Author Topic: Travel Culture  (Read 6451 times)

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Offline msj

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Re: Travel Culture
« Reply #165 on: November 16, 2019, 07:52:36 am »
Article about ethnicity/race and politics in Bolivia: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/15/world/americas/morales-bolivia-Indigenous-racism.html

Bolivia was so awesome to visit and now it’s being torn apart.

While I was biking the death road on Xmas day my wife had a tour in La Paz and the tour guide talked about race/class issues.

The cable cars that can transport poor people across the city in minutes but angers richer and “whiter” folks (like nimby’s here but more Spanish than British) was a topic of discussion.  Rich folk hate subsidizing poor folk no matter where one lives, of course.  A matter exacerbated by race/ethnic tensions. 

No idea what the solution is but glad I could visit during a quiet peaceful time. 

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Offline Michael Hardner

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Re: Travel Culture
« Reply #166 on: November 16, 2019, 09:52:28 am »
I like how you travel.
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Offline Super Colin Blow

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Re: Travel Culture
« Reply #167 on: November 17, 2019, 08:45:05 am »
I like how you travel.

What's it like going cross Canada on passenger rail? How expensive?
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Offline Michael Hardner

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Re: Travel Culture
« Reply #168 on: November 17, 2019, 09:25:01 am »
What's it like going cross Canada on passenger rail? How expensive?

Good question.  I haven't done it but I do wonder.

Offline Omni

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Re: Travel Culture
« Reply #169 on: November 17, 2019, 12:23:35 pm »
What's it like going cross Canada on passenger rail? How expensive?

The closest I've come to crossing Canada by rail was from Toronto to Vancouver and that was a few years ago. I think I paid about $400 and it took ~4 days. Of course unless you bring a pretty big lunch kit with you then you can easily spend at least half that again on eats,, and then of course there's the bar car. It was a nice ride through some beautiful landscapes and you can meet a lot of people who are sharing the same experience. I have also driven from St. Johns to Victoria so I can mimic a lot of accents starting with Newfaneses. I for one hope we have the good sense to hold this beautiful place together.
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Offline ?Impact

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Re: Travel Culture
« Reply #170 on: November 18, 2019, 05:28:44 pm »
The closest I've come to crossing Canada by rail was from Toronto to Vancouver and that was a few years ago.

I can cover [most of*] the rest of the country for you. Made many trips out east, on both the CN and CP lines. Not sure if VIA ever used the CP line, but I have taken VIA over the CN line as well.

*I spent an entire summer in Newfoundland while there was still a train, however we got there by air and around the rock by car. I spent several weeks with my aunt who lived by the tracks in a small remote village.

I have also driven from St. Johns to Victoria

Likewise, but not in one trip. Countless trips from Montreal east, and 4 from Toronto out west (all to BC, but only 2 to the island) by different routes (ok, 3.5 because one trip we returned through the states).

What's it like going cross Canada on passenger rail? How expensive?

Expensive is relative. Do you want to go coach, or get sleeper accommodation. It could run you well into the thousands, far more expensive than first class air, if you want to. I think Omni's several hundred must be many years ago, I think even coach is quite expensive now. I believe there are rail passes available if you want to spend some time and stop along the way, they used to be less expensive if you purchased them out of the country but I haven't checked into them recently. The carrier is called Via Rail.

Offline Omni

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Re: Travel Culture
« Reply #171 on: November 18, 2019, 05:41:24 pm »
I can cover [most of*] the rest of the country for you. Made many trips out east, on both the CN and CP lines. Not sure if VIA ever used the CP line, but I have taken VIA over the CN line as well.

*I spent an entire summer in Newfoundland while there was still a train, however we got there by air and around the rock by car. I spent several weeks with my aunt who lived by the tracks in a small remote village.

Likewise, but not in one trip. Countless trips from Montreal east, and 4 from Toronto out west (all to BC, but only 2 to the island) by different routes (ok, 3.5 because one trip we returned through the states).

Expensive is relative. Do you want to go coach, or get sleeper accommodation. It could run you well into the thousands, far more expensive than first class air, if you want to. I think Omni's several hundred must be many years ago, I think even coach is quite expensive now. I believe there are rail passes available if you want to spend some time and stop along the way, they used to be less expensive if you purchased them out of the country but I haven't checked into them recently. The carrier is called Via Rail.

Yes it was quite a while ago and so I'm not up so speed on the costs these days. One other trip I day that showed me a lot of the country was from Vancouver-Hall Beach-Churchill-Lac St. Jean and a few other places in PQ, and then eventually to Goose Bay Lab. It truly was a sea to sea to sea.

Offline ?Impact

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Re: Travel Culture
« Reply #172 on: November 18, 2019, 05:57:24 pm »
Hall Beach

That was obviously not by rail, or even road.

I've only been north of the arctic circle in Europe.

Drifting the thread into sailing, hopefully JMT doesn't suspend me here, my lotto winning dream is a Garcia 45. That will get me at least close to Hall Beach.

Offline Omni

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Re: Travel Culture
« Reply #173 on: November 18, 2019, 08:45:47 pm »
That was obviously not by rail, or even road.

I've only been north of the arctic circle in Europe.

Drifting the thread into sailing, hopefully JMT doesn't suspend me here, my lotto winning dream is a Garcia 45. That will get me at least close to Hall Beach.

Yes, not by rail or road but by sky. And I did a bit of that boating thing, bought a C+C in Marblehead Mass. and sailed it all along the east coast to the Keys and then the Bahamas. Somehow that area appeals to me more than Hall Beach. I no longer have that boat but a good friend of mine out here on the west coast has a Tayana 37 so I get a chance to keep in practice from time to time.

Offline Goddess

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Re: Travel Culture
« Reply #174 on: November 19, 2019, 10:10:49 am »
Article about ethnicity/race and politics in Bolivia: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/15/world/americas/morales-bolivia-Indigenous-racism.html

Bolivia was so awesome to visit and now it’s being torn apart.


People think it's only white folks who have prejudices, but it's not.  My sister is married to a Chilean and they say most South Americans hate the Mexicans - they're like the black people/ Natives of S. America.  It's the Spanish heritage that makes them feel superior to the indigenous tribes of S. America.
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Offline cybercoma

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Re: Travel Culture
« Reply #175 on: November 19, 2019, 11:07:41 am »
People think it's only white folks who have prejudices
Literally no one thinks that.
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Offline Goddess

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Re: Travel Culture
« Reply #176 on: November 19, 2019, 12:12:54 pm »
Literally no one thinks that.

Yes, they do.  There are several between these boards that insist it is Canada that is the most prejudice country in the world, despite studies that show the opposite, while denying that other cultures are far, far worse.
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Offline Omni

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Re: Travel Culture
« Reply #177 on: November 19, 2019, 12:15:58 pm »
Literally no one thinks that.

Certainly anyone who has done any serious travel in their day would have learned better. 

Offline cybercoma

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Re: Travel Culture
« Reply #178 on: November 19, 2019, 12:19:53 pm »
Yes, they do.  There are several between these boards that insist it is Canada that is the most prejudice country in the world, despite studies that show the opposite, while denying that other cultures are far, far worse.
Canada certainly doesn't have a reputation of being the "most prejudiced country in the world."

Offline Goddess

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Re: Travel Culture
« Reply #179 on: November 19, 2019, 01:10:28 pm »
Canada certainly doesn't have a reputation of being the "most prejudiced country in the world."

I agree.  Which is why I don't buy their whole "Canada is full of far-right, white supremacist, Muslim haters" rhetoric.
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