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Saturday, February 10, 2007

Timidity is not an attractive quality

On travel writer Rick Steves's radio show just now, a man called in "just to thank" him for writing Europe Through the Back Door. Steves characteristically amplified the praise by noting that besides being salted with gems, the book contained a whole philosophy that can really change the whole way you travel. The caller effused: "It gets you out of your hotel room—you don't have to be afraid anymore." (or words very close to that).

I don't understand the timidity of some people or, frankly, the shamelessness with which they put it on display. It's not an attractive quality. And why did you travel to that (presumably European) country in the first place if you were going to cower in your hotel room? (Yes, I realize the caller was using some amount of hyperbole, but I gauged that it was not so much.)

On a photography discussion board this week, someone sought ideas and advice for a trip to Morocco. A guy from New Jersey weighed in, rhetorically, with "Is it safe for westerners to go to Morocco these days?" Plainly, he thought not. Don't forget to look both ways, guy from New Jersey.

My father had a much better rhetorical question for me some years back that's always comforted me since: "What are they going to do, kill you?"


posted at 2:12 PM

1 Comments:

Blogger Junoon said...

WTF! Morocco is a safe place to travelers. safer than some american suburbs ...
it's just too cold right now if you want a tan.

February 11, 2007 9:35 AM  

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