Should Americans Go to Europe? A Friendly Reminder About Political Posts

THANK YOU FOR THIS!!!!!

Yeah! Happy to see this, Stephanie. Thank you!

Thank you so much!!!!!

Hopefully this reminder will reduce how much 'weeding' you have to do.

How is Facebook these days?

I abandoned it about five years ago at the height of COVID. Lots of my friends had already left and the things some of my friends that remained were saying shocked me and put them in a whole new light. The posts they made drew in a whole new set of absolute nutjobs that I didn't know, and it got too much.

I miss some of the groups I was in (music, cars, synthesisers, arts etc.) but it wasn't worth the absolute dross that had to be sifted through. I like to browse old crappy cars for sale on the internet, even though I'm not buying, so it may be worth me going back just for Marketplace, as that's "old crappy car sold by shady character" central.

I'm not sure Rick would be a big enough draw for me to risk my sanity over there. At least here there's a baseline of intelligence and literacy, even if I don't always agree with what folks are saying.

At least here there's a baseline of intelligence and literacy, even if I don't always agree with what folks are saying.

I agree completely with all that, GerryM...

Regarding the big temptation to add political commentary; sure, politics is behind a lot of new issues that matter, but for one, such comments are mostly "singing to the choir", and for two, they don't add new value to the thread.

And three, I find that I'm getting stressed out watching the bit of news media that I do watch, and I'm choosing to limit my news watching to the weather channel. I really appreciate this forum being a respite from all that bad stuff. Thank you to everyone, and especially to our great moderators!

Posted by GerryM
London 04/15/25 06:33 PM

How is Facebook these days?

At least here there's a baseline of intelligence and literacy, even if
I don't always agree with what folks are saying.

I agree.

I use Facebook as a way to keep in touch with childhood friends, some relatives who live far away, and lots of friends in other states besides some of us on the forum who share fun travel photos. I don’t get on Facebook for politics - either side. If someone continues to post those, I unfollow them, which is why I appreciate the forum here. I am not interested in politics in social media.

Much ado about nothing.

I was never on Facebook for politics either, just for social reasons. I never really used it to keep in touch with family. I have quite a small family network and I can always reach them in other ways. I've never really kept in touch with people from school, I formed my most important friendships after leaving school. I didn't attend university.

The folks that I wanted to keep in touch with mostly left, and I seemed to be left with a lot of people who I had only a passing interest in talking to in my feed. COVID drew a lot of people to express political views that didn't really have the tools to form well thought out arguments, often parroting what they saw on the then burgeoning "alternative" news media online. I found that tiresome and usually contrary to my beliefs, so I sacked Facebook off.

I would say I am a bit of a political animal. I formed an interest in politics and current affairs before I reached my teens. My dad was an active political party member and rose up through the ranks of the trade union movement to a national level. He never forced his politics on me but I was curious and we talked a lot. I used to be a member of a political party and was on union committees, both when I worked in daily newspapers in Glasgow and as a museum professional in London. I never took it to the level my dad did though. An ex-partner of mine has returned to her country of birth and is a politician there after her time working in European politics in London. Another ex of mine wrote a modern account of the Greek civil war, with a heavy commie slant, and did her own English and Greek translations.

I wasn't exposed to Rick Steves' work on PBS like many here, and his guidebooks are more geared towards a North American market. Finding and binge watching Rick's shows on Youtube sort of coincided with the time I left Facebook. I found real solace in the wholesome, kind, curious style he presents with. That brought me to this forum and, like I said, I appreciated the intelligence and literacy of the contributors here. I don't have a lot to contribute in terms of raw tourist sightseeing experience.

We talked recently about repeatedly visiting certain places and that's where I've built the knowledge I have. Amsterdam and Barcelona have been important to me, I'm a bit of a London nerd and I've travelled quite a bit in Scotland, my country of birth. I've been somewhat immersed in local culture in all of these places and the politics of them has played an important part in shaping my experiences travelling there. Being on the fringes of the squat scene opened a lot of doors to good parties and people with clear political ideals, not always directly correlated with mine, mind.

