Comments on: Real Travel: In Search Of Authenticity http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/04/12/in-search-of-authenticity/ Online travel magazine dedicated to exploring travel in the 21st century. Offering travel news, compelling interviews, online travel tools, and more. Sun, 21 Mar 2010 19:48:01 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Davis http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/04/12/in-search-of-authenticity/comment-page-1/#comment-96699 Davis Wed, 03 Feb 2010 22:39:18 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/04/12/in-search-of-authenticity/#comment-96699 I want my Internet access and indoor plumbing, but I don't want high fructose corn syrup produced in Kansas flavoring my authentic dish served to me in rural Mongolia. I want my Internet access and indoor plumbing, but I don’t want high fructose corn syrup produced in Kansas flavoring my authentic dish served to me in rural Mongolia.

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]]> By: Sterilizing Beijing « The Daily Transit http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/04/12/in-search-of-authenticity/comment-page-1/#comment-1847 Sterilizing Beijing « The Daily Transit Sat, 21 Apr 2007 00:28:59 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/04/12/in-search-of-authenticity/#comment-1847 [...] it, in my eyes, is negative in the sense that it damages the city’s culture (which is another debate). And a new government PR campaign aimed at cleaning up Beijing’s manners is to me another [...] [...] it, in my eyes, is negative in the sense that it damages the city’s culture (which is another debate). And a new government PR campaign aimed at cleaning up Beijing’s manners is to me another [...]

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]]> By: kym beckwith http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/04/12/in-search-of-authenticity/comment-page-1/#comment-1795 kym beckwith Thu, 19 Apr 2007 17:48:52 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/04/12/in-search-of-authenticity/#comment-1795 Edward Abbey said it best when he said, "I've never been to a place I liked that I told anyone about" Edward Abbey said it best when he said, “I’ve never been to a place I liked that I told anyone about”

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]]> By: tutubi http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/04/12/in-search-of-authenticity/comment-page-1/#comment-1680 tutubi Tue, 17 Apr 2007 07:55:28 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/04/12/in-search-of-authenticity/#comment-1680 Hi! i feel your pain here. I, too, want to go places not contaminated with the outside world. My country still has those communities living in tribal state and I wish to visit them soon before they disappear. i also prefer the road NOT travelled and possibly outer space is the next frontier :) Hi!

i feel your pain here. I, too, want to go places not contaminated with the outside world. My country still has those communities living in tribal state and I wish to visit them soon before they disappear.

i also prefer the road NOT travelled and possibly outer space is the next frontier :)

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]]> By: This Week's Wandering News « The Daily Transit http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/04/12/in-search-of-authenticity/comment-page-1/#comment-1530 This Week's Wandering News « The Daily Transit Sat, 14 Apr 2007 02:32:54 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/04/12/in-search-of-authenticity/#comment-1530 [...] Mandel sparks a great discussion on tourism and authenticy over at Brave New Traveler, offering a fresh perspective on what travelers should really be looking [...] [...] Mandel sparks a great discussion on tourism and authenticy over at Brave New Traveler, offering a fresh perspective on what travelers should really be looking [...]

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]]> By: pam http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/04/12/in-search-of-authenticity/comment-page-1/#comment-1495 pam Fri, 13 Apr 2007 13:48:03 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/04/12/in-search-of-authenticity/#comment-1495 @Ben: i like the thinking around what happens to make something an "attraction." I'm going to noodle that over. @Lucis: I don't think it's just "Western" ideals that affect our travel experience. When we were road tripping in the Canadian Rockies a few years ago, we shared a picnic shelter in the rain with a very large Indian family. And once, while sitting solo on the beach in Santa Cruz, I was engulfed in a cloud of camera toting suit wearing Japanese tourists - and then, they were gone. Affluence and tourism go together - societies that have the money to travel for pleasure will leave their mark on our travel experiences. @Wveryone: Best. Commenters. Ever. @Ben: i like the thinking around what happens to make something an “attraction.” I’m going to noodle that over.

@Lucis: I don’t think it’s just “Western” ideals that affect our travel experience. When we were road tripping in the Canadian Rockies a few years ago, we shared a picnic shelter in the rain with a very large Indian family. And once, while sitting solo on the beach in Santa Cruz, I was engulfed in a cloud of camera toting suit wearing Japanese tourists – and then, they were gone.

