What's your plans (or dreams?) in retirement? | Page 9 | GTAMotorcycle.com

What's your plans (or dreams?) in retirement?

Priller said:
Different strokes, etc. For me, if I never set foot on a beach again, I'd be perfectly happy. Bloody sand gets everywhere...

Tourist hotspots in Europe (Paris, Barcelona, Prague, Amsterdam, etc.) generally struggle with the stuff you describe. We've never had an issue, though. We follow Rick Steves' advice on moneybelts etc (met him in Rome, incidentally, and he was a total sweetheart, identical to his public persona), so are never stressed about watching our backs. Worst case, you lose a few spare Euros, no biggie. And cabbies in Rome are famously honest and reliable, assuming you stick to the licensed white ones.

One thing I found makes a huge difference, though, is not expecting a North American service culture. Wait staff, shop clerks, etc. treat their jobs as professions, but also have a lot of pride bordering on arrogance. If you treat them as an equal, you will get friendly help and a good chat. If you treat them as there simply to serve you, you will get rudeness and worse.

For anyone considering a visit, here's a couple tips (apologies for the length!)...

One example: it's considered extremely rude to walk into a shop, ignore the clerk, and then just ask directly about an item or price. The expectation is that you greet them politely when entering, and ask if it's okay to look around. Only then do you start perusing the wares.

Another example is in a restaurant (assuming you do the smart thing and avoid the crap near the attractions with multi-language picture menus), ask about their food. Ask what's fresh, what is typical for the region, and what they are most proud of or do best. Try to have a conversation, don't just place an order. In places that care about their food, you'll start a fun and playful back and forth with the wait staff that becomes much more about them wanting to show off their best and impress. You'll get the tastiest stuff, which is usually off menu. There's lots of unwritten rules around food in Italian culture, but showing that you care to try to follow them makes a world of difference.

And, obviously, as with anywhere, attempts to speak the language, no matter how poorly, establish an equal footing that helps any interaction. Always start in the local language, and then ask I'd they speak English. Assuming they will speak English to you suggests that despite being a visitor, you expect them to operate at your leisure. Even if you end up back in English, it's their choice, not yours, to be there.

A lot of the above applies in France and Spain, too...
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Good observations and advice. Another tip is to identify yourself as a Canadian. Sounds silly, but my experience is you’re not looked upon as a Yank.

Travellers get seasoned with time. They either learn out how to deal with safety & service challenges, or learn to seek out destinations that don’t have them.

As I head toward retirement I don’t want to work too hard when travelling. I choose destinations that are safe and service first. The world has plenty of both.
 
Priller said:
Different strokes, etc. For me, if I never set foot on a beach again, I'd be perfectly happy. Bloody sand gets everywhere...

Tourist hotspots in Europe (Paris, Barcelona, Prague, Amsterdam, etc.) generally struggle with the stuff you describe. We've never had an issue, though. We follow Rick Steves' advice on moneybelts etc (met him in Rome, incidentally, and he was a total sweetheart, identical to his public persona), so are never stressed about watching our backs. Worst case, you lose a few spare Euros, no biggie. And cabbies in Rome are famously honest and reliable, assuming you stick to the licensed white ones.

One thing I found makes a huge difference, though, is not expecting a North American service culture. Wait staff, shop clerks, etc. treat their jobs as professions, but also have a lot of pride bordering on arrogance. If you treat them as an equal, you will get friendly help and a good chat. If you treat them as there simply to serve you, you will get rudeness and worse.

For anyone considering a visit, here's a couple tips (apologies for the length!)...

One example: it's considered extremely rude to walk into a shop, ignore the clerk, and then just ask directly about an item or price. The expectation is that you greet them politely when entering, and ask if it's okay to look around. Only then do you start perusing the wares.

Another example is in a restaurant (assuming you do the smart thing and avoid the crap near the attractions with multi-language picture menus), ask about their food. Ask what's fresh, what is typical for the region, and what they are most proud of or do best. Try to have a conversation, don't just place an order. In places that care about their food, you'll start a fun and playful back and forth with the wait staff that becomes much more about them wanting to show off their best and impress. You'll get the tastiest stuff, which is usually off menu. There's lots of unwritten rules around food in Italian culture, but showing that you care to try to follow them makes a world of difference.

And, obviously, as with anywhere, attempts to speak the language, no matter how poorly, establish an equal footing that helps any interaction. Always start in the local language, and then ask I'd they speak English. Assuming they will speak English to you suggests that despite being a visitor, you expect them to operate at your leisure. Even if you end up back in English, it's their choice, not yours, to be there.

A lot of the above applies in France and Spain, too...
Click to expand...

I've travelled all over and lived in different countries. I don’t do touristy well at all. I try to stay away from that. We always try to speak a bit of the language and like to see what the locals do and eat with them too. That’s why I was disappointed in Italy. Everywhere I’ve been in Central America has been amazing. There’s a few places I miss in Europe. France where I lived for 3 years and parts of Greece and Turkey and a few spots in Germany maybe. I’ve been to most countries in Europe and Italy is the only one I don’t care about visiting again. It’s just a case of unfortunate events maybe but the world is too big to consider taking time out to take another chance on it.
 
jc100 said:
I've travelled all over and lived in different countries. I don’t do touristy well at all. I try to stay away from that. We always try to speak a bit of the language and like to see what the locals do and eat with them too. That’s why I was disappointed in Italy. Everywhere I’ve been in Central America has been amazing. There’s a few places I miss in Europe. France where I lived for 3 years and parts of Greece and Turkey and a few spots in Germany maybe. I’ve been to most countries in Europe and Italy is the only one I don’t care about visiting again. It’s just a case of unfortunate events maybe but the world is too big to consider taking time out to take another chance on it.
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All good points. Reading back, I think maybe I gave the impression that I was lecturing you on how to travel in Italy 'properly', which certainly wasn't the intent. I was just trying to share some of the stuff I've picked up that has helped us change the experience there, more for folks like Big Poppa who haven't been yet. I know so many who do the whirlwind thing in Rome and spend three days standing in lines and insane crowds for the same short-list of attractions (Coliseum, St. Pete's, Vatican Museum, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps etc.) and have an awful time.
 
