Top Tourist Locations

Friday, 18. July 2008, 19:31:50

Following a post I did yesterday on the Eiffel Tower, I got curious. I
got to wondering which of the world's cities had the most tourists per
year.

So I got onto Google and typed in the string "World's top 10 tourist
cities." Now, you think that would be a pretty easy one, that something
just like that would pop up immediately. Unfortunately not. In fact I
was unable to find statistics for Top 10 tourist cities.

It's easy to be blinded by science and you have to be careful with
statistics. For example, there were lists for most frequently visited
cities. But that's different. That means visitation for any reason,
including business. As far as that goes, and as far as I am able to
determine, the United States is the most visited country in the world,
and London is the most visited city.

But I don't care where businessmen go. What I wanted to know was where
people go on vacation to have fun or live a dream or two.

As far as that, I'm afraid the best I could come up with were some statistics
by the World Travel Organization that gives tourist information by country.
This was their most recent list:

According to this, more people go to France on vacation than anywhere
else, followed by Spain, etc.

While finding this stuff out, I happened across an article in The Telegraph
that listed the "Most Disappointing" tourist spots. That list is pretty much
unbelievable:

1) The Eiffel Tower
2) The Louvre (Mona Lisa)
3) Times Square
4) Las Ramblas, Spain
5) Statue of Liberty
6) Spanish Steps, Rome
7) The White House
8) The Pyramids, Egypt
9) The Brandenburg Gate, Germany
10) The Leaning Tower of Pisa

In my opinion, anybody who would be disappointed by most of the spots
on that list is either stupid or spoiled or perhaps both. I do realize that
sometimes reality doesn't live up to what we imagined. When I visited
Times Square many years ago I was greatly surprised by the fact that it
was so much smaller and less impressive than I imagined. But I mean,
c'mon, I was standing in the middle of Times Square for the first time
in my life. It was just one of those life moments where the world
expands, becomes bigger than it was before -- and somehow, strangely,
smaller. It was different than I thought it would be. But it wasn't at
all disappointing.

I just can't believe people who were disappointed by the pyramids,
commercialism or not. They are the only one of the ancient Seven Wonders
that are still around. They have sat there across over four millenia,
while the world around them changed. I also wonder how anybody could
feel cheated by the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Perhaps it wasn't leaning
nearly as much as they had hoped. Never mind that the top of the tower
was where Galileo performed some of the first experiments on gravity and
acceleration, and that you can stand there exactly where he did it --
yeah, forget that, the whole thing's just a rip-off. And even if it turns
out that Galileo didn't perform the experiments off of the tower (as some
now claim), you are still about as close to Galileo and his life and work
as you can get. Besides, you're in frigging Florence for pete's sake. What
do you have to complain about?

Finally, one last statistic. According to the above-mentioned WTO,
Americans spend the most money traveling the world, followed by the
Germans. But there again you have to be careful. I wonder if that means
that Americans and Germans travel more than people from other countries,
or whether it just means that they tend to throw more money around once
they get there.

Most of the tourists I've met as I've lived and traveled in the U.S. were
young people from the U.K. vacationing on the cheap. They took trains and
buses and stayed at cheap hotels and bed and breakfasts. You have to wonder
if it's a cultural thing. There is the tradition of "doing the grand tour" in
Britain that goes back to the 19th century, when Brits would visit France
and Switzerland and in particular Italy.

So I wonder. Are the British the most traveled people on earth? Perhaps,
perhaps not. Until somebody starts keeping better statistics, I guess
we'll never know.

Damn that Grand Canyon! Just another
big hole in the ground!

The Eiffel Tower: All Dolled UpCarter In the Valley

Comments

I can't imagine anybody being "disappointed" in those places either, Edward. But, then again, I also find it astounding that anybody would prefer to walk around texting/talking on a cell phone with an unseen person than to talk to the person standing in line right beside them. Or tap on a laptop computer rather than make funny faces at the laughing little kid in the next booth at the restaurant.

