"This is the travel platitude to end all travel platitudes: it's not about the place, it's about the people. Agreed. So let's not forget that even on the tourist trail -- especially here, come to think of it -- you can meet all kinds of people who are interesting and worldly and not at all...

"How does one see the thing better when others are absent? Is looking like sucking: the more lookers, the less there is to see?" --Walker Percy, "The Loss of the Creature" (1954)

"I hate looking at monuments. I hate waking up in the morning and thinking, 'Oh! Today we're gonna visit this abbey.' We don't do it at home, why should we do it abroad? The only thing I'm interested in is people, views, restaurants, and a clean, warm place to crap, as What's-his-name said. You never...