Silly Tourists!

[Love Boat Dream]

On a high school trip to England long, long ago one of my classmates actually asked if Brits celebrated Thanksgiving....

 

 

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Helen, I had a friend ask me if Jewish people in America celebrated Thanksgiving...

Edited July 14, 2017 by Love Boat Dream
clarification

[7leagueboots]

Funny thread...reminds me of the TV program...Kids say the darndest things.

[CanadaDeb]

At a resort in the Caribbean, an American woman was yelling at guest services that there were no 4th of July activities including fireworks

[eileenover]

Here's my contribution...and I swear on my children, it's true!

 

We were living in London and took a day trip to Stonehenge. While walking around (this was before it was fenced off and you could walk up to the stones)...a tourist who was obviously American said to her husband..."isn't it lucky that they built it so close to the road"....:D

 

I was on a Med cruise some years ago and heard an American complaining at the Excusions Desk: she felt that the ancient site of Ephesus, Turkey, should have tarmac paths around and through the site so that iit would be easier to explore! The excursion staff tried to explain that such a thing would be inappropriate but she wouldn't have it!

[Lois R]

I was on a Med cruise some years ago and heard an American complaining at the Excusions Desk: she felt that the ancient site of Ephesus, Turkey, should have tarmac paths around and through the site so that iit would be easier to explore! The excursion staff tried to explain that such a thing would be inappropriate but she wouldn't have it!

 

I wouldn't use the word silly when hearing a story like that one:rolleyes:..it is so much more a sad reflection of some folks....silly? You have to just shake your wonder where those type of thoughts come from....it is an ancient site.......I guess this person just has no clue.........

Edited July 15, 2017 by Lois R

[Grandma Gilly]

Many times when I have been in Manhattan , on finding out I am English New Yorkers ask me if I know their cousin/nephew/ex neighbour/friend etc etc who lives in England and they find it strange when I giggle

 

And they often ask if you've seen The Queen, Prince Philip, etc etc. I remember telling one lady that the last time I saw her was in Sainsbury's (local supermarket)! LOL

[Spursgirl]

And they often ask if you've seen The Queen, Prince Philip, etc etc. I remember telling one lady that the last time I saw her was in Sainsbury's (local supermarket)! LOL

 

You are so right, they sort of expect you to tell them that you popped over to Buck House for tea last week.

[kimlovesfl]

I work at a theme park, and we get all kinds of silly questions.

 

A lot of people want to know why we shut down the outdoor and water rides when there is a lightning storm. Uh, hello, so you don't get killed by lightning!

 

My husband and I were dining at an outdoor patio at this same theme park, when a British family just walked in without going through the hostess area (it was very easy to just walk into the patio without being seated, but that has since changed). A couple at a table for 2 had both gone to the restroom. This family cleared all their plates, food, glasses, off their table, sat down, and started eating leftover bread from another table that someone had just left! EWWW! The waiter almost had to call security to get them to leave.

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

Though not physically a part of the U.S., Key West is, in fact a part of the U.S., part of the state of Florida and part of Monroe County. Yet I have heard tourists there ask if American dollars are accepted there, if cell phones work there or charge extra and if American credit cards are valid there.

 

Similarly, once we were on Little Stirrup Key in the Bahamas during a cruise on Norwegian Pearl. We were so surprised when a family came running up to us and asked if we were in Nassau. They seemed somewhat upset that we weren't in Nassau which was really strange because the ship had visited Nassau the day before!

[Mercruiser]

"Why were so many of the American civil war battles fought in National Parks?"

[Mercruiser]

I might add, it's not always the tourists that say silly things. Last year, my son was checking in for his flight home from Johannesburg to Spokane, WA. The British Air check in agent would not check his luggage through to Spokane because his last flight segment, Seattle to Spokane, was on Alaska Airlines. The agent was very insistent that Alaska is its own country and British Air does not interline baggage to the country of Alaska. My son tried explaining that 1) he was not flying to Alaska, 2) Alaska is actually a US state, and 3) Alaska airlines is based in Seattle. In the end, the agent would only check his luggage through to Seattle.

