DFD Travelogue - From 7-11 to the Arctic - Post it up

[Davestr]

-One from last -near to where we are staying
-One from the Ferry to Kowloon this morning - A typical Chinese "Junk' floating along looking back towards Hong Kong Island
-2018 is Year of the Dog or Happy Puppy, as people are calling the Chinese New Year at some promotions in stores!

[Calvinball]

I just keep hearing oh french people are racist than most of Europe.

Don't listen to other people. Go yourself and form your own opinion. The French were some of the nicest people we've ever met in Europe. Just don't be an "Ugly American". But you're an experienced international traveler so you should have no problem.

my parents have gone multiple times in the past 15 years or so and have nothing but great things to say. Just make the smallest effort; at least start conversations in their language, etc, and they have always been treated with nothing but warmth.

Side note, my pops was at Normandy this year about a week before d-day. He was asked to stand when taps was played. He said it was amazing.


Sent from the Beer Depository

[wap]

Hong Kong moped. Takes lots of peddling....

[wap]

Don't listen to other people. Go yourself and form your own opinion. The French were some of the nicest people we've ever met in Europe. Just don't be an "Ugly American". But you're an experienced international traveler so you should have no problem.

my parents have gone multiple times in the past 15 years or so and have nothing but great things to say. Just make the smallest effort; at least start conversations in their language, etc, and they have always been treated with nothing but warmth.

Side note, my pops was at Normandy this year about a week before d-day. He was asked to stand when taps was played. He said it was amazing.


Sent from the Beer Depository

There you go.

Before we went the first time we were given an invaluable little piece of advice that has served us very well.

Basically, the French are not rude. They are just very formal and insist on formalities being met. Don't just walk up to someone and say, "do you speak English?", without any greeting first. If you do that they will just say "no" and proceed to ignore you. Not really different then how you would react if some furriner came up to you on the street and started speaking their language to you out of the blue. However, if you make the tiniest effort to be polite it will be a different story.

Here's what you do. First, you must greet the person. Say "bon jour" or, if after roughly 6:00pm, "bon soir". They will repeat the greeting. Then say, "parlez-vous anglais?" (Do you speak English?). They will invariably say, "a leetle", then proceed to speak excellent English while being very helpful. Works every time. Worked in France, Belgium, and even in Martinique. Other than words like "thank you", "excuse me", "yes", "no", etc, "bon jour" and "parlez-vous anglais?" is all the French you need to have a 5/7 vacation there.

[Calvinball]

my parents have gone multiple times in the past 15 years or so and have nothing but great things to say. Just make the smallest effort; at least start conversations in their language, etc, and they have always been treated with nothing but warmth.

Side note, my pops was at Normandy this year about a week before d-day. He was asked to stand when taps was played. He said it was amazing.


Sent from the Beer Depository

There you go.

Before we went the first time we were given an invaluable little piece of advice that has served us very well.

Basically, the French are not rude. They are just very formal and insist on formalities being met. Don't just walk up to someone and say, "do you speak English?", without any greeting first. If you do that they will just say "no" and proceed to ignore you. Not really different then how you would react if some furriner came up to you on the street and started speaking their language to you out of the blue. However, if you make the tiniest effort to be polite it will be a different story.

Here's what you do. First, you must greet the person. Say "bon jour" or, if after roughly 6:00pm, "bon soir". They will repeat the greeting. Then say, "parlez-vous anglais?" (Do you speak English?). They will invariably say, "a leetle", then proceed to speak excellent English while being very helpful. Works every time. Worked in France, Belgium, and even in Martinique. Other than words like "thank you", "excuse me", "yes", "no", etc, "bon jour" and "parlez-vous anglais?" is all the French you need to have a 5/7 vacation there.

Yep. Never been to France but we followed my dad’s advice and just made sure to start our conversations with a tiny attempt (beyond asking if they speak English) when we went to Belgium and had great experiences.


Sent from the Beer Depository

[wap]

There you go.

Before we went the first time we were given an invaluable little piece of advice that has served us very well.

Basically, the French are not rude. They are just very formal and insist on formalities being met. Don't just walk up to someone and say, "do you speak English?", without any greeting first. If you do that they will just say "no" and proceed to ignore you. Not really different then how you would react if some furriner came up to you on the street and started speaking their language to you out of the blue. However, if you make the tiniest effort to be polite it will be a different story.

Here's what you do. First, you must greet the person. Say "bon jour" or, if after roughly 6:00pm, "bon soir". They will repeat the greeting. Then say, "parlez-vous anglais?" (Do you speak English?). They will invariably say, "a leetle", then proceed to speak excellent English while being very helpful. Works every time. Worked in France, Belgium, and even in Martinique. Other than words like "thank you", "excuse me", "yes", "no", etc, "bon jour" and "parlez-vous anglais?" is all the French you need to have a 5/7 vacation there.

Yep. Never been to France but we followed my dad’s advice and just made sure to start our conversations with a tiny attempt (beyond asking if they speak English) when we went to Belgium and had great experiences.


Sent from the Beer Depository

Exactly. Dad did not lie to you.

I love Belgium. Such a tiny country with so many 5/7 cities and towns. Did you go anywhere outside of Brussels?

In addition to Brussels, we visited Bruges, Ghent, and Antwerp.

[Calvinball]

Yep. Never been to France but we followed my dad’s advice and just made sure to start our conversations with a tiny attempt (beyond asking if they speak English) when we went to Belgium and had great experiences.


Sent from the Beer Depository

Exactly. Dad did not lie to you.

