Brits abroad

German tabloid mocks UK tourists

Germany's tabloid newspaper, Bild, has printed a list of holiday resorts to avoid - those dominated by the British.

This comes after a British man was awarded £750 (953 euros) after suing his travel company over a holiday at a resort filled with Germans.

Bild quotes a German legal expert saying that Germans holidaying in all-British resorts would not have the same opportunity of suing.

It goes on to poke fun at British cuisine, drinking-habits and sport.

David Barnish, 47, was awarded compensation last week for a holiday in Greece which he argued had been spoilt by the number of German tourists and the fact that all the activities were organised in the German language.

Penalty jibe

Bild points out that Germans will find it hard to get their money back if they find their hotel overrun with Britons.

"Even if the travel company announces in the brochure that the resort is 'favoured by Germans', the tourist has to accept the possibility that he will spend his holidays with up to 90% foreigners - above all with the English," Uta Stenzel, a legal expert, told the paper.

Bild recommends avoiding the best-known destinations for British holidaymakers and lists the top six 'black spots' as the Bay of Palma in Majorca, San Antonio in Ibiza, Playa de las Americas in Tenerife, Ayia Napa in Cyprus, Faliraki on the Greek island of Rhodes and Malia in Crete.

Just in case the Germans have a problem identifying British tourists abroad, Bild has a guide on its online version, illustrated with an unappealing photo of two sunburnt women on sun chairs.

It also ridicules British cuisine, binge-drinking, fashion and sport, says that "athletically they are not up to much, they can't even take penalties" and points out that Austria and Switzerland - the hosts of this summer's Euro 2008 football championships - will be largely British-free zones this year as no British teams have qualified.


Now read the article telling the original story that caused the fuss.

Brit's holiday from Helmut

A DAD who took his family to a luxury holiday hotel only to find they were surrounded by Germans was awarded £750 by a court yesterday.

David Barnish, 47, forked out £4,000 for the all-inclusive trip to the Greek island of Kos.

But on arrival at the 700-room Grecotel Park hotel with wife Karen and his three daughters, David grew suspicious as he noticed all the unoccupied sunbeds draped with towels – and the sound of just one distinctive accent.

He said: “We tried to join a windsurfing lesson and yoga classes but all the instructions were in German.

“My youngest daughter wanted to attend the kids’ club but couldn’t understand what was going on.

“Even the TV was in German, except for one channel.”

The finance company boss, of Madeley, Staffs, claimed the Thomson break for Karen and daughters Molly, 12, Gemma, 19, and 21-year-old Kim was spoiled because the hotel did not cater for English people.

He said: “We entrusted Thomson with our holiday, going for an upmarket Premier Beachclub hotel for its facilities, but we weren’t able to use many of them.”

Yesterday Thomson holidays was told to pay David £750 at Stoke-on-Trent County Court for breach of contract.

Deputy District Judge Naish ruled that a customer going to a hotel featured in an English brochure “doesn’t expect to have to press for activities to be accessible in their own language”.
He added: “The brochure is significantly misleading.”

David, who represented himself, said afterwards: “I’m not racist, as equally I wouldn’t like my family holiday at a hotel overrun by English.”

A Thomson spokesman commented: “We are sorry that Mr Barnish did not feel the entertainment on his holiday was what he expected. However, we are pleased with the outcome.”

Source: The Sun 

What has your experience been of the British tourist abroad? or the German tourist? or from any other country for that matter ...

Watch this CNN report on Brits abroad:

Source: You Tube (Essy ddog) Key Words: Brits behaving badly



Comments

José said…
Hi Graham,

A lot of years ago, an English woman came my home with my sister. She lived with my family and she was normal, her behaviour was respectful and polite, in spite of she was British. I was young and single.

When I was married, in the summer, I went to Malaga with my children and my wife. We went to a holiday resort dominated by the German. One day we were in the swimming pool of the urbanization and my children went into and went out nonstop. Then, a German people arrived with his wife and he saw that my daughter went into swimming pool without passing through the shower. He told the Spanish lifeguard that my daughter didn’t pass through the shower. I saw him and I went to speak with Spanish lifeguard. He told me that he didn’t bear him. After two hours, nine or more German people came to swimming pool and they went to this German people, they greeted him and his wife and, immediately, everyone went into the swimming pool without pass through the shower, none of them. It was incredible. Then I went to speak with the lifeguard, again, and he told me that they always did the same and asked me, do you know the law of the funnel?

See you.
Graham said…
Hi José,

The British tourist doesn't exactly have a good reputation in Spain. Most people here think of the lewd, drunken behavour in resorts like Salou and Magaluf when picturing a Brit on holiday.

In the UK, we say that the Germans get up early to reserve the best place by the pool or on the beach.