As I've been travelling less in recent years, I enjoy living vicariously somewhat through the experiences others talk about on here. I contribute where I can. I respect the position of the moderators with regard to politics, but I have to often hold back from saying what I'm thinking out of that respect. I wouldn't like to jeopardise my membership here through overstating my positions. RSE is a real godsend for me in terms of reading about others' experiences, and an outlet for me to spew hundreds of words out into the ether on a regular basis lol Long may it continue!

If this post isn't somehow pinned to the top of the forum, new/newer posters won't have seen it and will still come here asking that same question.

Thanks-it's about time you did this. I suspect that some(or many) of these posts are intended to convey a political message that has been run into the ground by so many of these posts.

Re FB: I don't have any problems there because I unfollow people who post about politics.

I am so glad to see this. I remember when this “forum” was called The travelers help line. The whole tone changed when it became a forum. Before it truly was a help line for fellow travelers trying to help each other. Once it changed to a forum, it became something else, too many snide remarks, too many political views, etc. Most of the desire simply to help someone if you could, and the kindness that went with it is basically gone. What a shame.

Most of the desire simply to help someone if you could, and the kindness that went with it is basically gone.

I think there's a ton of that here [edit: kindness and generosity]. The vast majority of regular contributors on here go above and beyond to help others. Most give the impression that they'd be real diamonds in real life to me. I've been here two years, so maybe it was better at some point back in the past. I can't speak to that.

What we're badly missing is locals from The Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland to give their knowledge and opinions on things. We have quite a few good people on the ground in Great Britain, and most of Europe is covered by someone local? Is there anywhere else that isn't?

edit: Don't remember anyone with a Finnish location in their profile recently.

edit edit: I don't know how many people lurk here without posting, but if you do lurk, and you're from those places, and you know how to help new tourists, post in the threads...

It’s been troubling seeing so many people recently posting questions about whether they’ll be harassed or resented if they take their dream trip in Europe. It’s reaffirming that this Rick Steves Travel Forum is where they went for reliable responses. Hopefully the replies they received were useful for them, and will be for anyone who discovers those previous posts.

A few friends of ours continually ask about how Europeans will treat us or speak about America or Americans. My wife and I are in Europe somewhere for the last 34 years plus 3 years spent in the military. I have a short complete thought. For the last 80 years America has spent billions rebuilding Europe as we know it today. I doubt very seriously the politics of the last 90 plus days is enough for our friends to abandon us as a nation. I feel it is another test democracies move through.

Lifetime Travel, thank you for your comments. They are appreciated.

I understand the reasons for Stefanie's post. Threads over how Americans might be received overseas (and even changing exchange rates) can have political overtones. I totally understand and respect the RS team wanting these forums to be a politics-free zone. I do have an opinion on the general issue, but I have already shared it with the webmaster, received a thoughtful response, and will play by the rules that are set.

I doubt very seriously the politics of the last 90 plus days is enough
for our friends to abandon us as a nation.

You might be in for a surprise.

And for any Americans worried about how they will be treated, that depends very much on your attitude.

I am traveling over this summer, can't wait, and not concerned at all or interested in the reception I'll get, let alone treated in Germany France and Austria. As usual, will I engage in talking politics with locals, yes. I've always done it.

My itinerary includes revisiting both well-known tourist frequented places from all over the world , Vienna, Paris, Berlin, and as well esoteric places in Germany and France where I will be the only outsider there and on the train going there, same as on the last 2 trips. Surely the locals will recognise me as such.

I have been traveling and living overseas for 45 years and visited 83 foreign countries including some like Russia and China.
Each part of the world has a different culture and I always made sure not to directly insult anyone. Even in China, back in 2012, when our guide told us that Mao, who was responsible for the death of 70 million people, was only 35% wrong.

ALso, in Russia, in 2011, we did a Russian River cruise that was built in the 30s under Stalin and 1.2 million died from building it. This our Russian guides even acknowledged. Some of our guides even indicate that they were not fond of Putin.

Most of the time politics doesn't come up. This is best.

We have trips to Europe in the next 3-4 months and are not worried at all about the politics. I think too much is made of these thread about the politics.