Maybe we oughtta fill in that "big hole in the ground" and put up another theme park or something.

By Stardancer, # 18. July 2008, 20:12:55

I don't know why, but people who sit there and talk on a cell phone constantly while they are out amoung people just drive me crazy. I mean, getting the occasional call is one thing. But talking on the phone for call after call is absurd in my view.

And maybe they can figure out a way to put up a bunch of condos on the sides of the canyon walls -- "THE most exclusive living community in Arizona!" --

By edwardpiercy, # 18. July 2008, 20:31:27

I think it is more spoiled than anything else. I've seen the Eiffel from a distance, took a ferry boat around the Statue of Liberty and spent 5 or six hours in the Lourve....all exciting to me.

And speaking of the Grand Canyon, fifteen years ago, my sister and I hiked down to the bottom, stayed at the lodge, Phantom Ranch, ate cowpoke stew and biscuits for two nights then hiked back up. Some people hike down, stay one night, and go back up the next morning. We both knew we didn't want to do that. It took us four hours to get down and 8 hours back up. On the way back out, there were many times we sat down and said 'i don't want to walk anymore, where's the donkeys'. It was quite a feat for us. My knees hurt more during the hike down and when we walked into the canteen for a cold one, the cowboy laughed and said no matter how fit someone is, everyone walks the same once they get down here. I guess I must have been limping.

By PainterWoman, # 18. July 2008, 20:37:39

So did ya get one of those I HIKED THE CANYON t-shirts?

By edwardpiercy, # 18. July 2008, 21:03:20

I think it's a paint rag now.

As to cell phones...I don't have one.

By PainterWoman, # 18. July 2008, 21:45:09

I've been looking into getting one of those new iPhone 3Gs. Just so I can stay in touch with "my people."

All two of them.

By edwardpiercy, # 18. July 2008, 21:53:24

Over here landline telephones are slowly disappearing - more and more people settle for the mobile only. I guess people talking on mobiles in public is something we'll just have to live with.

I was actually disappointed with seeing Mona Lisa. It was a busy day at Louvre, and people were moving in a line - and had to keep moving - past the painting. There were two armed guards standing there looking like they were suspecting us for something evil. I walked as slowly as I could, but today all I remember is that the guards wore red hats and that I had sore feet. I don't remember having seen the painting at all. That was in '79 - maybe I should go there again to wipe out that bad experience for a better one?

By ricewood, # 18. July 2008, 22:18:30

"All two of them"

That's why I got rid of mine. It was just more money to pay for something I really didn't need.

By PainterWoman, # 18. July 2008, 22:27:38

i like my little cheap net10 phone -- it has the basics and didn't cost but $30 at the dollar store. the minutes are ten cents and you load them when you want with a 90-day expiration date. there is no other contract! it came with 300 minutes -- spent most of that time talking with family and had to buy another 300 minutes to cover the work-realted issues (a whole 'nother 30 bucks). i'll be covered until november, unless me and mom get on the phone -- we talk for at least 90 minutes everytime we speak!

By 1bluebox, # 19. July 2008, 00:09:45

Las Ramblas sucked! There were more prostitutes than pedestrians, and they weren't very pretty! Well, they were pretty aggressive...but that's about it.

The Pyramids? A disappointment?! Who are these people?! Would they be impressed by the interior of their local asylum? Let's find out...

I'm off to the grand Canyon next month. I'm sure I'll love it, but it'll have a job to compete with Mexico's Copper Canyon for my memory space!

By garydenness, # 19. July 2008, 03:22:08

Well as far as you go Gary, QED. The classic Brit tourist!

I assume you are joking about the pyramids, as you have done so many blog posts on Mexian archaeology. And I think I remember a recent one of yours that looked back to a past trip...with your hotel, etc.

As for the Grand Canyon, be sure to put a very heavy UV filter on your lens as the canyon is so polluted.

By edwardpiercy, # 19. July 2008, 04:10:22

Oh and thanks, Allan, for you view. I know that the Mona Lisa is about the size of an 8x10 print. But I think that it is the whole surrounding that would be of interest to me.