Cruise ships stops in Rome, that experience will make you hate Rome no matter how awesome the place is. You get one day to see 2500yrs of history.

as far as eating well when traveling , hands down Peru. The country is so long the growing seasons are year round, when is winter is the top end its still sunny on the other end. I did not have a bad meal there. We ate mostly in better restaurants , we were on a National Geographic tour. We were warned to avoid "market stall food" since the people there have built up a resistance to things that make Canadian folks unwell. In third world countries living like a local should not include spending most afternoons on the shitter.
Apparently the mountain people in Peru now have the highest life expectancy in the world, they deep fry nothing and their diet consists of almost zero processed foods.
 
crankcall said:
Cruise ships stops in Rome, that experience will make you hate Rome no matter how awesome the place is. You get one day to see 2500yrs of history.

as far as eating well when traveling , hands down Peru. The country is so long the growing seasons are year round, when is winter is the top end its still sunny on the other end. I did not have a bad meal there. We ate mostly in better restaurants , we were on a National Geographic tour. We were warned to avoid "market stall food" since the people there have built up a resistance to things that make Canadian folks unwell. In third world countries living like a local should not include spending most afternoons on the shitter.
Apparently the mountain people in Peru now have the highest life expectancy in the world, they deep fry nothing and their diet consists of almost zero processed foods.
Click to expand...

A favourite restaurant of ours in El Valle in Panama is Peruvian. It’s a pretty basic shack like affair but the food is incredible and not expensive. I love fresh Peruvian ceviche.
 
the announce I'm Canadian thing doesn't do anything in a lot of places
particularly in dev countries
they are not aware that we are a sovereign country from America

the flag on your backpack thing is an urban legend
if someone is angling to rob you that is going to do squat to change their mind
 
J_F said:
the announce I'm Canadian thing doesn't do anything in a lot of places
particularly in dev countries
they are not aware that we are a sovereign country from America

the flag on your backpack thing is an urban legend
if someone is angling to rob you that is going to do squat to change their mind
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The flag on your backpack thing is so that you can get into political arguments with other Canadians while overseas.

Edit: I had a doozy with someone in Switzerland in '82. Guess who was in power?
 
Senior? pre-Mulroney?

edit:
I was once assaulted by a separatist in the DR
because I had a little flag on my hat

was struggling to order some tacos with my gringo Spanish
she was eavesdropping and stuck her nose in
expressing her disgust at a single language Anglais

her husband apologized profusely and hustled her miserable poutine ass away
 
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The flag on your backpack used to mean "not an American" which actually carried a lot of value around the world. At a time we were loved around the planet

Now it means I'm not from here and if you mug me, I don't have time to visit local police and report this crap, because the local cop is probably in on it. Look as little like a tourist as possible.
Worst are those name tags for walking tours, the tags translates into " I'm off the cruise ship and in town for 6hrs, pickpocket me"
 
Great ideas here.
I'm gonna make friends with someone that runs/operates a farm and help out part time with days on spent on a skidsteer/backhoe/excavator.
 
J_F said:
...
the flag on your backpack thing is an urban legend
if someone is angling to rob you that is going to do squat to change their mind
Click to expand...
Not if you are standing next to a guy wearing the stars & stripes, their money is worth 30% more and the whole world knows it ;)
 
Trials said:
Not if you are standing next to a guy wearing the stars & stripes, their money is worth 30% more and the whole world knows it ;)
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Just don't get the lower bunk under one on the train. Bugger kept dropping change out of his pockets all night long, trying to have fun with the French girl he met.
 
Baggsy said:
Just don't get the lower bunk under one on the train. Bugger kept dropping change out of his pockets all night long, trying to have fun with the French girl he met.
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You know he was doing that on purpose don't you
 
J_F said:
the announce I'm Canadian thing doesn't do anything in a lot of places
particularly in dev countries
they are not aware that we are a sovereign country from America

the flag on your backpack thing is an urban legend
if someone is angling to rob you that is going to do squat to change their mind
Click to expand...
not true sir.

In my travels and living abroad i've been asked to borrow or sell my Canadian flag/tag/hat no less then 3 times. Americans, every time.
 
Evoex said:
not true sir.

In my travels and living abroad i've been asked to borrow or sell my Canadian flag/tag/hat no less then 3 times. Americans, every time.
Click to expand...
How much would they pay to lose the yank accent :LOL:
 
Evoex said:
not true sir.

In my travels and living abroad i've been asked to borrow or sell my Canadian flag/tag/hat no less then 3 times. Americans, every time.
Click to expand...

reminds me of that scene in syriana, american spy pretends to be a canadian to avoid suspicion
 
Baggsy said:
Just don't get the lower bunk under one on the train. Bugger kept dropping change out of his pockets all night long, trying to have fun with the French girl he met.
Click to expand...

posh...I couldn’t afford the bunks on sleeper trains. I found the only spot to sleep on a train in Yugoslavia (it was still Yugoslavia then) outside the washroom in the corridor. Had a decent sleep but woke up with footprints on me. I also slept on a luggage rack after moving some Germans backpacks who insisted “ve haf reserved zees seats” so I told them they hadn’t reserved the luggage rack.
 
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