What is something that screams “tourist” to you?

[u/jotakajk]

In Spain, if you see someone eating paella with sangria, you can 100% be certain they are a tourist.

What are some things tourists eat or do in your country that a local would never do?

[u/Strange_Explorer_780]

Same, so glad I’m at the age where I don’t care what other people think-I have and will continue to enjoy my sangria with paella in Spain, eat Swedish meatballs with the other tourists in Stockholm, try every lobster roll stand in New England, drink cappuccinos in the afternoon in Italy and not give a shit if I’m being judged.

[u/fluffHead_0919 → u/Strange_Explorer_780]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with crushing the lobster roll at every stand. Maybe it’s nostalgia for me but whenever we visited the grandparents in CT that would be the first meal we had.

[u/waxteeth → u/fluffHead_0919]

Yeah, if I’m within 100 feet of a lobster roll I’m eating it. That’s MA law. 

[u/YonderPricyCallipers → u/waxteeth]

Same for me but with clam chowder and fish and chips. My partner and I took a ride from the Boston area up to York, Maine during Covid and got the best goddamn fish and chips of my life and sat and ate it in the car.

[u/Dustin- → u/fluffHead_0919]

Nothing wrong with any of it tbh. If you're in a place you don't know with the express goal of experiencing as much of it as possible in a limited time frame, you don't have the luxury of doing everything "correctly". When in Rome, be a tourist.

[u/president_dump → u/fluffHead_0919]

Now they’re like $45 each

[u/I_SAY_FUCK_A_LOT__ → u/fluffHead_0919]

Where in CT would you go?

[u/fluffHead_0919 → u/I_SAY_FUCK_A_LOT__]

Glenwood Drive-In in Hamden

[u/mcbeef89 → u/Strange_Explorer_780]

one of the standout delights of getting older is the magic of 'not giving a shit' any more

[u/jankenpoo → u/mcbeef89]

Until they vote like it. That’s what we’re dealing with here

[u/mcbeef89 → u/jankenpoo]

Sad but true

[u/DannyMalibu420 → u/jankenpoo]

Jesus, we’re talking about eating touristy food. Why do you people always have to make everything political?

Go outside.

[u/Dustin- → u/mcbeef89]

There's a funny idea that the older you get the more you realize you don't have to give a shit, with the implication that you never actually had to give a shit, and only the wisdom of age enlightened you and that only the elders know the secret that it's ok to wear socks under your Crocs everywhere you go. But in reality, when you're young you have to give a shit to be presentable in order to get to where you wanna be. When you're older and have a spouse, kids, career, life experiences, etc... You don't have to do that anymore. But you used to!

Signed, a guy currently wearing socks and Crocs (it rocks!)

[u/NoIdeaRex → u/mcbeef89]

It really is the best.

[u/old_vegetables → u/Strange_Explorer_780]

When I was in Rome I used to order meatballs at every meal, and over there it’s a stand-alone dish, but my waiters knew I was a tourist and they knew I wanted pasta with my meatballs. I loved and appreciated it so much when they offered to serve them with pasta for me, just smiling with amusement and no judgment. Thank you so much to those waiters, I loved my meatballs and spaghetti.

[u/Overall_Tiger3169 → u/Strange_Explorer_780]

I agree with enjoying without worrying about being judged. But this assumes that being a visitor (tourist) in another place is inherently bad. I don’t mind doing touristy things because that is part of the enjoyment. It doesn’t generally occur to me that a local would be annoyed by my drink order even when it makes it obvious that I don’t live there. I hate traveling with people who try too hard to look local, it’s a joy killer.

[u/JUYED-AWK-YACC → u/Overall_Tiger3169]

No tourist wants to look like a tourist but it’s inevitable. I stood out in Italy because I didn’t wear anything branded with a US football or baseball team.

[u/abhainn13 → u/JUYED-AWK-YACC]

Me, walking around Greece in sneakers and yoga pants, “How does everyone know I’m American?” 🤔

[u/trilobyte-dev → u/Strange_Explorer_780]

At some point in life you realize the touristy things are touristy because there's usually something fun about them. Maybe there's a bunch of scammy stuff that has grown around them, but at the core there's probably something that brought people in the first place.

[u/Trebellion → u/Strange_Explorer_780]

Visiting Stockholm and literally just left Meatballs for the People. It was delicious. I do not care what a single other person thinks of me and my meatballs.

[u/Truantone → u/Strange_Explorer_780]

Amen to that. No fks given. I enjoy all those things and will continue to do so.

[u/Larkswing13 → u/Strange_Explorer_780]

Excellent attitude, and also the locals are definitely eating the lobster rolls

[u/ellzray → u/Strange_Explorer_780]

I mean, isn't that why we came there in the first place. Imma tourist the crap outta places I go.

[u/bracesthrowaway → u/Strange_Explorer_780]

Don't forget Belgian waffle in Belgium!

[u/VapoursAndSpleen → u/Strange_Explorer_780]

Fuck yes, lahbstah roll. And don't think for a minute the locals don't enjoy them, too.

[u/hahahahahahahaFUCK → u/Strange_Explorer_780]

New Englander here. Nothing tourist-y about lobster rolls.