Best tourists award goes to...

Tourists from Japan

The best tourists in the world are the Japanese, followed by Americans and the Swiss, a survey based on European hoteliers. Japanese tourists stood out for being polite and tidy, obtaining 35 percent more votes than the Americans who came second. Swiss tourists were commended for being quiet and considerate.

According to the study, which was published this month, tourists from the United States gained points for attempting to speak the local language and always trying local food – in addition to spending a lot of money during their stays.

The fifth worst tourists mark was given to Britons who were said to have (from the survey) rude behavior, were noise and had a bad attitude towards tipping. However they were still welcomed as they were aid to be the third biggest holiday spenders after Americans and Russians.

On the other hand, American received the number 1` spot for at least one category - worst dressed tourists – “we’re #1!, we’re #1!”
Oh wait… that’s a bad thing…

Britain took second place

Based on responses from 15,000 European hoteliers, the survey carried out on behalf of travel Web site Expedia showed that the worst tourists were those from France, followed by India, China and Russia.

Source: (Reuters)

Downtown Santa Barbara
Continued from: I'm not that cute

The weather was still a bit overcast, but I wasn't going to let a silly thing like weather stop me so I just threw on a tank top under a knit beach dress and than went in search for breakfast. After almost forty minutes of searching for a simple breakfast and finding only gourmet seafood dishes, I opted for coffee café cuisine.


During "breakfast" I chatted with locals learning disappoints of some recent corporate plundering of local panache as well as some local secrets and tourist trap information. By the time we were done, the sun finally came out and provided me with the weather I was hoping for. I spent the next eight plus hours window-shopping, treasure hunting, exploring, rock climbing, sight seeing, locals chatting and drum dancing riding the beach trams (half of the time) from point B (beach) to point T (tourist scenery).

Santa Barbara Courthouse
The Santa Barbara courthouse is a magnificent Spanish-Moor "palace" built in 1929.
The architecture and extremely detailed interior décor of hand-painted ceilings, wrought iron entryways and chandeliers with spiraling stair cases, floor to ceiling murals and imported tiles gives the feel that the courthouse is much older than it's 78 years.

In addition, the courthouse is fully functional where lawyers and judges conduct typical M-F proceedings. Ascent to the tower of the courthouse and you'll be awed by the 360° view of the city, mountains and the ocean; from what I'm told, you can see clear through to the islands on transparent airy days.

After fully exploring the courthouse (and a few areas I accidentally forgot to see the 'Employees Only beyond this rope' signs) I was walking alongside the courthouse seeing the surrounding gardens when Hope literally fell into my hands. Event workers were preparing the grounds for the Easter Ceremony and dozens of flag stands lined the street surrounding the courthouse. As I was walking by, a flagpole tipped over directly in front of me forcing me to catch Hope. Sign from above?

Inspiring Teenagers

I’m looking for the street {insert your name here}

A cash-strapped Hungarian village is offering a chance of 300 years mortality to anyone willing to pay to have a street named after them.

The northeastern village of Ivad is hoping world famous celebrities will apply but ehy’re not restriciting the purchase only to the celebrities. Anyone with 100,000 forints ($511) can purchase a meter of street to be named after themselves. In addition, the mayor of Ivad guarantees on its web site that the name will not be altered for 300 years.

You speak and read Hungarian right?

As with anything in life, there is a catch. Hungarian law dictates roads cannot be named after the living. Instead they will have to rely on a contract guaranteeing the name change will take effect after they’re death.

Hmmmm SierraNightTide Drive… I like it.

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