Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
opening week, I was sur-
rounded by teary-eyed
Germans. Now, anytime
you're surrounded by
teary-eyed Germans…
something exceptional
is going on. Most of
those teary eyes were old
enough to remember the
dii cult times after World
War II, when their city
lay in rubble. For these
people, the opening of this grand building was the symbolic closing of a dif-
i cult chapter in the history of a great nation. No more division. No more
fascism. No more communism. h ey had a united government and were
entering a new century with a new capitol i lled with hope and optimism.
It was a thrill to be there. I was caught up in it. But then, as I looked
around at the other travelers up there with me, I realized that only some of
us fully grasped what was going on. Many tourists seemed so preoccupied
with trivialities—forgotten camera batteries, needing a Coke, the lack of air-
conditioning—that they were missing out on this once-in-a-lifetime oppor-
tunity to celebrate a great moment with the German people. And it saddened
me. I thought, “I don't want to be part of a dumbed-down society.”
I worry that the mainstream tourism industry encourages us to be dumbed
down. To many people, travel is only about having fun in the sun, shopping
duty-free, and cashing in frequent-l yer miles. But to me, that stuf distracts
us from the real thrills, rewards, and value of travel. In our travels—and in our
everyday lives—we should become more educated about and engaged with chal-
lenging issues, using the past to understand the present. h e more you know,
and the more you strive to learn, the richer your travels and your life become.
In my own realm as a travel teacher, when I have the opportunity to lead
a tour, write a guidebook, or make a TV show, I take it with the responsi-
bility to respect and challenge the intellect of my tour members, readers, or
viewers. All of us will gain more from our travels if we refuse to be dumbed
down. Promise yourself and challenge your travel partners to be engaged
and grapple with the challenging issues while on the road. Your experience
will be better for it.
The new glass dome atop Germany's parliament building
comes with a point.
