My friends trot out "Travel broadens the mind."
I think once upon a time, it did.
You had to ask for directions, take help where it was offered. Accept hospitality from strangers.
But now tourism is a machine which moves the interloper through a series of well-established experiences as if they are gliding on rails.
People go on safari in Africa who have never attended an event at their local wildlife trust.
People stare at frescoes in churches who would never normally darken the doors of an art gallery.
I suppose I'd gotten snobby about all this.
But then I created the biggest tourist gaff of all.
In San Gimignano, we admired the tall towers and the Duomo. Then we headed for the Convento di Sant' Agostino, looking forward to seeing the fifteenth century frescoes.
As we approached, some Japanese tourists turned back as if they had been refused entry. Probably because the women were dressed in brief shorts and vest - not approved by the Catholic church.
So, smugly we entered, sat at the back and Nigel began reading from the guidebook.
Then Carenza said, "Why is that man kissing everybody? He's not going to kiss me is he? I don't want to kiss him."
I looked up. A young Italian man was indeed hugging and kissing other people.
It reminded me of something. Where had I seen behaviour like this recently?
Oh yeah. My uncle's funeral.
I checked out the front of the church.
A coffin wreathed in flowers.
"Everybody - we're gate-crashing a funeral. Leg it!"
We never did see the frescoes.
And we proved that, just like everybody else, we are ignorant tourists.
No comments:
Post a Comment