This is either really funny or kinda sad...

[Cruise Junky]

I hate to thread high jack (as I thread high jack!), but Cruise Junky, could you offer any ideas of some low key, inexpensive things we could do on a port stop in Vancouver? We'll be there late April. Thanks.

Sure, two of my favourite things are heading to Granville island (bus #50 on Granville Street - about 2 blocks from the Port) or heading to the Seawall around Stanley Park.

[julie3fan]

Thanks, CJ!

[Cruise Junky]

Thanks, CJ!

No worries..seawall would be weather dependent. Granville Island, all conditions are good.

[MicCanberra]

I like to think so ;)

I rate it in my top 5 cruise ports.

[Gwendy]

I hate to thread high jack (as I thread high jack!), but Cruise Junky, could you offer any ideas of some low key, inexpensive things we could do on a port stop in Vancouver? We'll be there late April. Thanks.

 

 

 

I loved Vancouver, went to Grouse Mountain, caught ferry then bus, Capilano bridge and Stanley Park. Granville markets... lots to see and do lovely city and friendly people. Enjoy your time there.

 

 

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[sparky-elpaso]

There's an area at the Grand Canyon where you can see remnants of some of the equipment that was used to mine uranium (back in the 50's, I think). One person standing near us told his friend that that was some of the equipment used to dig the canyon. At first I thought he might be kidding but then came to the conclusion he was serious.

 

Most of the intelligent comments we heard were from folks who were obviously from other countries.

[clackey]

Totally agree!!

Today's youth is losing out on a quality education by schools dropping those subjects.

What really scares me is the fact that they vote.

[AZSwissGal]

My Mom was born and raised in Switzerland. When I tell people I'm half Swiss, a lot of them ask where in Sweden my family is from. This is so common I've come to expect it.

 

My Dad showed me a newspaper article one time, from maybe the 40's, about some international sports event, and even they thought Swiss people came from Sweden!

 

 

 

I can attest to that. I am originally from Switzerland and other than what you mentioned there are two more questions that I get most. The first one is why I am not blond since apparently all Swedish women are blond[emoji57]. The other one is “so you speak Swedish”. Um no. I have gotten to the point where a lot of the times I don’t even correct people anymore.

 

 

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[donaldsc]

There's an area at the Grand Canyon where you can see remnants of some of the equipment that was used to mine uranium (back in the 50's, I think). One person standing near us told his friend that that was some of the equipment used to dig the canyon. At first I thought he might be kidding but then came to the conclusion he was serious.

 

Most of the intelligent comments we heard were from folks who were obviously from other countries.

 

One couldn't make these things up. We were at Cedar Breaks National Monument in Utah once (check out the photo - CjwKCAiAhMLSBRBJEiwAlFrsTqjSIyIktEghF15RbBzdwOFSxd8RRp5Qhc9UrelQ6lU89IjdV2NRzhoC1OUQAvD_BwE) and a person asked the park ranger how they planted all the trees on the steep slopes. I kid you not. The ranger was polite and told the person that they were all natural.

 

DON

[julie3fan]

I can attest to that. I am originally from Switzerland and other than what you mentioned there are two more questions that I get most. The first one is why I am not blond since apparently all Swedish women are blond[emoji57]. The other one is “so you speak Swedish”. Um no. I have gotten to the point where a lot of the times I don’t even correct people anymore.

 

 

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I love your screen name! We winter in Phoenix - where in AZ are you, if you don't mind me asking? I haven't found any Swiss restaurants or stores that sell Swiss made products. I miss my Thomy mild mustard!

[AZSwissGal]

I love your screen name! We winter in Phoenix - where in AZ are you, if you don't mind me asking? I haven't found any Swiss restaurants or stores that sell Swiss made products. I miss my Thomy mild mustard!

 

I live in Glendale near the football stadium. Yes, there are not really any Swiss restaurants in the entire Phoenix area. I guess the closest to one is the Melting Pot which has fondue on the menu. As far as Swiss products - the only store I know of that has some imported Swiss items is A J s Fine Food with several stores throughout the valley. Not sure if they have the Thomy mustard or not, haven't been to the store in a while. I have started to order some items on line or bring them back with me when I visit my family.

[julie3fan]

We've been to Haus Murphy's, thinking we'd get some decent German food to help the craving, and were severly disappointed! The Melting Pot is good enough, I guess. I'll have to look for a A J's Fine Food - thanks for the tip!

[navybankerteacher]

Good quote. I personally Ben Franklin's quote;

 

"We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid."

It looks like a lot of people are working a lot of overtime.... :D and :(

 

 

He was right of course - but things were better in his day.

 

After all, since there was a limited and finite amount of intelligence created by the Big Bang, the ever-increasing population means that it must be more thinly spread.

