NvB: Bored in Brno?: Only in Central Europe?

Only in Central Europe?

I read the following post—a letter to the tourist guide providers in the Austrian city of Graz—from Nerd's Eye View and I was thinking, "Only in central Europe." But then I realized it could happen anywhere. But somehow is it not all fallout from Austro-Hungary?

You decide:

I was in Graz with my family yesterday - both the American side and the Austrian side - when we met one of your guides. We were walking around the city when your guide confronted my brother in law, telling him that I was not allowed to discuss the sights unless I was a certified guide! . . .

Later that afternoon in another part of the city, she confronted him again, stating that if I wanted to take groups around the city, I could join the guide certification program. She did not believe that the group was, indeed, my family. She told my brother in law that it was "not allowed" to learn about the city privately and to then share that information with others. She told him that studying a guidebook and using it as a source for a tour of the city was also "not allowed."

Some of the comments are great too, if you care to read the original post.

Tags: europe, travel, austria

Posted 16 September 2006 at 21:50.

The Blog

What is "Bored in Brno"? a) the best Czech movie of 2003, b) a blog about Brno (the Czech Republic's second largest city) and my adventures in and observations of south and east Moravia. I usually post about music, arts, culture, and stuff in Brno; or, I talk about whatever; or, I may bore you.

There's a Czech saying about how you are a new person for every language you learn. Here's your chance to experience Czech vicariously and to become your new self, now conveniently available in English translation. (Or at least something reasonably close to English.)

If you have questions, suggestions, like what you see, or you're just plain bored, don't hesitate to leave a comment or e-mail me.

The Blogger

A graduate student in music and anthropology writing a dissertation about music in Moravia, the eastern third of the Czech Republic. At some point, the Czech Republic's "second city" (that would be Brno) captured my attention, and I've since been blogging about events, arts, music, and other stuff—basically whatever interests me in and around the cityscape. I'm not living in Brno now, but I keep up with the cultural pulse from afar as best I can.

More about Brno, Me, Euro-Czech

Comments:

Pam said . . .

I'm always blaming this kind of behavior on Empirical hangovers - but my parents insist that it's the domain of beauraucrats everywhere.

Thanks for the linkage.

8:40 AM, September 17, 2006

Anonymous said . . .

You might be bored in Brno - but by your posts it is different enough to be quite fascinating. I run a travel; blog and wonder if you might consider sending me a post that would interest foreigners - an interesting picture and a paragraph of explanation. Reach me through my web site's contact page.Mick

11:27 PM, September 17, 2006

Michael M. said . . .

Things like this are the downside of Austrians' rampant OCD, I think.

12:28 PM, September 18, 2006

Karla said . . .

Egad! Seems like I heard a similar story about Prague guides getting into a fight about one of them not being legal, but that isn't quite as extreme.

8:31 PM, September 24, 2006

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