A look at why the French Culture Minister wants non EU tourists to pay a surcharge, the thought of visiting the USA with Trump back in the White House, and how tech and awareness don’t seem to go hand-in-hand.
You must pay more, says the French Culture Minister
If some members of the French government have their way, British visitors will have to pay a surcharge to visit tourist landmarks such as the Louvre and Notre-Dame. It’s not just aimed at us Brits, the Culture Minister thinks anyone outside of the EU should pay more as a way of raising more money to preserve and upkeep its national monuments.
Is it not enough that we come to spend our hard-earned pounds? Are we not spending enough already? Is the only way out through the shop? I may have to forgo splashing out on a fridge magnet and tea towel if price hikes are forthcoming. Have you seen the cost of a coffee in Paris?
A Paris tour guide wasn’t happy with the proposal, and told The Times: “It’s not a good idea to treat people differently. When London has super museums that are free, I don’t see why we would be making tourists pay more here. The problem is that politicians don’t understand culture, although they do understand money.”
Authorities in France would be wise to look after groups and ensure we still enjoy better value and a warm welcome. We come in peace, even if 52% of us said we wanted out back in 2016.
Visiting the USA and the ‘Trump’ issue
They did it. Can you believe they did it? I was worried they would, had everything crossed and yet the American people still voted for Donald Trump who will become the 47th president of the USA in January.
There is the obvious: potential trade wars, the possibility of ditching NATO, a brash approach, and more orange than a grove in Florida. But I remember the last time, during Trump’s previous presidency: I just didn’t feel the same about this wonderful country. It’s a place I have loved visiting so many times because it has amazing things to see and do. But the fact that a country can elect a convicted felon and seemingly sweep deplorable and dishonourable acts under the carpet is hard to swallow without getting indigestion.
I will definitely steer clear of visiting Washington DC until at least 2029, and probably the ‘swing states’ too. California and New York were blue so I may take my group there but will have to ensure none of us watch the TV or read the newspapers. The only way I can survive another four years of Donald Trump is to try and stay oblivious.
Television in the toilets
There I was, minding my own business, doing what people do in the gents’ toilets, when I heard talking coming from one of the cubicles. At first, I thought it was someone on the phone before realising that the person concerned was watching television or videos on what sounded like full volume. It all felt somewhat out of place, and I’ll be honest, the laughing was a little disconcerting. No man wants to hear laughing while standing at a urinal.
It seems that the number of people with zero worries about their surroundings is rapidly increasing. It does worry me and surely it will only get worse. I go for a walk, someone is having a phone conversation on loudspeaker. I travel by train, and you feel like you’re in the middle of someone’s life story. I fear for when it’s normal to put up with all this when travelling by air. But like a tidal wave, there is probably no escape.
Thankfully, there will always be an oasis when my group travel by coach. Call us old fashioned, but we actually have both awareness and courtesy.
The views expressed in this column are not necessarily the views of the publisher.
