Friday offtopic. Tourism ideas

[asthfghl]

After the umpteenth 4-5-day self-organized excursion abroad with pals and colleagues, and the endless hanging around huge queues and wandering about looking for those members of our merry group who usually get lost or lag behind the rest of the band (ya know, usual tourist stuff), I've come up with a few curious ideas that could make the tourist's life easier, and probably start a couple business niches (provided that someone faster and smarter than yours-truly hasn't already come up with them, that is)...

1. A mobile app, used by a group of tourists to find each other's whereabouts on their screen at any point in space and time, provided that they've all switched their GPS on.

2. At the museum, a moving belt line on the floor, with some chairs lined up on top of it, the folks sitting on them while the belt is moving around like an elevator, along with the chairs and people, while the museum stuff (paintings, artefacts, etc) passes beside.

3. In front of the museum, a long winding bench, where the tourists who are tired of all that hanging and waiting are able to put their fat bums, then move one spot at a time as the queue moves along.

As you might've guessed, this batch of ideas are coming after a ton of back pains and sore feet from spending 90% of my visit time to a place like Paris around long lines for tickets, entrances and whatnot, and searching and/or waiting for the slowest members of our merry band of touring fellers. As well as due to the fact that I may've been growing old, heh. :-)))

Other similar thoughts?

Comments

[airiefairie]

Somehow reminds me of Wall-E...

[johnny9fingers]

The problem is if you find yourself in Paris, there is so much to tick off the list. The Louvre is a lifetime’s work in itself. By the time the evening has set in and you’re in Moulin Rouge, or Pigalle (depending on station) the money’s gone, the high is fading, and the hotel beckons.

And then there’s the list for the next day. Have you visited Oscar’s grave yet? Jim Morrison is close-by too.

[abomvubuso]

I wouldn't follow the usual tourist schedule in Paris even if I've got a gun pressed against my skull and they're offering me money. But then again, I've been there a couple times, so... may I be excused for being a bit biased about this.

Thing is, the low-cost airlines have flooded these top destinations lately (Paris, Rome to name but a few), making the locals rather wary of all the ceaseless crowds. Which in turn reflects on the quality of service (and Parisiens haven't been particularly known for their warm and welcoming hearts in the first place). Frankly, I'd rather spend a day dragging a bottle of wine and a chop of nice cheese from some grocery, sitting on a lawn somewhere in the parks away from the crowds, watching the world pass by. Then I'd hit some piano bar with the gang in the evening, or whatever. But again, that's just me.

Most folks like to tick out famous places from a list they've got prepared for themselves, make a ton of selfies, then brag about having been to Place X and having seen Landmarks X1-to-X1001.

[johnny9fingers]

All true, but still, you’re in Paris.

I mean I’d spend my time on the left bank or in and out of Shakespeare and Co. but I’m a singular type of person. It’s Paris; and the history leeches off the pavement, much like bits of London and Vienna and Rome. I find it impossible not to be enthralled by it, no matter the awful service, the occasional rude person, or even other tourists. It is one of the world’s great cities, and I love it despite all of its faults.

[mikeyxw]

I kind of agree. I'm all for avoiding the lines, but Paris is Paris after all. There are more tourists this year than last, next year there will be more and even more the year after, unless there is a global recession or something. This means the top 50 or so sites around the world are already straining against the crowds and will be getting worse. Of course, sites 51 - 100 are much more relaxed (for now) and still really cool. I went to Paris this past summer and stayed away from the Louvre and Eiffel Tower, I couldn't imagine they'd be good experiences. The Rodin museum is an outside sculpture park, while I didn't have cheese or wine, it was still a great place to hang out and I felt both more cultured and relaxed when I left. There are at least a score other Parisian sites like this, the Shakespeare and Co., or the left bank, depending on your taste. I expect, as there are more and more tourists, this is going to be the trend. Venice and Amsterdam are trying to cut down on the number of visitors, something I'm more than happy to help them achieve. Padua and Rotterdam are not and seem like much better choices. The internet makes it all pretty easy.

[garote]

I second this approach. Some of the most amazing moments I had in Iceland were in the middle of nowhere, or in some small town chatting with a curious local.

Now that I think of it, same for New Zealand, the midwestern US states, Alaska, etc... Even the little hole-in-the-wall parts of London were more memorable than the big ticket attractions...