tourism

How they protest prostitution in Ukraine

Sophie Team Observers — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 14:59:48 +0200

Their message - "Ukraine is no whorehouse". Their medium - anything from throwing cakes at sexists, challenging male tourists in the street, and getting naked in order to disrupt public ceremonies. Meet Kiev's controversial anti-prostitution activists.

The cost of living in Kiev is not cheap - not much less than in many western European capitals. And yet the average income, according to government statistics, is 300 euros a month. Coupled with lax visa laws for travellers, the conditions have led to the country's sex tourism industry becoming what is thought to be the biggest in Europe. It's no secret; websites like the one that calls itself "Ukraine's number one escort agency" - describe girls by exactly what they'll do in the bedroom, along with a list of prices. "Our escort Ukraine girls are open for all kinds of sex", they boast. Prostitution is supposed to be illegal.

FEMEN, the group of activists in question, says that the government is doing nothing to stop the practice. Which is why they're taking such drastic measures to bring attention to it. But are they the right ones? Give your opinion.

Women-only beach “an oasis of calm”

Sophie Team Observers — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 18:11:20 +0200

Ladies, are you dreaming of a beach void of men? Well dream no more. Just make your way to Pedocin, Italy.

Are you for or against mixed gender beaches? Give your opinion.

Tourists "pissing" on the Great Wall of China

Ségolène Team Observers — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 22:47:37 +0200

Images showing dozens of tourists sleeping on the Great Wall of China have infuriated Chinese Web users. One of them blames the authorities who, he says, are easily corrupted by bribes.

The photos, taken on August 3, were posted on various Chinese forums, causing outrage amongst concerned Wall-lovers. Camping is banned on the wall, but as these images prove, the law is not enforced.

These photos were originally posted on the bbs.123 forum along with the following comment, entitled "Angry! Foreigners eating, drinking, shitting, pissing and sleeping on the Great Wall!" Originally translated into English by chinaSMACK.

On the night of August 3, about 100 foreign tourists stayed overnight on the Great Wall. Just their tents and sleeping bags alone required a truck in order to be transported up the mountain, and the Jinshanling management granted clearance, pretending to be ignorant. Looks like ‘Protecting the Great Wall and tourism environment' doesn't compare to a tempting bribe.

What's more, this kind of thing happened just two days after a newspaper published an investigative report on the problem of illegal overnight stays on the Great Wall! These people just cannot wait to earn money! It's clear that both the management and individual bosses are in collusion with each other like snakes and rats living together in a nest!

Since 2003 people have been setting up one-night ‘hotels' for tourists, renting sleeping bags to foreign tourists at a price of 400-500 Yuan (€50) per person. This reporter was told by Luanping County Great Wall Management that people used to be allowed to stay for one night on the Great Wall, but had to pay 100 Yuan (€10) per person and the 50 Yuan (€50) entrance fee, but that it is no longer allowed. Yet, there are still foreign tourists living on the Great Wall.

Many of those coming to the 4A-level Jinshanling Great Wall scenic area [the area graded the most historically valuable] are foreign tourists. After arriving at Jinshanling Great Wall, there are people on the sides hawking sleeping bags for personal profit. Jinshanling Great Wall itself is an area susceptible to lightning, and in the past there have been incidents of tourists being struck by lightning! When I think of the Brit William Lindesay leading a group of foreigners picking up trash on this portion of the Great Wall, doing everything to protect the Great Wall for 20 years, I don't know whose faces should be redder, foreigners or Chinese..."

Are French tourists the worst in Europe?

Sophie Team Observers — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 17:33:53 +0200

Image: "knbeyers" on Flickr.

A survey released last week reveals that French tourists are the most hated European travellers. Tourism workers from Niger, Lebanon and Paris itself tell us about their experiences with French tourists - tight with money, arrogant, unable to hold their drink and always on the lookout for girls. Read more...

The survey, taken out by TNS Infratest for travel website Expedia.fr, quizzed employees in 40,000 hotels in Europe and North America on the behaviour of 27 nationalities when on holiday. The French were only outdone by two countries in terms of overall disagreeability - the Chinese came top of the worst, closely followed by the Indians. The French were blamed for being tight with their wallets, impolite, and unwilling to speak other languages, although they did fare well in being quiet, well dressed and tidy.

The most welcome tourists were the Japanese, who came top for the third consecutive year. Runners up were Canadians, Germans and Brits - who were voted second for (surprisingly), quietness and dress-sense. The notoriously noisy Americans were indeed top of the loud pack, but they were praised for their willingness to try the local language and tip generously, coming 11^th overall.

