8.08.2008

What I didn’t blog about this week

Thursday - I’m entertaining guests from the U.S. this the rest of this week. The husband and wife are friends of Max, but I have only met them once before. Then next week, it’s a similar scenario—another couple I barely know for another 4-day weekend.

I’m not complaining, mind you. Max and I love to entertain. In fact, between now and November 11, we only have about 20 days in which we won’t have company. And folks are still calling about available dates in the winter. Crazy, huh?

Fortunately, we’ve been in Germany long enough and have done enough traveling around to know where to take our guests for the best local sightseeing excursions. But here’s my question: How do you not get bored after visiting the same tourist areas four, five and six times? Riddle me this, dear bloggers!

13 comments:

Unknown said...

if I've been to a certain spot more than twice usually the person whose guest it is (ie mil so its all dh) then gets to take them sight seeing and I get a nice guest free day:)

Claire said...

Oooh, Andrea is wise :)

Cxx

Anonymous said...

I'm guessing the above advice won't work if they're Max's guests and he has to work. Or even if not, you could let them take themselves. I live in Dallas and the one and only tourist attraction here is the museum from where Kennedy was (allegedly) shot. I will drop people off and tell them to call me when they're done or have a meeting time set up. Even solo visitors are usually perfectly happy to entertain themselves for an afternoon. Don't feel pressured to do it for them.

Jul said...

I am a big fan of handing guests a map and letting them entertain themselves for at least part of every visit...

The Honourable Husband said...

Ditto to Jul. If they are close relatives, I lend them the car which has Neuschwanstein, Linderhof, and Salzburg programmed in the navigation.

jaded said...

I guess it depends on how annoying the tourist trap is. Maybe you could do a scavenger hunt while visiting for the sixth time...

Jill said...

We had TONS of visitors in Israel - and I always took them to my favorite spots and all the touristy attractions.

Sure it gets boring visiting the same thing... for the first few minutes, but then it hits me that they've never been there - and the smiles they get seeing things always snap me out of my mood. I make sure to take their cameras and snap photos of them all around the sites.

Sometimes though I will book them on a tour - so I have a few free moments to myself... :)

Chica said...

I think if you take different people each time it's always a different experience, but I can see how it might become monotonous. Perhaps just try to mix it up as much as you can by making sure you don't do everything in the same order or eating at a different place each time, taking picnics other times, etc. It can be hard work entertaining! x

Dianne said...

I enjoy sighseeing and in NYC you can go to the same place a million times and the people will always be different. I think we're the mecca for people watching.

But I can see how it might become a bit much. The idea of booking them a tour is a great one. Kills an entire afternoon.

Snooker said...

Booking them a tour or handing them a map is a good thing not only for you, but for the guests too. Surely they would like to have some time to themselves. I know that I always do.

But I think it is really sweet of you to want to be the best type of tour guide.

For me it gets rough when I seem to know the text from the tour better than the person giving it.

Shelly said...

I send them off on their own, armed with directions and a few tips on places to stop for shopping or a snack...it gives me a chance to regroup and gives my guests some time to themselves.

Unknown said...

Goodness! I'm a bit of all of these reactions. But I am all about having my space while guests are around. If it's not too difficult for the guests to find their way around in the car or the train, and if they aren't ones who get insulted by the idea [my mil would have a fit, which I've thankfully never seen one aimed at me.. knock on wood], I hand them directions. However, it's fun to take them each off the beaten path to the places where tourists never usually go. Show them some real 'unique' sights along the way.

Treff said...

I am so glad I keep up with your blog so that I know what I have to look forward too...seeing the Reichstag for the 1000th time! Well, I will make sure I don't go anywhere touristy by myself until people visit...umm...tomorrow! (my sis is coming tomorrow) Let us know how you cope!