By edwardpiercy, # 19. July 2008, 04:18:22

I think you misunderstood me! I said that anyone who thinks the pyramids are a disappointment is crazy! Twas the highlight of my life!

As far as travellers go - I usually meet more French and Germans tourists than English. But I suspect the Brits are in the bars getting hammered. Which is a rather stupid thing to do if you ask me. You could do that at home.

By garydenness, # 19. July 2008, 04:20:25

Ooops! I had a couple bourbons! Sorry!

I was taking a train back from my dad's in Indianapolis to here in Spokane, and on the Amtrack I met a skinny Brit chic with lots of curly hair. I ran into her in the lower lounge, and as I was standing there in line to get a can of Coke she was suddenly next to me, sitting at this table with small boxes of condiments all over it. "Are you watching all this stuff?" I teased her. She came right back, "I'm guarding it, yes!"
Differences in usage. But a very neat girl. I would have bopped her in one of the train restrooms in a hot Dallas minute.

By edwardpiercy, # 19. July 2008, 04:42:36

what do you call that? bopping on a train -- like the mile-low club? or the mile-rode club?

By 1bluebox, # 19. July 2008, 09:12:54

I wonder.

The Mile Long Club? Dunno!

By edwardpiercy, # 19. July 2008, 14:34:22

A hot Dallas minute...I like it! Dallas was one of the biggest disappointments of my life! I had a connecting flight there, and arranged it so I would have about six hours to spare. I was always fascinated by the JFK assassination and really wanted to take a lift up to the 6th floor, and stroll around the Grassy Knoll, taking a few shots. With my camera of course....

But my plane in arrived three hours late, which cut things to fine.

By garydenness, # 19. July 2008, 14:35:27

Dealy Plaza or whatever they call it was one of the first places I checked out when I moved to Dallas. Walked down to the West side of the downtown area, saw the book depository, the knoll. Hard to believe that so much history happened there in just a fairly small geographic area.

But I think the one that got to me the most, of all the Dallas "landmarks" wasn't the Plaza. I was in Parkland Hospital for a week while they were taking a look at my heart. I had some scrubs on instead of the normal thing and some people I worked with had brought me a nice robe to wear. So being fairly stylin, and one afternoon bored as hell, I decided to take a little walk around the hospital, which they had encouraged me to do anyway. Well, I think I was looking for the damn cafeteria or something and I got lost. I ended up in the lower "basement" floor. I walked down one hallway, decided that I was definitely going in the wrong direction, turned around to go back. And that's when I saw it -- this small plaque on the wall that stated that on that spot on November 22, 1963 John F. Kennedy died. Right there. In that hallway. It pretty much blew my mind.

As far as good memories, my favorite is perhaps Reunion Tower, that big shiny round globe thing downtown. I spent some very enjoyable afternoons and evenings having drinks up in the lounge of that tower.

By edwardpiercy, # 19. July 2008, 14:49:41

I will make it to Dallas one day - now I have another landmark to find! Keep reading my blog for enough years Ed, and I'm sure eventually you'll see my posted photo!

By garydenness, # 19. July 2008, 14:57:59

BTW, I noticed recently that damn New Yorkers have been trying to steal the phrase "hot Dallas minute", changing it to "hot New York minute." But they were saying "hot Dallas minute" back in the early 80s, if not earlier. So don't let those New Yorkers fool you!

By edwardpiercy, # 19. July 2008, 15:00:56

edward, i like dallas alright, but i think fort worth, texas has much more to offer in the way of memories for me. the all-breed dog show at the will rogers facility and the zoo, the botanical gardens and the shopping!!!!!! the people in fort worth seemed to be nicer towards each other than those in the dallas area (keep in mind this was about eight years ago though). i hated to fly into DFW -- did that too many times when i worked for texas instruments!

By 1bluebox, # 19. July 2008, 22:16:00

I never got over to "Fort Worthless" when I lived there --

But I'm sure it has its qualities.