Tell us about your own experiences with French tourists.

Mexico City under quarantine

Sophie Team Observers — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 17:32:13 +0200

"El Zocalo", Mexico City's main plaza, deserted on Sunday. Image © Enrique Torices.

The outbreak of swine flu in Mexico City has turned the world's second largest city into a ghost town. Universities, schools, bars and shops are closed; those who venture out do so with a protective mask. Our Observers there give us their accounts.

The death toll in the country is now at 103 [only nine confirmed by the World Health Organisation] and at least 400 others have been hospitalised (according to the Mexican authorities). Today, residents in the capital await the mayor's decision on whether to shut down the city entirely.

A tourist outing in… Gaza

Ségolène Team Observers — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 15:26:06 +0200

Nearly three months after the end of the Israeli assault on Gaza, a 20-year-old blogger has decided to film a "tourist visit" of the Strip on her mobile phone. A way for her to give a different view of Gaza, where life goes on.

The operation "Cast Lead" launched by Israel on the Gaza Strip last December flattened some 4,000 houses and left more than 900 civilians dead (figures published by the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights).

Yet, despite the heavy toll, Lina Al-Sharif is persuaded the place where she lives, complete with leisure parc, equestrian centre and boat trips, is ready to become a tourist destination.

Prison safari

Sophie Team Observers — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 17:26:38 +0100

Image: "emmablackburn" on Flickr.

A notorious prison in Bolivia has been condemned by the government for allowing tourists to visit the premises, take photos and videos, and talk to the inmates. If you never made it inside the cárcel de San Pedro, it's too late now - the prison governor was sacked last week because of the illegal tours. See the images from those who got there before the doors were slammed shut...

Is a tour of Karadzic's old haunts dangerous?

Sophie Team Observers — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 15:43:45 +0200

The teaser poster for the Karadzic tour.

Radovan Karadzic is currently under lock and key in The Hague, awaiting his trial on war-crimes charges. His spirit still lingers in the streets of Belgrade however, where a tourist company is launching a tour around his old haunts.

Karadzic is accused of genocide and crimes against humanity for his role in the ethnic cleansing during the Bosnian war in the early 1990s - including the killing of thousands of Bosnian Muslim men at Srebrenica. However, after his arrest on July 21, thousands of Serbs took to the streets in Belgrade to demonstrate against his capture, resulting in violent confrontations with the police. The event showed that the Serbian capital is far from settled.

Nevertheless, tourist agency Vekol Tours has decided to launch a tour around Belgrade that will allow visitors to follow in Karadzic's footsteps by visiting places he frequented in his disguise as an alternative healer. Here are some extracts of the itinerary posted on their website:

"New Belgrade, where last Radovan Karadzic residence was - Block 45 and Jurija Gagarina St. First, we will follow Karadzic morning and go to the bakery shop for a breakfast - home made potato pie, which was his favorite morning meal (...) we will say good morning to the local kiosk and buy some newspaper. (...) we will visit grocery shop where Karadzic was favorite customer. After a short break in a park, checking newspaper and chat with his neighbors, maybe with one cold beer on foot, we will end up in front of the building where he used to live as well as bus station of 73 city bus line and take some photos for a memory. Luda Kuca local pub is waiting for us as a best part of a tour. So, in this rustic ambient, we will try to enjoy like he used to, maybe catching some memories and moments of his stormful life (...). We need to check famous pancakes in Pinocchio pancake shop (...). Of course, specialty that waits for us is Karadzic pancake. On our return to the city center, we will have panorama sightseeing of Special Court, where, after he was captured, Karadzic stays before going to Hag."

Do you speak Chinglish?

Sophie Team Observers — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 18:13:13 +0200

"Chinglish" is commonly referred to in China where official translations into English have for a long time been done on the cheap. The result? Either highly offensive, hilarious or absolutely incomprehensible.

Chinese translated into foreign languages has been an amusing topic for visitors to China for decades. Far from politically-correct signs such as "Deformed Man Toilet" (meaning toilet for the disabled ) have rarely faced criticism because of their endearing charm. But as the Olympics near, many of these special signs are disappearing from the streets of Beijing as part of campaign to stamp out bad English grammar and style. Lamenting the coming extinction, web users are compiling images of the phrases, and there is even a book available to cherish the memories. Here's our pick of the best.