I came across this great item from Indexed recently:
How wonderful things become guilty pleasures.
It reminded me of a conversation I had a few years ago with a friend in Siena, while we sat on a bench, waiting for the bus to Florence. People piled out of the bus.
Her: That must be our bus, because it looks like they came from Florence.
Me: Oh, OK.
Her (with disgust): Look at those tourists. (Sniffs.)
(Pause.)
Me: What are we? The locals?
This tourist/traveler divide is a funny one to me, and sometimes, I have to give in to my tourist impulses. I’ve been known to have a Hamburger Quick (McDonald’s-like chain) in Paris, and to gleefully cheese it up with guards at Edinburgh Castle. Whatever.
Sometimes it’s just plain fun to simply be a tourist and give into the cheese. Having been to New York City dozens of times, one of my favorite trips involved a half-day on the Circle Line.
I think it’s possible to be too cool when you’re traveling, and be just one boutique-hotel stay away from preciousness and pretentiousness overload–the kind that keeps you from doing something fun just because “the tourists” do it.
What do you think? What’s been your favorite guilty travel pleasure? Add your comment.
I'm constantly questioning myself when I'm abroad — “Would a local wear these shoes?” “Would a local make this pose?”
It's a common trait to be a self-conscious traveler, and in the context of diplomacy it's a good quality to have, not to mention the hope to be treated the same. But I've come to realize that self-consciousness can go way too far. The pretentious desire to feel “authentic” when abroad, which I feel is a pretty prevailing trend, is basically a crock. We're by definition tourists, staying one place for a short period of time, so all you can really do is what makes you happy there. Draw the line at responsibility and kindness and prove that some tourists aren't obnoxious — it's pretty much all you can do.