Affluence and tourism go together – societies that have the money to travel for pleasure will leave their mark on our travel experiences.

@Wveryone: Best. Commenters. Ever.

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]]> By: Lucia http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/04/12/in-search-of-authenticity/comment-page-1/#comment-1489 Lucia Fri, 13 Apr 2007 10:16:15 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/04/12/in-search-of-authenticity/#comment-1489 I'm glad this article was written because its something that's been on my mind for quite somtime. With the growing market for 'real' tourism (i.e shanty town tours in Brazil or South Africa) I've wondered myself what people look for when they travel nowadays. Is sightseeing and touring around wonderful cities and gorgeous landscapes and meeting incredible people not enough anymore? Do we now need to get kicks out of being the voyeurs of human suffering and need? I agree with the author in what she says: wherever we go, there we are. Period. Let's not complain about the western ways 'ruining' other cultures, because after all, it's our doing. We should reap what we sow and make the best of it. I’m glad this article was written because its something that’s been on my mind for quite somtime. With the growing market for ‘real’ tourism (i.e shanty town tours in Brazil or South Africa) I’ve wondered myself what people look for when they travel nowadays. Is sightseeing and touring around wonderful cities and gorgeous landscapes and meeting incredible people not enough anymore? Do we now need to get kicks out of being the voyeurs of human suffering and need?

I agree with the author in what she says: wherever we go, there we are. Period. Let’s not complain about the western ways ‘ruining’ other cultures, because after all, it’s our doing. We should reap what we sow and make the best of it.

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]]> By: JennDZ http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/04/12/in-search-of-authenticity/comment-page-1/#comment-1471 JennDZ Thu, 12 Apr 2007 23:31:21 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/04/12/in-search-of-authenticity/#comment-1471 I think Ms. Mandel said it right when she said "The best we can hope for is to be authentic in our travels. Wherever we go, there we are." That is for sure. We can't change how other people are or how their lives and culture has changed through years and technology - much like our own. All you can control is how authenitc and sharing you are. I think too many people miss some lovely parts of traveling and seeing the world because they strive to be less touristy. I like being in a culture and seeing how people live in daily life, but if I go to Rome, I go to the Colleseum. If I am in Paris, the Eiffel Tower. Because you are there you might experience it all, the unique, the real and the touristy - it is all part of the make up of a place! So enjoy it all and feel free to! I think Ms. Mandel said it right when she said
“The best we can hope for is to be authentic in our travels. Wherever we go, there we are.”

That is for sure. We can’t change how other people are or how their lives and culture has changed through years and technology – much like our own. All you can control is how authenitc and sharing you are.

I think too many people miss some lovely parts of traveling and seeing the world because they strive to be less touristy. I like being in a culture and seeing how people live in daily life, but if I go to Rome, I go to the Colleseum. If I am in Paris, the Eiffel Tower.
Because you are there you might experience it all, the unique, the real and the touristy – it is all part of the make up of a place!

So enjoy it all and feel free to!

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]]> By: ianmack http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/04/12/in-search-of-authenticity/comment-page-1/#comment-1465 ianmack Thu, 12 Apr 2007 20:17:44 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/04/12/in-search-of-authenticity/#comment-1465 Everyone, thanks for your thought provoking comments. I'm thinking there's at a least a few university papers out of this discussion. ;-) For me, I try to remind myself that if I visit a place and find it overrun with tourists and Western comforts, the adventure and sense of place are not inherently devalued -- they're simply a little harder to recognize. Everyone, thanks for your thought provoking comments. I’m thinking there’s at a least a few university papers out of this discussion. ;-)

For me, I try to remind myself that if I visit a place and find it overrun with tourists and Western comforts, the adventure and sense of place are not inherently devalued — they’re simply a little harder to recognize.

