okinawa in spring 1945—I can’t bring myself to share in the pathological patriotism that reigns within these walls. There, the room where the last message of Admiral Minoru Ōta was transmitted in Morse, praising the merits of the archipelago’s people. A tangled mix that, yes, is charged with positive emotions but, no, won’t remove from my mind the idea that this people was completely conditioned, completely disconnected from reality. Allying with the Axis powers? Invading the South Pacific? And finding that noble! Everyone sees things through their own lens.

(* Peace Declaration by Denny Tamaki, Governor of Okinawa, June 2020. ** "Recognizing the atrocities committed by one’s country requires a mix of democratic culture and self-confidence that is more the exception than the rule." Dominique Moïsi in Les Échos, April 30, 2015)

Okinawa. 200,000 dead. Stemming from bushido, the way of the warrior, this conditioning reached its peak with the kamikaze philosophy in particular and suicide in general. So, schematically, here’s how things went: as the island was encircled—Peleliu, Iwo Jima, Okinawa—and all hope was lost, the order was given to kill ten American soldiers before taking one’s own life. The deceit of this system, where surrender is synonymous with dishonor, involves creating tunnels and secret pockets where Japanese soldiers hide and from which they emerge. Long before the atomic bomb, the knell of their war had sounded. Hiroshima and Nagasaki are just the result of human pride, of which Hirohito’s reign is the finest example. Why was this henchman of Satan left in place until his death? I don’t understand. While the humiliation inflicted on Germany repeatedly was abject, especially for its people, the absence of any real and pressing accountability for Hirohito in this large-scale carnage he instigated leaves room for the wildest interpretations. As if to underscore my point, Emperor Naruhito visited Okinawa the same day we did, paying his respects to the inhabitants who fell in battle. I looked at the faces in the monorail serving the south of the island. There were elderly people who undoubtedly lost their parents eighty years ago. To what extent can they blame this tragedy on the delusional visions of their leaders?

On Maeda Escarpment, I salute the courage of Desmond Doss, that conscientious objector who fought to serve his country while refusing to ever carry a weapon. There, at the top of a steep ridge, you can see to the north the Allies’ advance, while to the south, the slope is gentler down to Shuri, in front of the headquarters. The underground is a Swiss cheese filled with enemies. Desmond works as a medic. He manages to save 75 wounded from certain death by evacuating them at night from the battlefield using makeshift ropes. Back in Osaka, far from the somewhat dilapidated tropical islands, I rediscover the splendor and grandeur of Japan’s second-largest city. To tell the truth, and this applies to Okinawa too, the density is so insane on this archipelago that you sometimes wonder if it’s not just one giant city spread across the vast territory. Because between Tokyo and Osaka, while there are some mountains and forests, it’s the city that dominates; during rush hour, a rapid train connects the two cities every five minutes. We get lost in rather quiet alleys parallel to the main streets, only to find ourselves in the covered and lively galleries of Dōtonbori. We’re looking for a place to eat—above all, we’re trying to navigate the unlimited options stretching endlessly along the sidewalks. It’s absolutely mind-blowing. And while I introduce F. to a part of history that our Western societies have quickly forgotten, he initiates me into Japanese gastronomy despite my well-known aversion to Asian food. But nothing beats having a master in the field! We feast on okonomiyaki, Japanese pancakes expertly prepared and served on a teppan embedded in our table.

Night falls on Japan, and I still haven’t found the answer. Like in Singapore, one can praise the calm and serenity of human relationships, the delicacy that may just be hypocrisy, the politeness, the discipline. But above all, we notice that in the absence of freedom, in the absence of madness, poetry struggles to take root, boredom looms, as does real madness. Bushido still exists, honor is there and must be preserved. But the youth drowns in electronics and in willingly sterile cults (otaku), unable to discern what’s essential, failing to believe in their dreams. You have to succeed? Young people commit suicide because of school bullying, the slightly older ones because of work-related difficulties or marital problems. Nothing exceptional, we might say—average*—but you’d expect better from a country so well-organized, a country that makes so many Westerners dream. Yes, night falls on Japan. Empire of noise, empire of the senses, a very strange land where you find clean toilets in subway corridors but where the very meaning of life seems stifled by the mirages of technology. Above all, a civilization deprived of a penance that would prove salutary. We’re caught between two waters. Those of a shallow modernity without depth or anchor; those of a past that was majestic but irreparably tainted by the demonic madness of an overly adored emperor.

How can one fully thrive when guilt has no outlet?

(* France and Japan share a common statistic of 17 suicides per 100,000 inhabitants, which, depending on density, means 30 per day in France and 70 in Japan...)

Hi everyone.

I assume many of you already know, but the America the Beautiful annual pass, which was $80, will increase to $250 starting January 1, 2026.

So if you're planning to travel before the end of December 2026, it's in your best interest to buy your pass in December 2025, since it will still cost $80 and be valid until the end of December 2026 if you purchase it in December 2025.

This price increase only applies to non-U.S. residents.

