Ugly sentiments sting American tourists

USA TODAY ^ | 3-3-2003 | Marco R. della Cava

[buffyt]

As an A-list celebrity, actor Vince Vaughn employs an array of weapons to cope with hecklers, from a Saharan wit to a waiting limo.

But during a movie shoot recently in England, Vaughn found himself repeatedly reaching for the same comeback. Three totemic words from the attic of history: the Marshall Plan.

[Howie]

Australia is ONE country I would like to visit, to hell with Europe! I would like to do some soaring down there. (gliding) The wife and I have been contemplating a trip.

I don't care too much about seeing the outback as I live in a desert very much like it.

[ErnBatavia]

I was all over Singapore a few weeks ago and got no negative attitude from anyone.

Been there myself, and wanna go back. Singapore is such a multinational place, they have no time nor desire to have negative attidutes toward anyone, unless threatened.

Shangri-La Hotel, garden wing of course, here I come!

[ErnBatavia]

I don't care too much about seeing the outback as I live in a desert very much like it.

(From your neighbor just to the east - cove in La Quinta)....you DO want to see some "bush". We were amazed at all the totally different flora and fauna there; it may be like our Coachella Valley in certain ways, but not that many......

Go ahead, hop on Qantas #12 and in 15 hours you're in Sydney....pick up that international flight that goes to South Africa, but stop the bus in Perth. You'll never forget it.

Just don't drive there; they do the wrong-side-of-the-road thing, and in Perth they have tons of traffic circles just like the one at Jefferson and Avenue 52 here!

[Kaiwen]

I wouldn't worry about Beijing. The average Chinese person may disagree with the American gov't, but are very friendly and polite to Americans. I've never felt worried about telling anyone here I'm an American, and never been hassled (except by drunken Europeans!)

Last time a Chinese person asked me why the U.S. is going to war, I told him that we've paid so much money getting our troops over there, it'd be a waste to just send them home. I said it jokingly, but he actually thought I had a good point. : )

[zook]

I just have to reply. Yes, I too found Singapore to be a wonderful place! The world's city! We stayed at the "new" Raffles (beautiful outdoor pool area), wandered around, rode the subway, and visited the touristy Sentosa Island. I would go back in a minute!

We stayed at the Shangra-La on Sentosa Island. Is this the one you meant? Very nice!

[ErnBatavia]

The world's city! Yep! Something different for we Americanese!

The Shangri-La was basically downtown (as if all of Singapore isn't downtown?)...not on Sentona, as I recall. Got a tour with the business associate, and went by Raffles, but I'd think we saw the "old place", since this was about 15 years ago.

Wifey and I both would go back in a minute, but would have to psych ourselves up for that equatorial humidity.....that's the only place in the world I've seen the windows sweat 24/7.

[sam_paine]

He says he hasn't seen this level of anti-Americanism in Germany since the days of Ronald Reagan, when in 1983 masses protested the installation of medium-range missiles in Europe.

And we all know how that turned out, what, 6 years later? [Sound of crickets]

[Citizen of the Savage Nation]

The Singaporeans are pretty squared away, and I think, have their own little deal where Malaysia is to them like Mexico is to the US. Never been to Beijing but never had any problems with Chinese elsewhere. They're ok.

[Mr. Mojo]

From Spanish plazas to Parisian metros, American tourists are being quizzed, grilled and even spat on by people who do not approve of the Bush administration's drive for a war against Saddam Hussein.

Yawn. We we oust Saddam, and Iraqi people show their appreciation for what we did, the knee-jerk reactionary morons in the world will calm down. So damn predictable. They have pathetic existences, and most can only find comfort in hating that which they envy.

[Byron_the_Aussie]

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