Comments on: The Eiffel Tower at Night http://www.commonties.com/blog/2006/10/30/the-eiffel-tower-at-night/ Listen to stories on anything from honeymoons to WWII, from award-winning journalists to first-time writers alike, from anywhere in the world. Fri, 21 Nov 2008 22:17:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: Laurie Wiegler http://www.commonties.com/blog/2006/10/30/the-eiffel-tower-at-night/#comment-1782 Wed, 24 Jan 2007 22:30:38 +0000 http://www.commonties.com/blog/2006/10/30/the-eiffel-tower-at-night/#comment-1782 Dear Kaitlyn, you wrote the story about Paris I wish were my own. I too had little money in Paris and saw most of it on foot (I was only there a weekend and had about 30 euros to my name!) Your joy at seeing Le Tour Eiffel (I too use the French term :) resonates, as does your disdain at finding typically touristy fellow Americans. It makes me recoil as well! As my brother, who speaks beautiful French and lived in Paris for a few months in his 20s, told me, "There are two types of people: tourists, and travelers. You, Laurie, and I, are travelers." And so too, are you Kaitlyn. I look forward to reading more of your travel essays. And trust me, I'm quite the literary snob :) Adieu, Mademoiselle ... On to the French countryside, oui? Laurie Wiegler Dear Kaitlyn,

you wrote the story about Paris I wish were my own. I too had little money in Paris and saw most of it on foot (I was only there a weekend and had about 30 euros to my name!) Your joy at seeing Le Tour Eiffel (I too use the French term :) resonates, as does your disdain at finding typically touristy fellow Americans. It makes me recoil as well! As my brother, who speaks beautiful French and lived in Paris for a few months in his 20s, told me, “There are two types of people: tourists, and travelers. You, Laurie, and I, are travelers.” And so too, are you Kaitlyn.

I look forward to reading more of your travel essays. And trust me, I’m quite the literary snob :)

Adieu, Mademoiselle …

On to the French countryside, oui?

Laurie Wiegler

]]> by: Carl http://www.commonties.com/blog/2006/10/30/the-eiffel-tower-at-night/#comment-234 Wed, 01 Nov 2006 21:01:08 +0000 http://www.commonties.com/blog/2006/10/30/the-eiffel-tower-at-night/#comment-234 Non-fiction class was good for you; and you were good for our non-fiction class. Keep 'em comin'. Non-fiction class was good for you; and you were good for our non-fiction class. Keep ‘em comin’.

]]> by: Lydia http://www.commonties.com/blog/2006/10/30/the-eiffel-tower-at-night/#comment-226 Tue, 31 Oct 2006 19:58:26 +0000 http://www.commonties.com/blog/2006/10/30/the-eiffel-tower-at-night/#comment-226 Kaitlyn - You're really quite the inspiration to keep writing and traveling! Kaitlyn -

You’re really quite the inspiration to keep writing and traveling!

]]> by: sister http://www.commonties.com/blog/2006/10/30/the-eiffel-tower-at-night/#comment-217 Tue, 31 Oct 2006 00:42:25 +0000 http://www.commonties.com/blog/2006/10/30/the-eiffel-tower-at-night/#comment-217 Oh my sister! How proud I am of you. I love you and think you are oh so talented. Love Love, little Sister Oh my sister! How proud I am of you. I love you and think you are oh so talented.
Love Love,
little Sister

]]> by: Melissa Tucker http://www.commonties.com/blog/2006/10/30/the-eiffel-tower-at-night/#comment-214 Mon, 30 Oct 2006 19:55:32 +0000 http://www.commonties.com/blog/2006/10/30/the-eiffel-tower-at-night/#comment-214 Kaitlin, You've done it! You've so articulately and vividly painted a picture of our time in Pair-ee... so much so that the impression just snuck back in again in a way that the pictures are refusing to produce. I loved this story the first time I read it and I love it even more now-- now that time has passed and the memories have lost a little color. You've also done it in the getting-paid-for-your-writing sense! Couldn't be happier for you, dear friend! Love, the Travel Partner Kaitlin, You’ve done it! You’ve so articulately and vividly painted a picture of our time in Pair-ee… so much so that the impression just snuck back in again in a way that the pictures are refusing to produce. I loved this story the first time I read it and I love it even more now– now that time has passed and the memories have lost a little color. You’ve also done it in the getting-paid-for-your-writing sense! Couldn’t be happier for you, dear friend! Love, the Travel Partner

]]> by: Turner http://www.commonties.com/blog/2006/10/30/the-eiffel-tower-at-night/#comment-209 Mon, 30 Oct 2006 07:32:36 +0000 http://www.commonties.com/blog/2006/10/30/the-eiffel-tower-at-night/#comment-209 Beautifully written. In fact, I've been searching for those last words since I arrived in Japan and observed tourists staying for one day in Hiroshima, if only to see the "famous" places and move on to Tokyo. The true impression of the city is lost on them. They don't see what happens at night. They don't notice the the beckoning cats on the threshold of every house, the common yet majestic shrines that are used every week, or people sleeping in a station because they missed their last train. We all get swept up by the spectacular places around the world, but few of us ever take the time to look at the big picture. It's difficult, if you're not living in the city in the first place. We all try not to be the stereotypical American tourist who flauts his attitude and culture in another part of the world, but can it be helped? What kind of tourists can we be? Beautifully written. In fact, I’ve been searching for those last words since I arrived in Japan and observed tourists staying for one day in Hiroshima, if only to see the “famous” places and move on to Tokyo. The true impression of the city is lost on them. They don’t see what happens at night. They don’t notice the the beckoning cats on the threshold of every house, the common yet majestic shrines that are used every week, or people sleeping in a station because they missed their last train.

We all get swept up by the spectacular places around the world, but few of us ever take the time to look at the big picture. It’s difficult, if you’re not living in the city in the first place. We all try not to be the stereotypical American tourist who flauts his attitude and culture in another part of the world, but can it be helped? What kind of tourists can we be?

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