Global Q&A: ‘Have you spent much time as a tourist in your own country?’

Robert Glassman, Queens, New York, USA (The Epoch Times)

Queens, New York, USA

Robert Glassman, 65, Wine Educator

Yes, I’ve been to Boston, San Francisco, L.A., Seattle, Dallas, South Florida, Utah, Zion National Park, Ohio, New Jersey, and wineries in upstate New York. I take a week to 10-day vacations with my family to explore and see the U.S. I’d like to go to Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah next.

Maribel Buisán, Zaragoza, Spain (The Epoch Times)

Zaragoza, Spain

Maribel Buisán, 60, Pastry Cook

Yes, I’ve spent some time as a tourist here in Spain. The places that I liked the most were Andalusia and the island of Minorca. This island has two villages that I love—Binibeca and San Luis. They are beautiful, and they have some beautiful sunsets. I also like the food, for me, the best in the world. I love the lobster stew they make in Minorca.

Alis Haller, Lund, Sweden (The Epoch Times)

Lund, Sweden

Alis Haller, 57

Most of the time I have spent my holidays abroad. I remember one time I was in Stockholm, it was during the Easter holidays, and I was on Hotorget—a famous square in Stockholm. It was so beautiful, the whole square was full with big and colorful feathers. It is a tradition in Sweden during Easter time, but normally we have small feathers in a vase in our homes. It was almost like in Chinatown in London—I have been there as a tourist—very beautiful, I will never forget it.

Juan Carlos Ortiz, Lima, Peru (The Epoch Times)

Lima, Peru

Juan Carlos Ortiz, 32, Manager and Sales Promoter

Yes I have, from the age of 16 when I left my home. When I studied at the university, I traveled with my friends to visit various sightseeing places. I was always in hotels. … My hobby has always been visiting my country first. Once I traveled in a cousin’s car with some friends. When we were at a great height above sea level, I was overcome by altitude sickness—and the car broke down. But we were lucky, because a truck helped us. It is one of my experiences. … As I’ve aged, I’ve realized that we are always tourists in our own country.

Gordon Reddek, Beerwah, Australia (The Epoch Times)

Beerwah, Australia

Gordon Reddek, 65, Retired Mechanical Engineer

I have been to New Zealand, I have worked over in the Middle East. I have been to Malaysia [and] India, so it’s about 50-50. My last job was in Perth and I traveled from Perth to here by car. So we went around the south of West Australia across the Nullarbor. We went from Port Augusta north into the Northern Territory and then across into Queensland. What really astounded me more than anything else was that, first of all, there is no single town that hasn’t got something to offer. And every single town is different.

Faiza Amin, Toronto, Canada (The Epoch Times)

Toronto, Canada

Faiza Amin, 26, Journalism Student

Not as much as I’d like to. Sometimes we take for granted the scenery in our country and forget to explore it as tourists. I definitely would like to travel all over Canada and explore different places. When I just moved here from Ottawa I realized that I forgot to visit Parliament Hill and the Market, and all the different places that represent Canada.

Kanak Devnani, Dubai, United Arab Emirates (The Epoch Times)

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Kanak Devnani, 22, Masters Student

The only time I’ve spent as a tourist in my country would have been as a child visiting museums, and other historical landmarks with my parents. In those days there weren’t quite as many places to visit as there are now. As I’ve aged, I haven’t been touristy at all in this country I call my home. Although, I think that it might be quite an interesting experience to do so.

Ratan Chug, Hubli, India (The Epoch Times)

Hubli, India

Ratan Chug, 27, Garments/Textiles Businessman

To think of it, I actually haven’t spent much time as a tourist in India, and would love to take time out from work, and visit a lot of these beautiful places—Ooty, Kodaikanal, Kanyakumari, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala. Since I am newly married, I would love to holiday at all of these places with my wife.

Daniel Mardones, Puerto Montt, Chile (The Epoch Times)

Puerto Montt, Chile

Daniel Mardones, 29, Visual Merchandiser

With reference to travel, to learn about the different places of my country, I think if I traveled a lot around my country, it still has landscapes that enchant, and one can attend places filled with beauty.

Leandro Costa, lhéus, Bahia, Brazil (The Epoch Times)

lhéus, Bahia, Brazil

Leandro Costa, 33, University Professor

Yes, I have spent much time as a tourist, because my country is beautiful, and naturally blessed by God!

Look for the Global Q&A column every week. Epoch Times correspondents interview people around the world to learn about their lives and perspectives on local and global realities. Next week’s global question: “What do you think of the recent U.S. decision to end the ban on female combat troops?”

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