Instead of dissing this French (desolee les francais pour les autres postes!), I feel that I have a bone to pick with tourists. Most of this stems from the fact that I was awakened this morning at six by several loud Americans discussing who is the better, N'Sync or Backstreet, but really, it is an ongoing subject of conversation here in Aix. There are a lot of tourists in Aix. A hell of a lot. And they all appear to be staying at the hotel down the street from my apartment. My beef with them is that they have this tendency to forget that people actually live in this town. In fact, quite a few people do. They sleep past 8 in the morning on occasion and sometimes work in buildings that aren't sound proof. But tourists often seem to forget that. Or not necessarily the tourists, but the tour guides. I woke the other day to hear a woman yelling through at a bullhorn at a group of American tourists (it's not just the Americans who are the problem, they are merely the example) to look at the architecture of the building across the street from mine. This was at 8 in the morning. Now, I understand that my sleeping hours don't necessarily correspond with those of the rest of the world, but no one should have to hear about the stunning architecture across the street through a bullhorn, in English, at that hour of the morning. It just seems plain rude. Have they no respect for those of us who call this street home? I'm really beginning to wonder. It is one thing for tourists to come in a town and not speak the language and being rude about the language and customs, some people are simply uncultured and unaccepting of other lifestyles, but it isn't difficult to respect an environment that existed before you checked into your hotel and will continue to exist after you check out. So keep it down already!
I was in Florence this past weekend (such an amazing town!) and I was constantly embarrassed by the tour guides who walked around town with portable microphones and speakers (I kid you not) talking to their groups between various stops. I pity the people who live in the quite quarters surrounding Santa Croce and the Outroarno because between the months of March and October, they must get no peace. It is no wonder so many people take vacation away from the cities, they probably can't relax with all the tourists around!
Conclusion de jour: Avoid tour guides if you wish to stay in the good graces of the people who actually live in the beautiful town you are visiting.

Instead of dissing this French (desolee les francais pour les autres postes!), I feel that I have a bone to pick with tourists. Most of this stems from the fact that I was awakened this morning at six by several loud Americans discussing who is the better, N'Sync or Backstreet, but really, it is an ongoing subject of conversation here in Aix. There are a lot of tourists in Aix. A hell of a lot. And they all appear to be staying at the hotel down the street from my apartment. My beef with them is that they have this tendency to forget that people actually live in this town. In fact, quite a few people do. They sleep past 8 in the morning on occasion and sometimes work in buildings that aren't sound proof. But tourists often seem to forget that. Or not necessarily the tourists, but the tour guides. I woke the other day to hear a woman yelling through at a bullhorn at a group of American tourists (it's not just the Americans who are the problem, they are merely the example) to look at the architecture of the building across the street from mine. This was at 8 in the morning. Now, I understand that my sleeping hours don't necessarily correspond with those of the rest of the world, but no one should have to hear about the stunning architecture across the street through a bullhorn, in English, at that hour of the morning. It just seems plain rude. Have they no respect for those of us who call this street home? I'm really beginning to wonder. It is one thing for tourists to come in a town and not speak the language and being rude about the language and customs, some people are simply uncultured and unaccepting of other lifestyles, but it isn't difficult to respect an environment that existed before you checked into your hotel and will continue to exist after you check out. So keep it down already!
I was in Florence this past weekend (such an amazing town!) and I was constantly embarrassed by the tour guides who walked around town with portable microphones and speakers (I kid you not) talking to their groups between various stops. I pity the people who live in the quite quarters surrounding Santa Croce and the Outroarno because between the months of March and October, they must get no peace. It is no wonder so many people take vacation away from the cities, they probably can't relax with all the tourists around!
Conclusion de jour: Avoid tour guides if you wish to stay in the good graces of the people who actually live in the beautiful town you are visiting.

