Couldn’t comment on the last post.
Rick Steves started thinking about the environmental impact of all the flights and tours he’s taken and scheduled. He and others are now paying an environmental tax, self imposed.
I don’t know how it works. I do know flights and travel help destroy the environment. Some places are now so over-visited that what people (resident and tourist alike) love about the place has been destroyed.
I stopped very briefly in Telluride. Couldn’t bear it. Often can’t park in Bisbee on weekends. Places in Europe are beginning to detest all the visitors.
What do we do? I’ve never been to Europe. I want to go.i don’t want to pollute and I do t want people to hate me for invading their community.
I don’t think people hate tourists — especially when, as in Ireland, the money they’ve brought with them has provided many with the essentials of life. However, there’s such a think as overtourism. Too many people makes the experience crappy for the traveler and for the local host communities. I think there is a happy medium somewhere. For Heather and me, the medium path includes traveling off season, going to places that are less visited, finding people/places/things that are fantastic but not well publicized. The Faroe Islands closes to tourism completely each year in order to do a big clean up and restorative work on infrastructure. Volunteers are welcome. I think it’s brilliant. I’ll check out what Rick Steves is doing. He’s one of my heroes. I also think that housesitting, WWOOFing, Work Away and similar programs are a great way to travel without being a tourist. You’re never too old to share experience and knowledge. Check them out!
Hear ya loud and clear. Wonderlust is in our DNA. But doing that so as not to effect where we go? I have wondered how ecotourism can coin and claim that term. Ah, Ireland. It is not lost on me that there is where you are focusing on this. Part historical mine field part Disneylike fairy land. I certainly don’t have answers, but the questions have been in my mind also. We want to travel and see and experience new things, but at what cost? Another question to ponder among the myriad.
On my way south from Santa Fe, I tried to stop in Chimayo. there were hundreds of people there. I couldn’t couldn’t find a place to park for quite a distance off. I left. When I visit there, I need some quiet. I wasn’t going to get it that day.
Studio Briddsang 
Couldn’t comment on the last post.
Rick Steves started thinking about the environmental impact of all the flights and tours he’s taken and scheduled. He and others are now paying an environmental tax, self imposed.
I don’t know how it works. I do know flights and travel help destroy the environment. Some places are now so over-visited that what people (resident and tourist alike) love about the place has been destroyed.
I stopped very briefly in Telluride. Couldn’t bear it. Often can’t park in Bisbee on weekends. Places in Europe are beginning to detest all the visitors.
What do we do? I’ve never been to Europe. I want to go.i don’t want to pollute and I do t want people to hate me for invading their community.
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I don’t think people hate tourists — especially when, as in Ireland, the money they’ve brought with them has provided many with the essentials of life. However, there’s such a think as overtourism. Too many people makes the experience crappy for the traveler and for the local host communities. I think there is a happy medium somewhere. For Heather and me, the medium path includes traveling off season, going to places that are less visited, finding people/places/things that are fantastic but not well publicized. The Faroe Islands closes to tourism completely each year in order to do a big clean up and restorative work on infrastructure. Volunteers are welcome. I think it’s brilliant. I’ll check out what Rick Steves is doing. He’s one of my heroes. I also think that housesitting, WWOOFing, Work Away and similar programs are a great way to travel without being a tourist. You’re never too old to share experience and knowledge. Check them out!
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Hear ya loud and clear. Wonderlust is in our DNA. But doing that so as not to effect where we go? I have wondered how ecotourism can coin and claim that term. Ah, Ireland. It is not lost on me that there is where you are focusing on this. Part historical mine field part Disneylike fairy land. I certainly don’t have answers, but the questions have been in my mind also. We want to travel and see and experience new things, but at what cost? Another question to ponder among the myriad.
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Because you can never have enough projects… or enough unanswerable questions to ponder.
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On my way south from Santa Fe, I tried to stop in Chimayo. there were hundreds of people there. I couldn’t couldn’t find a place to park for quite a distance off. I left. When I visit there, I need some quiet. I wasn’t going to get it that day.
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So look forward to hearing much more about Ireland and your reflections when you return and we have time together.
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