[john watson]

And they often ask if you've seen The Queen, Prince Philip, etc etc. I remember telling one lady that the last time I saw her was in Sainsbury's (local supermarket)! LOL

 

Funny you should mention this but back in the 1970's when security was a bit more relaxed I walked into the Duke of Albemarle public house in London W1 with a few friends in our lunch hour. Sitting at the bar with a "half" on it was HRH The Duke of Edinburgh Prince Phillip. He had a Rolls-Royce parked outside with black number plates no letters. Said hello sir and left him alone. Seemed to be entirely on his own.

 

Regards John

[sollyman]

Funny you should mention this but back in the 1970's when security was a bit more relaxed I walked into the Duke of Albemarle public house in London W1 with a few friends in our lunch hour. Sitting at the bar with a "half" on it was HRH The Duke of Edinburgh Prince Phillip. He had a Rolls-Royce parked outside with black number plates no letters. Said hello sir and left him alone. Seemed to be entirely on his own.

 

Regards John

 

Sorry John, i think your memory is playing tricks on you.

 

HRH always drank pints when he dropped into the Albemarle....and heaven help any stranger that might have sat in "his" seat

[Lucy Jane]

"Why were so many of the American civil war battles fought in National Parks?"

 

 

 

So funny, different way too look at it 🤡🤡🤡

 

 

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[CanadaDeb]

Many times when I have been in Manhattan , on finding out I am English New Yorkers ask me if I know their cousin/nephew/ex neighbour/friend etc etc who lives in England and they find it strange when I giggle 😄

 

Lol the same happened to me...Canadian living in Malta and got, all the time, "I have a cousin in Toronto, Joe Borg, do you know him?" lol

[serendipity1499]

Many, Many years ago, when I was a 20 something single girl working for an Airline, I travelled a lot with co-worker's..

 

While on a tour In Greece, we got to talking to a lovely couple on our tour bus.. When we told them that we were from Long Island, they mentioned that they used to live in Williston Park, the town I grew up in.. Not only did they know my Mother but the Gentleman was a good Friend of my Grandfather, who had passed away before I was born, & once dated my Aunt.. My Mother & Aunt often talked about this couple.. Of course when we got home I invited the couple over to visit my Mom.. Unfortunately, my Aunt was at her Son's up-state..

 

It is a small world!

Edited July 16, 2017 by serendipity1499

[herbanrenewal]

Once I was standing in line to use a restroom (in the USA but I dont remember where - it was years ago). A woman ahead asked which coin was needed to get into the stall. The woman she asked just shrugged and turned away, so I told her the dime was the little silver coin in her hand. After she entered the stall the woman who ignored her turned to me and asked what language she was speaking. I told her she was speaking English, with a Scottish accent. She replied, she must have been speaking Gaelic because that sure wasn't English!

I don;t speak Gaelic. I think my love of BBC comedies helps me tremendously when I visit the British Isles. And I think its obvious the USA speaks American which has various local variants of English.

[eileenover]

Another funny incident ----well, not so much funny as ridiculous ---- we went into Horizon Court (Princess refectory) and found an empty table in a good location. However, a cruise card (key + payment card) had been left on the table. Of course, we handed it in immediately.

Soon an American woman came up to us. She had 'saved' the table with her card! Imagine! Saving a table with a card worth over £1000! She was furious that we had handed it it to a member of staff. To make matters worse, she sat down opposite us (it was a table for 4 and there were just the two of us) and muttered/glared/sneered etc.

Thank you, American woman! You have always brought a smile to our faces. Next time, maybe we should buy a top-end bottle....

[MacThespian]

I might add, it's not always the tourists that say silly things. Last year, my son was checking in for his flight home from Johannesburg to Spokane, WA. The British Air check in agent would not check his luggage through to Spokane because his last flight segment, Seattle to Spokane, was on Alaska Airlines. The agent was very insistent that Alaska is its own country and British Air does not interline baggage to the country of Alaska. My son tried explaining that 1) he was not flying to Alaska, 2) Alaska is actually a US state, and 3) Alaska airlines is based in Seattle. In the end, the agent would only check his luggage through to Seattle.

In a similar (though not as serious) vein: we were participating in a trivia game on Cunard where the topic was something on the order of "National flags." The answer they gave was Puerto Rico, and they wouldn't accept that (1) Puerto Rico is not a separate country, and (2) Puerto Rico is part of the USA. I asked if the Shetland Islands were a separate country from the UK, and they were not amused (but still didn't see the connection). The answer was written down, and that made it correct!