Additionally, for those who planned to visit just one park, a $100 surcharge per person will apply to access a list of 11 national parks... For example, if there are 4 of you in a car, you’ll have to pay $35 + $400, which comes to $435 to visit one of the 11 parks on the list (I don’t have all of them... Bryce, Zion, Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, etc.). Total madness.

The goal is to push people who only visit one park into buying the annual pass.

Last point: free entry days are over for non-residents!

That’s all for now.

Hi there, This August, I hiked the Vosges section (Vosges massif) of the GR5 (Lauterbourg-Wissembourg-gr53-gr5-Belfort) using the TopoGuide "Traversée du Massif des Vosges" (ref 502, April 2024 edition). My experience was partly ruined by a few things I feel I should share here to help others avoid the same pitfalls—or at least disappointments.

Having used "TopoGuide" books before, I’d always trusted them for organizing treks lasting several weeks, or even months.

Beyond the satisfactory mapping (reproductions of IGN 1:25,000 maps), these guides include route descriptions that are usually enough to find your way. On that point, I have no serious criticism of the Vosges crossing guide.

In addition to the route details, the guide provides "average" time estimates for traveling from point A to point B—useful info for gauging effort and planning likely stages. However, I eventually realized I couldn’t rely on these time estimates. I’d assumed they were calculated by the FFRP, considering that 100m of positive elevation gain roughly equals 1km on flat terrain, with an average walking speed of 4km/h. So, I’d recommend anyone using this guide to recalculate all the time estimates to avoid nasty surprises on tight stages. 🤪

Another key feature of the guide, in my opinion, is its info on accommodation options—especially budget-friendly ones suited for long-distance hikers on a tight budget. A section called "préparation des étapes" includes a table with a column meant to highlight "refuges" and "gîtes d'étapes." That column had me feeling optimistic: these budget accommodations were listed as plentiful along the route. After all, we were in the territory of the famous Club Vosgien—it made sense there’d be plenty of hiker-friendly lodging options. The reality on the ground was quite different. The TopoGuide wasn’t really to blame here, except that a serious warning wouldn’t have hurt. First, regarding the "refuges," most were run by associations. With rare exceptions, the volunteers only opened them on weekends. You can’t really blame people for not volunteering on weekdays, but it makes things tricky when the info about weekend-only openings often turns out to be wrong. As for the "gîtes d'étape," I was mostly disappointed when I was told that a place was booked for weeks: the vast majority of what was listed as a "gîte d'étape" turned out to be "gîtes ruraux." The advice here? If you don’t want to—or can’t—camp, double-check all the accommodation details before you set off. It’s time-consuming and tedious, but if you can, camping is still the best option. 😐 On a brighter note, during the first part of my trip, I came across several cabins that offered alternatives to camping. 🙂

P.S.: Even the youth hostel in Saverne was closed in the middle of August... 😕

Hi there!

What a pleasure to be back on this forum—I thought it had closed down? If it has indeed reopened, that’s fantastic news! :)

My wife and I are heading to Kenya for three weeks starting August 30th, and I’d love some help fine-tuning our itinerary and answering a few questions. Here’s the rough draft I’ve put together:

08/30: Nairobi (2 nights) 09/01-09/04: Masai Mara (3 nights, then return to Nairobi) 09/05-09/07: Rift Valley/Nakuru/Hell’s Gate/etc. (2 nights, then return to Nairobi) 09/08: Nairobi > Amboseli (2 nights) 09/10: Amboseli > Tsavo East (2 nights) 09/12: Tsavo > Mombasa (1 night) 09/13: Mombasa > Kilifi (2 nights) 09/15: Kilifi > Malindi > Lamu (3 nights) 09/18: Return to Nairobi 09/19: Departure at 23:40

I’ve got a ton of questions, but I’ll try to summarize them somewhat:

Do you have any recommendations for tour operators for the safaris? Right now, I’ve planned 11 days for the "safari" portion from Masai Mara to Tsavo, with a lot of returns to Nairobi—is it possible to optimize this without booking a full tour with a single agency? Aside from the cost, I’m worried I won’t feel very free if we do a 9-day experience covering all of it, but maybe that’s the most recommended option? Do all the destinations up to Mombasa require booking a tour and hiring a guide in advance (or having your own vehicle), or are some more open to improvisation? We’d also like to meet people and not just do safaris, but our current itinerary doesn’t really allow for that—would you recommend cutting back on safaris and visiting villages between Nairobi and the coast instead? We were also considering the Taita Hills if possible—what do you think? Is Kilifi a good idea? We’ve heard it’s more authentic than Diani and we’re interested in the bioluminescent plankton, but I feel like the detour complicates the trip a bit.

You can probably tell from my questions that our biggest concern right now is booking the safaris. We can’t really afford to spend 2000 € each for 4 days, but we also won’t be taking a trip like this again anytime soon, so we want to make the most of it!

Hope my questions make sense and that you can help us out—thanks, and have a great evening!

