Friday, August 31, 2007

Big famous things

For some reason when you travel to Europe you feel an inner obligation to enrich yourself by visiting big famous things. There are lots of big famous things to see, and you tend to think they must be intrinsically good, seeing as you've heard so much about them and seen so many pictures.

We saw quite a few big famous things on our trip. Despite the throngs of tourists, I tried to gaze at these things in a knowing way (see below), the way an old soldier looks on an all too familiar battlefield where children now play. But it was no use; I wasn't feeling it.


We seemed to have a lot more fun dawdling around, sitting places, eating things, and taking humourous photos (see below again - genius).


So I think the lesson learned here is, no matter where you go, no matter how 'impressive' the monument/sight, just like spongecake, it's what you do with it (bad example, I'd eat spongecake by itself any day of the week). I mean, the Arc de Triumph might have been really good if we had done something interesting there - drive around it for instance. But instead we stood there waiting to be affected, and felt a bit bored. The traffic was interesting to watch though.

4 comments:

gerrod said...

Awesome dudes, you guys sound like my types of travellers. I have no problem skipping out on the famous things if it means I get to have a laff!

Clearly we need to organise a trip somewhere...

Sweet Olive Press | Helen said...

FINALLY, a post.

That's the trick about big famous things: they mostly just sit there. Often the first glimpse is as excited as you'll get. Case in point: flying into New York I thought "Whoa!! There's the Statue of Liberty!" Standing underneath it was actually less exciting.

Love the photos. Laughed very immaturely about your Jardin des Tuileries shot.

We took an Arc de Triomphe photo from exactly the same spot. You were waiting at the lights to leave, weren't you.

But back to monuments. You could always enliven the experience a la Katharine: she of the sprinting around Stonehenge singing "Up There Kazaly"... on second thought...

bitingmidge said...

So it IS just me that can't see the pics!

The emporer REALLY does have new clothes!

I can't figure out why though.

P

bitingmidge said...

Now I CAN! Thanks!

P