The Polite Traveler

  My dear polite travelers, We have just returned from a very enlightening and enjoyable Italian holiday.  The focus of the trip was in part research (manners, etiquette , and mobility challenged travel-related) and in part just plain soaking up the culture.  Fun.  Most easily, we found our fun and interaction with others.  However, the research and soaking up the culture of the locals was the difficult part of the equation.  Tourist Overload I suppose we set ourselves up for this difficulty due to our choices of location.  As a teacher, I felt compelled to visit a few of the best-known art and architecture/historical centers: Siena, Florence, and Venice (skipped Rome this visit).  These cities are not only drenched in art and history but they are also overrun with tourists.  So, mostly we found ourselves surrounded by those either not from Italy or those truly tired of intruders.  We have all heard of the ugly Americans, those w...