August 31, 2007
Pave: Fitting Symbol
Official puffery,With 2 million visitors the first year and almost 6 million people a year today, the Eiffel Tower is a real crowd pleaser. At the crossroads of the entire world, more than 200 million visitors have come since its construction.
It's not surprising when you consider the Eiffel Tower is the monument that best symbolizes Europe. It's also the one tourists prefer.
from the official site of The Eiffel Tower
[Emphases added.]
The lures of fabled French tourism -- a nose-count methodology that counts every cross-border traveler a tourist makes France the world's number one tourist destination -- fail to impress.
EIFFEL TOWER 'MOST DISAPPOINTING' TOURIST SPOT
August 30, 2007 (Telegraph)
[Hat tip: Hervé]
France holds the top two slots in the top ten of world-class sights rated underwhelming and overpriced.* France at the top of her game.
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* One reason the Eiffel Tower experience is pricey, criminal overhead.
PFFT (What is this?): Overrated, overpriced, the symbol of Europa 4½ | Rayonnement français 0
Posted by Damian at August 31, 2007 12:30 PMBetter go to New York ?
http://www.totalfrance.com/france/forum/viewtopic.php?t=32404&highlight=
Posted by: Visitor at August 31, 2007 08:19 PM"Total France". Whoa. The very name brings shivers.
Posted by: Carine at August 31, 2007 09:19 PMVisitor,
Thank you for the link.
Hhmmm, first we are curious why the son of Pete from Le Theil de Bretagne is living in dirty old NYC? Perhaps he couldn't get a job in Le Theil de Bretagne or somewhere in France. But the son is not just working in NYC, he apparently is rooting there. Why we wonder have the attractions -- the smells -- of Le Theil de Bretagne or greater France not held the native son at home?
Of course, we offer no apologies for JFK. But at least Pete didn't have the terminal fall on his head.
As for NYC cabbies, well, they are a breed apart. But do they compare so poorly with Pete's exemplary livery service back home?
A gratuity included in l'addition is a commonplace of Europa, not America -- except for large dining parties. As Pete was the father of the groom, we imagine he is complaining about the fixed gratuity because complaining about the potlatch would be petty.
Finally, we suspect Pete has found NYCers rude because it comforts his prejudices -- not because he has suffered endless slights. By his own account Pete doesn't sound like he gets off the farm much. Would any big city please him?
For the Petes of France we have a simple solution to their dyspeptic travels to America. Stay at home with the charming locals.
DGB