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]]> By: ourman http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/04/12/in-search-of-authenticity/comment-page-1/#comment-1458 ourman Thu, 12 Apr 2007 17:18:25 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/04/12/in-search-of-authenticity/#comment-1458 I read the first couple of lines of this on my RSS reader and came over to rant. Turns out I am in entire agreement with this writer. I once new a volunteer worker who spent a lot of time with an ethnic community. Occasionally tour groups would come through. On more than one occasion there were complaints regarding the tribes' homes. It seems as they got richer they had stopped building their charming wooden shacks and instead replaced them with brick homes. The tourists weren't happy. They didn't think it was authentic. Now what right does a tourist have to stop development? Here were people who were working hard and investing their gains into a good home for the family. And sure, as the article said, it's all authentic. The development of this tribe is an interesting a subject as you'll find. I saw two and a half years of change in Hanoi. You could literally see the development. Suddenly tall builders were starting to dot the horizon. People were dressing more flamboyantly, Vietnamese people were suddenly visiting restaurants that previously had been just for tourists - it was all authentic. There were things I was less happy with - like KFC turning up. But, you know what? It's their city. Jobs in KFC are better than jobs in a rice fields. The food might be crap but whose to say they can't eat it if they want to? It's all good, it's all fascinating. Sure we don't want everywhere to be a facsimile of America but how a country deals with external influences and cultures and twists them to meet their own way of living, can be fascinating. A friend once arrived in Hanoi and wanted to go off exploring for a while. He asked me where was good to visit. I reccommended Hoi An. He came back complaining it was full of tourists - and as ever missing the point, that people do, that he himself is a tourist. Hey it's an authentic tourist town that was once an authentic trading post. It still has an authentic market and authentic sailing boats but while the Cargo Club's sandwich's and ice cream are not authentic - it tastes great. Enjoy. This authentic thing though, like eco lodges (and don't get me wrong, I love them) - is a good deal for the travel agent. Take to the middle of nowhere, where there is no facilities, put them in a hut without electricity and hot water - and make them pay a fortune for it. Each to their own. To hark back to volunteering (again). If you want to know the "real" country then you won't find it in a couple of weeks. Hell, 30 months in Hanoi and I was more confused by local culture when I left, than when i arrived. But at least I knew I knew nothing. If you get my drift. Finding the REAL thing - takes a long time, years probably. I read the first couple of lines of this on my RSS reader and came over to rant.

Turns out I am in entire agreement with this writer.

I once new a volunteer worker who spent a lot of time with an ethnic community. Occasionally tour groups would come through. On more than one occasion there were complaints regarding the tribes’ homes.

It seems as they got richer they had stopped building their charming wooden shacks and instead replaced them with brick homes.

The tourists weren’t happy. They didn’t think it was authentic.

Now what right does a tourist have to stop development? Here were people who were working hard and investing their gains into a good home for the family.

And sure, as the article said, it’s all authentic. The development of this tribe is an interesting a subject as you’ll find.

I saw two and a half years of change in Hanoi. You could literally see the development. Suddenly tall builders were starting to dot the horizon. People were dressing more flamboyantly, Vietnamese people were suddenly visiting restaurants that previously had been just for tourists – it was all authentic.

There were things I was less happy with – like KFC turning up. But, you know what? It’s their city. Jobs in KFC are better than jobs in a rice fields. The food might be crap but whose to say they can’t eat it if they want to?

It’s all good, it’s all fascinating. Sure we don’t want everywhere to be a facsimile of America but how a country deals with external influences and cultures and twists them to meet their own way of living, can be fascinating.

A friend once arrived in Hanoi and wanted to go off exploring for a while. He asked me where was good to visit. I reccommended Hoi An.

He came back complaining it was full of tourists – and as ever missing the point, that people do, that he himself is a tourist. Hey it’s an authentic tourist town that was once an authentic trading post. It still has an authentic market and authentic sailing boats but while the Cargo Club’s sandwich’s and ice cream are not authentic – it tastes great. Enjoy.

This authentic thing though, like eco lodges (and don’t get me wrong, I love them) – is a good deal for the travel agent. Take to the middle of nowhere, where there is no facilities, put them in a hut without electricity and hot water – and make them pay a fortune for it.

Each to their own. To hark back to volunteering (again). If you want to know the “real” country then you won’t find it in a couple of weeks.

Hell, 30 months in Hanoi and I was more confused by local culture when I left, than when i arrived.

But at least I knew I knew nothing. If you get my drift. Finding the REAL thing – takes a long time, years probably.

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