In article ,
Steve Pardoe wrote:
"Colin Irvine" wrote in message
.. .
On Tue, 3 Mar 2009 12:32:41 -0600, Dymphna squeezed out the following:
The Alps are small compared to the Rockies.

They're also much, much closer. And cheaper.

...and we don't have to go through all that visa and immigration sh*t which
the paranoid merkins (sorry Eugene, I agree with all you say) throw at us.

No need to apologize.
Over than half of us aren't happy about that either.
I was in Canada the day the Economic Stimulus Package was ID'ed to have
"Buy American" clauses in it.

Europe, to the USA skiers, is more competitive to the Eastern seaboard skiers
than Western skiers (we have other reasons for visiting: my next trip will
likely include a diplomatic dog and pony show at the U. Pisa, IBM Zurich,
Google Zurich, the EPFL, the ETH, and a new institute being formed by a friend).
I'm just waiting to see the fares Ryan Air says that it will be offering
this Fall. So long as air fares on the East remain competitive with
fares to Europe, if friends have time, they can get a nice Alpine
vacation. Most USAians however are much more work oriented (especially
in this economy). I just don't want to bother to lose my use-or-lose leave.

The European visa **** wasn't that long ago. It merely took time for
the US to catch up. Meanwhile you guys implemented your Commission and
Union and conventions (I still keep a few Lira, DMs, Francs (FF as
opposed to SF). Also, you guys have lived longer with larger scale terrorism
because of roads and rail (went thru Madrid and London shortly after
those bombings).

Also don't forget that when you get on Swiss trains, there are a lot of
guys doing their annual 3 weeks of service with their automatic rifles.

Seeing differences is part of travel.

A couple of places never covered by travel guides which I've see around
in different European countries are Wild West motif restaurants/resorts,
teepees, cover wagons, with shows where the Indians speak German (and other
languages {French Canadian Indians can speak French of course}). I
wonder what you guys think of our West.... Yes, I have been to Monument
Valley where those Ford Westerns were made.

I have friends who live on ranches, in log cabins, geodesic domes, and
in 2 cases, tee pees (pale faces, not native peoples).

--

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