Instead of dissing this French (desolee les francais pour les autres postes!), I feel that I have a bone to pick with tourists. Most of this stems from the fact that I was awakened this morning at six by several loud americans discussing who is the better, N'Sync or Backstreet, but really, it is an ongoing subject of conversation here in Aix. There are a lot of tourists in Aix. A hell of a lot. And they all appear to be staying at the hotel down the street from my apartment. My beef with them is that they have this tendancy to forget that people actually live in this town. In fact, quite a few people do. They sleep past 8 in the morning on occasion and sometimes work in buildings that aren't sound proof. But tourists often seem to forget that. Or not necessarilly the tourists, but the tour guides. I woke the other day to hear a woman yelling through at a bullhorn at a group of american tourists (it's not just the americans who are the problem, they are mearly the example) to look at the architecture of the building across the street from mine. This was at 8 in the morning. Now, I understand that my sleeping hours don't necessarily correspond with those of the rest of the world, but no one should have to hear about the stunning architecture across the street through a bullhorn, in english, at that hour of the morning. It just seems plain rude. Have they no respect for those of us who call this street home? I'm really beginning to wonder. It is one thing for tourists to come in a town and not speak the language and being rude about the language and customs, some people are simply uncultured and unaccepting of other lifestyles, but it isn't difficult to respect an environment that existed before you checked into your hotel and will continue to exist after you check out. So keep it down already!
I was in Florence this past weekend (such an amazing town!) and I was constantly embarassed by the tour guides who walked around town with portable microphones and speakers (I kid you not) talking to their groups between various stops. I pity the people who live in the quite quarters surrounding Santa Croce and the Outroarno because between the months of March and October, they must get no peace. It is no wonder so many people take vacation away from the cities, they probably can't relax with all the tourists around!
Conclusion de jour: Avoid tourguides if you wish to stay in the good graces of the people who actually live in the beautiful town you are visiting.

Instead of dissing this French (desolee les francais pour les autres postes!), I feel that I have a bone to pick with tourists. Most of this stems from the fact that I was awakened this morning at six by several loud americans discussing who is the better, N'Sync or Backstreet, but really, it is an ongoing subject of conversation here in Aix. There are a lot of tourists in Aix. A hell of a lot. And they all appear to be staying at the hotel down the street from my apartment. My beef with them is that they have this tendancy to forget that people actually live in this town. In fact, quite a few people do. They sleep past 8 in the morning on occasion and sometimes work in buildings that aren't sound proof. But tourists often seem to forget that. Or not necessarilly the tourists, but the tour guides. I woke the other day to hear a woman yelling through at a bullhorn at a group of american tourists (it's not just the americans who are the problem, they are mearly the example) to look at the architecture of the building across the street from mine. This was at 8 in the morning. Now, I understand that my sleeping hours don't necessarily correspond with those of the rest of the world, but no one should have to hear about the stunning architecture across the street through a bullhorn, in english, at that hour of the morning. It just seems plain rude. Have they no respect for those of us who call this street home? I'm really beginning to wonder. It is one thing for tourists to come in a town and not speak the language and being rude about the language and customs, some people are simply uncultured and unaccepting of other lifestyles, but it isn't difficult to respect an environment that existed before you checked into your hotel and will continue to exist after you check out. So keep it down already!
I was in Florence this past weekend (such an amazing town!) and I was constantly embarassed by the tour guides who walked around town with portable microphones and speakers (I kid you not) talking to their groups between various stops. I pity the people who live in the quite quarters surrounding Santa Croce and the Outroarno because between the months of March and October, they must get no peace. It is no wonder so many people take vacation away from the cities, they probably can't relax with all the tourists around!
Conclusion de jour: Avoid tourguides if you wish to stay in the good graces of the people who actually live in the beautiful town you are visiting.

Instead of dissing this French (desolee les francais pour les autres postes!), I feel that I have a bone to pick with tourists. Most of this stems from the fact that I was awakened this morning at six by several loud americans discussing who is the better, N'Sync or Backstreet, but really, it is an ongoing subject of conversation here in Aix. There are a lot of tourists in Aix. A hell of a lot. And they all appear to be staying at the hotel down the street from my apartment. My beef with them is that they have this tendancy to forget that people actually live in this town. In fact, quite a few people do. They sleep past 8 in the morning on occasion and sometimes work in buildings that aren't sound proof. But tourists often seem to forget that. Or not necessarilly the tourists, but the tour guides. I woke the other day to hear a woman yelling through at a bullhorn at a group of american tourists (it's not just the americans who are the problem, they are mearly the example) to look at the architecture of the building across the street from mine. This was at 8 in the morning. Now, I understand that my sleeping hours don't necessarily correspond with those of the rest of the world, but no one should have to hear about the stunning architecture across the street through a bullhorn, in english, at that hour of the morning. It just seems plain rude. Have they no respect for those of us who call this street home? I'm really beginning to wonder. It is one thing for tourists to come in a town and not speak the language and being rude about the language and customs, some people are simply uncultured and unaccepting of other lifestyles, but it isn't difficult to respect an environment that existed before you checked into your hotel and will continue to exist after you check out. So keep it down already!
I was in Florence this past weekend (such an amazing town!) and I was constantly embarassed by the tour guides who walked around town with portable microphones and speakers (I kid you not) talking to their groups between various stops. I pity the people who live in the quite quarters surrounding Santa Croce and the Outroarno because between the months of March and October, they must get no peace. It is no wonder so many people take vacation away from the cities, they probably can't relax with all the tourists around!
Conclusion de jour: Avoid tourguides if you wish to stay in the good graces of the people who actually live in the beautiful town you are visiting.