Camille

I just got back from Sardinia 2 and wanted to share my little recap with you. It’s a stunning country, and the people are so welcoming. We were lucky to see it at the end of April—I wouldn’t go in July or August because it gets overcrowded and loses its charm!!! SARDINIA 2: 10 days

-Departure from Geneva to Olbia on Friday, 04/12/24 with EasyJet: 1h30 flight -Return from Cagliari to Geneva on Sunday, 04/21/24 with EasyJet: 1h40 flight (Round-trip price: 314 €) -Car rental with Locauto: 250 €, including 51 € for "full" insurance + 87 € (drop-off at a different airport) -Accommodation every night via Booking 13: room + kitchen *OLBIA: Arrival at the airport… wasted time at Locauto because there was only one person at the desk (you can check in online and send the driver’s license and ID, but it was impossible to do!) Headed to our lodging. *COSTA SMERALDA: The part we liked the least… everything feels artificial since the billionaires moved in (Porto Rotondo, Porto Cervo, Baia di Sardinia). We regret not stopping at Golfo Aranci to see its underwater art museum, Mumart. *ARZACHENA and its archaeological park (Tomba dei Giganti: Coddu Ecchju, Li Muri, Nuraghe la Prisgiona) to see in beautiful nature. Coastal road toward Palau (lagoons with lots of birds). *PALAU: Ferries to La Maddalena Island every 15/30 minutes (37 € for 2 people + 1 car). *** La Maddalena is part of an archipelago with 7 large islands and small islets… absolutely stunning… views of Corsica! *** -La Maddalena: A charming little town with narrow streets. -Follow the scenic coastal road that loops around the island for 21 km (gorgeous). -On the east side of the island, take a 600m bridge to Caprera Island (lots of great hiking trails). -Lots of beaches with granite rocks and wild coves. -Return by ferry to Palau. *SANTA TERESA GALLURA: Departure for Bonifacio 2, 4 km to Capo Testa (cape with a lighthouse… granite rocks). Here, there were Roman quarries. *Drive down a beautiful road along the Costa Paradiso (red trachyte). *CASTELSARDO: A fortified hilltop town worth seeing. *PORTO TORRES: Visit the Basilica San Gavino. *STINTINO and its beaches, including La Pelosa with its Genoese tower… too crowded for us! *Viewpoint at Capo Falcone with a view of Parco dell’Asinara (we didn’t have time to go, but it’s a must). *Drive down to Argentiera via small coastal roads (old lead, zinc, and silver mines). A "ghost town" with a museum that’s apparently only open on weekends at this time of year. *Small road (with stunning sea views) toward Grotta di Nettuno (you get there by a long staircase, but it was too windy and closed!). Capo Caccia. *Drive down (along lagoons with birds, including pink flamingos) toward Alghero (historic center: ramparts, bell tower, churches). The city of coral and lobsters! *Drive along the sea to Bosa, a colorful little town (Malvasia vineyards) between the Temo River and the sea. *Road to Montiferru Castle on a volcanic massif—ruins of the castle with a beautiful panorama of rolling hills (cork oak forests, chestnut trees, oaks) and cultivated plots. *** Cuglieri: Olive oil museum *** *Santa Caterina di Pittinuri, S’Archittu (many beaches with limestone cliffs) (many archaeological sites). *SINIS PENINSULA: Cabras and its lagoons with lots of pink flamingos. Archaeological museum with its Nuragic giants. *Archaeological site of Tharros. *ORISTANO: Not much visited, but it has some beautiful buildings. A traditional Sardinian pastry shop—an absolute delight (DELIGIA, Via Figoli 61). *Road surrounded by marshes, along the coast with beautiful little beaches. *Arrival at Costa Verde: The Piscinas dunes and beaches are stunning. Miniera Montevecchio and the surrounding old mines (Iglesiente road) (Naracauli, Ingurtosu). *** Near Guspini, in the mountains, visit the village of Arbus, where many Sardinian knife makers are based. But make the detour to meet Paolo Pusceddu, the master knife maker who opens his workshop and created the *Museo del Coltello Sardo* Via Roma, 15 · +39 349 053 7765. Absolutely fascinating and super interesting… he also sells his knives at very reasonable prices. *Masua (mines) then Pan di Zucchero. *Porto Flavia: Transport of minerals from a port carved into the cliff with two 600m tunnels… the visit is a must. *IGLESIAS: Worth visiting. *ISOLA DI SANT’ANTIOCO: A bridge connects it to Sardinia 2. Drive around the island via small roads. Calasetta (white and blue houses), Nido del Passeri, Cala Lunga, Capo Sperone, Turri. Beautiful beaches and stunning views. *Road to Teulada, then Chia (see the small road from Chia to Tuerredda). *PULA: Archaeological site of Nora. *CAPOTERRA: We ended our trip with a night at an agriturismo in the middle of olive groves, "Azienda Agricola Corte degli Ulivi" (Pixina Sa Murta, Marco: +39 347 246 2361). Unforgettable welcome, eco-friendly place (wooden house with water and electricity self-sufficiency). *Cagliari airport. In total, 1000 km, and we still didn’t finish exploring (the area south of Olbia and the interior are still on the list). The Sardinians are very welcoming. Sardinia 2 is diverse (beaches, countryside, towns, archaeological sites…). We were lucky to visit at the end of April—summer must be awful with the heat and tourist crowds! Easy to visit with kids.