I love Belgium. Such a tiny country with so many 5/7 cities and towns. Did you go anywhere outside of Brussels?

In addition to Brussels, we visited Bruges, Ghent, and Antwerp.

Two day trips to Bruge and one to Ghent.

[wap]

Exactly. Dad did not lie to you.

I love Belgium. Such a tiny country with so many 5/7 cities and towns. Did you go anywhere outside of Brussels?

In addition to Brussels, we visited Bruges, Ghent, and Antwerp.

Two day trips to Bruge and one to Ghent.

So you know how cool a country it is.
I really liked Ghent. It was like Bruges, but less scrubbed clean for the tourists. I liked the bit of grittiness it had.

[Davestr]

Dorito's in the Kong - Today's flavor is Cheese and Honey with Spicy Chili -

[Davestr]

S7 with gold Vossen's and an AP Big Brake Kit-

[Johnny_P]

Dorito's in the Kong - Today's flavor is Cheese and Honey with Spicy Chili -

!!!

[Johnny_P]

I want to go to China. Would be an interesting trip I think.

[Jaxper]

Where I know I need to go for work this year:

Atlanta
Connecticut
Minnesota
Dallas
Louisville
Pittsburgh
Salt Lake City
Arkansas
Charlotte
Champagne Illinois
Boston
Toronto
London
Stevenage (UK)
Leeds (UK)
India
Philippines
Mexico City
Sao Paulo (probably)

Personal:
:dunno: some island somewhere

Where in CT? When?

[Jaxper]

Where in CT? When?

Wilton. Probably twice this year?

Oof, never mind. That's about an hour from me, not even counting traffic.

[Calvinball]

Wilton. Probably twice this year?

Oof, never mind. That's about an hour from me, not even counting traffic.

So in CT, 3 hours.

[Jaxper]

Oof, never mind. That's about an hour from me, not even counting traffic.

So in CT, 3 hours.

It's not that bad here. It's not NYC.It would likely be somewhere around 1.5 with "normal traffic" for the area.

[Tar]

Well this escalated quickly. I saw the banner come up recently but we are quite a few posts in already. I can't wait to catch up!

Jamaica is paid for in full and has been for a few weeks already, all inclusive Montego Bay for 4 people.

The gangs there are ambushing families in their vacation homes and some bodies are being found defaced.

[Calvinball]

Well this escalated quickly. I saw the banner come up recently but we are quite a few posts in already. I can't wait to catch up!

Jamaica is paid for in full and has been for a few weeks already, all inclusive Montego Bay for 4 people.

The gangs there are ambushing families in their vacation homes and some bodies are being found defaced.

The resorts are usually pretty good with security.


Sent from the Beer Depository

[Tar]

Well this escalated quickly. I saw the banner come up recently but we are quite a few posts in already. I can't wait to catch up!

Jamaica is paid for in full and has been for a few weeks already, all inclusive Montego Bay for 4 people.

The gangs there are ambushing families in their vacation homes and some bodies are being found defaced.

The resorts are usually pretty good with security.


Sent from the Beer Depository

Agreed, but the travel to and from the airport concerns me. There are some reports of assaults and rapes on the resorts recently.

[MexicanYarisTK]

I just keep hearing oh french people are racist than most of Europe.

Don't listen to other people. Go yourself and form your own opinion. The French were some of the nicest people we've ever met in Europe. Just don't be an "Ugly American". But you're an experienced international traveler so you should have no problem.

Yeah you're right, it's probably just people exaggerating or being more ignorant. Haven't been to France since I was probably 9-10, so early 2000's. Now that I think about it, one of my friends from Turkey went there for a year for college, had no issues and loves it. I need to make a trip there soon.

On that note, definitely considering to visit Cannes and Nice too, not just Paris.

[MexicanYarisTK]

Oof, never mind. That's about an hour from me, not even counting traffic.

So in CT, 3 hours.

Traffic pretty much starts when you're pretty looking straight to Manhattan, and that is mainly because of merging from 3 to 1 lanes, particularly in Lincoln Tunnel. But going towards JFK is a different story.

[wap]

Well this escalated quickly. I saw the banner come up recently but we are quite a few posts in already. I can't wait to catch up!

Jamaica is paid for in full and has been for a few weeks already, all inclusive Montego Bay for 4 people.

The gangs there are ambushing families in their vacation homes and some bodies are being found defaced.

The resorts are usually pretty good with security.


Sent from the Beer Depository

I'm sure you'll be fine.

[wap]

Don't listen to other people. Go yourself and form your own opinion. The French were some of the nicest people we've ever met in Europe. Just don't be an "Ugly American". But you're an experienced international traveler so you should have no problem.

Yeah you're right, it's probably just people exaggerating or being more ignorant. Haven't been to France since I was probably 9-10, so early 2000's. Now that I think about it, one of my friends from Turkey went there for a year for college, had no issues and loves it. I need to make a trip there soon.

On that note, definitely considering to visit Cannes and Nice too, not just Paris.

[Tar]

The resorts are usually pretty good with security.


Sent from the Beer Depository

I'm sure you'll be fine.

Hopefully. Jamaican gov declared a state of emergency, which i read as military backing up the police. I need to do more reading, because I'm bringing my wife and kids obviously and want to make moves to keep them out of harms way.

[wap]

I'm sure you'll be fine.

Hopefully. Jamaican gov declared a state of emergency, which i read as military backing up the police. I need to do more reading, because I'm bringing my wife and kids obviously and want to make moves to keep them out of harms way.

For sure. Do what's best for you and them.