A lot of years ago, an English woman came to my home with my sister. She lived with my family and she was normal, her behaviour was respectful and polite in spite of being British. I was young and single. (What does "young and single" have to do with it?)

When I was married, in the summer, I went to Malaga with my children and my wife. We went to a holiday resort dominated by Germans. One day we were in the swimming pool of the urbanization and my children went in and out nonstop. Then, a German man arrived with his wife and he saw that my daughter went into the swimming pool without passing through the shower. He told the Spanish lifeguard that my daughter didn’t pass through the shower. I saw him and I went to speak with the lifeguard. He told me that he couldn't bear him. After two hours, nine or more German people came to the swimming pool and they went over to the Germans, they greeted him and his wife and, immediately, everyone went into the swimming pool without passing through the shower, none of them. It was incredible. Then I went to speak with the lifeguard, again, and he told me that they always did the same and asked me, do you know the law of the funnel?



If I were you, I'd have said something to the German couple.

Montse said…
Hi, guys. Nice to read you!!
How is your summer going? Graham, are you still in Madrid? I came back from my trip to India just a few days ago. What a diffferent world it is!!
Fortunately, I don't remember any incident with tourists of other nationalities in my holidays but there are some places in Spain in which a Spaniard can feel like an foreigner since there are certain areas or even whole villages that have been adapted to the German or English people that usually live in there. I have to admit that it bothers me deeply.
We force the inmigrants to learn our culture, our language, even our way of life if they want to live in our country. That seems perfectly correct to me but we don't mind loosing our identity when it comes to money...
I hope you have a good summer!
Graham said…
Hi Montse,

I envy you. I'd love to explore India one day.



Fortunately, I don't remember any incident with tourists of other nationalities on my holidays but there are some places in Spain in which a Spaniard can feel like a foreigner since there are certain areas or even whole villages that have been adapted to the German or English people that live there. I have to admit that it bothers me a great deal.

We force immigrants to learn our culture, our language, even our way of life if they want to live in our country. That seems perfectly correct to me but we don't mind losing our identity when it comes to money...



I'll never understand people who go on holiday and don't want to try the local cuisine. The great thing about traveling is discovering new things.

Montse said…
Hi, Graham.
As Egypt, India was a must for me...We have only visited Delhi, Jaipur and Agra. Enough to make an idea about that fantastic country. In any case, I don't think my stomach put up with the spicy food more time, jajaja!!!!
The worse thing for me was to come come back home knowing that nothing can be changed there.
In August I'm planning to walk a few kilometres of 'Camino de Santiago' with my son. It would be another reached goal for me. Have you ever done any stages of The Way?
Do you have any plans for this summer or are you going to enjoy your holiday at home? Anyway, I'm sure you will have something interesting to tell us about your flights, as every year.
Kisses!!
José said…
Hi Montse and Graham,



I went to the Crab Nebula on holiday. There’s the year 5,000 here. We are among several stars that send so bright lights to us. It’s very difficult to communicate with my family in the Earth because there are a lot of stellar storms. There’s the year 2,225 in the Earth.



We are two thousand people from the Earth and other planets and galaxies. In addition, we have gone with a lot of animals, androids and different kind of robots. In this Crab Nebula there are other ways of life from of other Stellar Systems. This journey was been organized by the way of life from the Galaxy Andrómeda. It’s very interesting because you can meet fabulous beings. Only you can do a journey like this once in your life.



Life is brief, it’s like a travel and we have to do what we can do it, but this journey can be emotive if we try. For this challenge there isn’t limit.



See you.
Graham said…
Hi Montse,

I haven't made any plans yet apart from going to visit mam and dad.

I hope I don't have any further anecdotes about my flights to tell you - they are never happy memories.


... Enough to get an idea of that fantastic country. In any case, I don't think my stomach could put up with the spicy food any longer, jajaja!!!!

In August I'm planning to walk a few kilometres of 'Camino de Santiago' with my son. It would be another goal reached for me.

Graham said…
Hi José,

Crab Nebula certainly makes a change from Segovia and Soria. Will you make it back to Madrid for our class tomorrow?


I have come to Crab Nebula on holiday. It's the year 5,000 here. We are among several stars that send such bright lights to us. It’s very difficult to communicate with my family on Earth because there are a lot of stellar storms. It's the year 2,225 on Earth.

There are two thousand people from Earth and other planets and galaxies here. In addition, we have come with a lot of animals, androids and different kinds of robots. In this Crab Nebula there are other ways of life from the other Stellar Systems. This journey was organized by the way of life from the Galaxy Andrómeda. It’s very interesting because you can meet fabulous beings. Only can you do a journey like this once in your life.



Life is brief, it’s like a travel and we have to do what we can do it, but this journey can be emotive if we try. For this challenge there isn’t limit.