Don’t let too many viewings of National Lampoon’s European Vacation turn you into a self-loathing tourist. It’s ok not to know what you’re doing, and to look like a bit of an idiot when you’re traveling. As long as you are respectful and learn how to say “Do you speak English?” in the language of the place you’re visiting, you’re not going to suddenly turn into Clark Griswald.
Venice was Euro Disney when the reel Euro Disney was just a glimmer in some Disney Exec’s eye. Very few Italians actually live there, everyone speaks English, the weather is lovely, there are no cars, and it is filled to the brim with tourists. There are so many tourists I kept thinking I was on a movie set. Japanese people were doing zany poses for photographs in St Mark’s square, British people were getting hammered, eastern Europeans were letting pigeons land on their arms and eat seeds out of their hands, and Americans wore their socks and sandals and happily complained about the filthy toilets. I stopped being annoyed after about ten minutes, and had a great time.
It’s like being forced to join a club that you always thought you’d hate, then wanting to be the president. And I ate a fish with the head still attached- I think that’s a ride at the real Disney Land right?
