Discussions

German newspaper mocks British

Posted by Manictastic • 6/04/08 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic

It's a swell day in the European Union. After a British tourist sued his tour operator for being stuck in a hotel filled with Germansn (he won btw), the German newspaper Bild has published a list of places to avoid because of British tourists: 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.

Germans complain that the British have no sense of fashion(true), binge-drink(true), have a terribly bad cuisine(true) and that they suck at sport(gonna leave this one open). They also published pictures of British tourists just to make clear that Germans could recognise and stay away from them.
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7433905.stm

Do you hate any nationality for their tourist behaviour?

User Comments

6/04/08

legbamel

I'm just so relieved to see another country get lambasted for being asses that I don't care if it's true. Okay, I care, but it is a nice change.

[reply]
6/04/08

Manictastic

Aren't the Brits gonna say anything? Or are you guys pussy-whipped by the French?

(I so hope I don't start the next European war with this thread)

[reply]
6/04/08

flamingpoodle

Well, the British suck at rugby. Mind you, I like a pint of lager and a packet of crisps so I disagree with the terrible cuisine part.

[reply]
1. 6/04/08
  
  jonnyontheball
  
  Didn't know that "Britian" had a Rugby team! England, Wales, Scotland & NI yes..
2. 6/04/08
  
  carlgalloway
  
  Yes they do, they're called the British Lions and they take players from all constituent parts of the UK and the Republic of Ireland. Their official homepage is www.lionsrugby.com/
6/04/08

clioandme

The "Bild" is a real sensationalist rag, but the British have got some rags of their own.

[reply]
6/04/08

polybore

Being British myself I find it rather amusing that the Germans are poking fun at us. Funnily enough I don't think that either the British or the Germans are very well received by the locals when we go on holiday. I suppose you could say that the British don't have quite the same reputation as the Germans for over staying ones welcome.

The odd thing about being British is that we are made up of English, N Irish, Welsh and Scots. I think that we tend to get tarred with the same brush thanks to the antics of the English holidaymaker. Well I guess I would be expected to say that as I am Scottish.

[reply]
1. 6/04/08
  
  clioandme
  
  Quite a few national variations in Germany too. But really, if you knew the Bild, you would take this with a grain of salt. It has a huge circulation, but it's just a rag that likes to stir the pot and include a picture of a woman without her top on. You know that kind of paper in Britain too.
6/04/08

calais50

When I visited Jamaica, the tourists were about 1/2 Americans and 1/2 Brits it seemed. I got along well with the Brits. They were especially nice...hmmm this IS coming from an American though and we're probably regarded worse than the Brits...
Any time I have travelled and have run into French people, I have found them rude.

[reply]
6/04/08

chrissymarie321

I am English....
The guy who sued and won was a little different to reported to though, he spent an exhorbitant amount of money on a holiday and then all the facilities were not as described. So he actually won the damages from the tour company for mis- representation of the holiday...
But, I think its funny that a german newspaper is poking fun, after all we do take the mickey out of them a lot, so fair one!

[reply]
6/04/08

mattclark

Being Scottish all I can say is that the guy is English and you don't really need to read any more into it than that. If he was Scottish he would've got on alright with the Germans but not the English, they just like to complain about everything. Personally I'd find it quite interesting going on holiday and meeting a bunch of folk from somewhere else. And to calais50, I've never found the French to be rude, quite the opposite actually.

[reply]
1. 6/04/08
  
  calais50
  
  Matt,
  I have met French people who are very warm 1-on-1, but they do have an international reputation for being a bit rude or aloof to strangers.
2. 6/04/08
  
  chrissymarie321
  
  I have to say I never find the French particularly rude, in general I have found them to be a real nice bunch of people with a slightly wicked SOH that isn't always immediately apparent.
  But, then I don't consider that I complain all the time either ;-)
3. 6/04/08
  
  jafabrit
  
  oh hadaway with ye, If you paid four thousand pounds for a family holiday and you find out that you can't participate in any of the family entertainment or activities as promised and advertized in the tour brochure wouldn't you be a bit ticked off?
6/04/08

polybore

Yes we probably have the worlds nastiest news papers. Some of the things they have printed when England have played Germany have been very embarrassing. e.g. The Sun 1996 European Cup headline "Lets Blitz Fritz"

Although coming from a newspaper that greeted the news of the sinking of the Argentine Cruiser the Belgrano by Royal Navy Nuclear Submarine HMS Conqueror with the headline "Gotcha!" maybe "Lets Blitz Fritz" is mild by comparison.

The Germans I have met have been excellent and as partial to a binge now and then as an average Scot, just with much better beer.

[reply]
6/04/08

jafabrit

oh come on, it's a tabloid, their umbrage is just sensational tripe. IF you read the story it wasn't about German people per se but because English family paid $8,000 dollars for a trip to kos and couldn't participate in any of the entertainment/ children activities the tour company stated because it was all in German (which is not what the tour company advertized or disclosed)
www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/06/03/1212258781862.html

[reply]
6/04/08

crpitt

Well it doesn't bother me at all.

My sister moved to Germany last December and loves it there.

[reply]
1. 6/04/08
  
  jafabrit
  
  Me neither. I think people are making a big deal about it, but this kind of back and forth mockery is like a national sport.
2. 6/04/08
  
  mattclark
  
  I have a cousin who moved to Germany, and her kids consider themselves to be German not British even though both parents are from Scotland. Funny how these things work out isn't it.
3. 6/04/08
  
  crpitt
  
  Yep my sister's two kids are loving it there as well, they aren't at a German school but hopefully they will pick up the lingo too.
  
  When I went to visit in April I loved it and will be going again soon.
6/04/08

kdawg68

LMAO - so all's not quiet on the Western front, eh?

I'm surprised he didn't complain about the Hasselhoff music playing in the hotel or that reruns of ALF were showing all day on tv.

Note: Never been to Germany, just joke with some German friends at work here - one of whom sold a house in Germany and was requested by the purchaser to leave a giant ALF poster on the wall when she left. The rest of her furniture must go, but ALF must stay!

[reply]
6/04/08

Manictastic

I wonder whether the States has this rivalry between states as here in Europe. Here, every nation has one other nation it completely mocks all the time. We Belgians mock the Dutch all the time.

[reply]
1. 6/04/08
  
  clioandme
  
  More of a regional thing, I should think. Take those damn Southerners, for instance.
2. 6/04/08
  
  calais50
  
  Every state mocks the state of West Virginia. If you ever meet anyone from West Virginia, the standard response is to ask the person if they are married to their cousin.
3. 6/04/08
  
  Manictastic
  
  I thought that was the standard response for people from Alabama?
4. 6/04/08
  
  calais50
  
  Manic, I've never heard it used for Alabama, but it would make as much sense as WV I guess.
6/04/08

carlgalloway

Funny seeing this here, I blogged about it this morning
www.carlgalloway.com/archives/406-Anyone-for-a-Holiday-Make-sure-you-avoid-...

Having family in Germany and in the UK, and having lived in both countries I can honestly say I'd rather be on holiday in a German resort than a British resort. Mind you, we speak some German and that always helps

[reply]