[CruiseGal999]

One couldn't make these things up. We were at Cedar Breaks National Monument in Utah once (check out the photo - CjwKCAiAhMLSBRBJEiwAlFrsTqjSIyIktEghF15RbBzdwOFSxd8RRp5Qhc9UrelQ6lU89IjdV2NRzhoC1OUQAvD_BwE) and a person asked the park ranger how they planted all the trees on the steep slopes. I kid you not. The ranger was polite and told the person that they were all natural.

 

DON

 

We were in Philly on a double decker bus city tour. We were stopped in front of the United States Mint building. A woman asked the guide .... "what does M. I. N. T. stand for?" ??? He said ... it's the U. S. Mint. She said "yes, but what does the M. I. N. T. mean?

[jagsfan]

I taught my grandchildren to read paper maps and gave them globes for Christmas.

Now that they grown and have traveled overseas and around the US, I wonder how proficient they would be with maps today.

I have maps in the door pocket in my car, and a map saved us in the NC mountains last Fall when we took logging roads to find a couple of waterfalls. The Navi in our car was lost.

 

 

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[MicCanberra]

We were in Philly on a double decker bus city tour. We were stopped in front of the United States Mint building. A woman asked the guide .... "what does M. I. N. T. stand for?" ??? He said ... it's the U. S. Mint. She said "yes, but what does the M. I. N. T. mean?

LOL, how about 'Money in the Treasury'?

[MicCanberra]

I taught my grandchildren to read paper maps and gave them globes for Christmas.

Now that they grown and have traveled overseas and around the US, I wonder how proficient they would be with maps today.

I have maps in the door pocket in my car, and a map saved us in the NC mountains last Fall when we took logging roads to find a couple of waterfalls. The Navi in our car was lost.

 

 

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Map reading and navigation are important life skills that must be learnt and it is very difficult to pick it up off the internet by chance.

[donaldsc]

One couldn't make these things up. We were at Cedar Breaks National Monument in Utah once (check out the photo - CjwKCAiAhMLSBRBJEiwAlFrsTqjSIyIktEghF15RbBzdwOFSxd8RRp5Qhc9UrelQ6lU89IjdV2NRzhoC1OUQAvD_BwE) and a person asked the park ranger how they planted all the trees on the steep slopes. I kid you not. The ranger was polite and told the person that they were all natural.

 

DON

 

Bad address for the WEB address -

 

https://utah.com/cedar-breaks-national-monument

 

DON

[feathersandnananose]

If it's any comfort, there are kids who are amazed and entranced by the big atlas in my elementary (public school) library, and delighted when I've got other atlases they can actually check out and take home. Perhaps I need to find a big world map to post on a wall.....

[MicCanberra]

If it's any comfort, there are kids who are amazed and entranced by the big atlas in my elementary (public school) library, and delighted when I've got other atlases they can actually check out and take home. Perhaps I need to find a big world map to post on a wall.....

My wife got a colour as you go globe, as we visit places the countries get coloured in. The kids love asking what the particular countries that have been coloured are.:D

[DirtyDawg]

He was right of course - but things were better in his day.

 

After all, since there was a limited and finite amount of intelligence created by the Big Bang, the ever-increasing population means that it must be more thinly spread.

 

And just think about the ever increasing populations of all those other billion or so planets with life out there! :eek:

 

:confused: could this be the reason we are seeing a significant decline in the intelligence of our elected officials and government bureaucrats in recent years?

 

Take a look: http://www.taxpayer.com/news-releases/19th-annual-teddy-government-waste-award-winners

[navybankerteacher]

And just think about the ever increasing populations of all those other billion or so planets with life out there! :eek:

 

:confused: could this be the reason we are seeing a significant decline in the intelligence of our elected officials and government bureaucrats in recent years?

 

Take a look: http://www.taxpayer.com/news-releases/19th-annual-teddy-government-waste-award-winners

 

Obviously.

[Cyber Kat]

Oh wel...

 

Some people I have spoken to about our travels have confused Bermuda with the Bahamas.

 

Just saying....

 

 

 

People are always confusing Bermuda and the Bahamas and that’s partly the fault of travel publications that keep lumping Bermuda in with the Caribbean.

 

Bermuda is our favorite place to visit and we are ALWAYS having to explain that it is nowhere near the Caribbean. It is in fact, in the middle of nowhere [emoji16]

 

 

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[tip]

To address the OP's question, it is very sad indeed.

 

When I first became a teacher forty-five years ago, I taught geography. Unfortunately it is not taught much any more. The emphasis upon standardized tests means that teachers spend virtually all their instructional time preparing students for the test and in most states, geography is not a subject which is being tested.

[Cyber Kat]

And bring back Latin!!

 

I remember lamenting to another parent years ago about this and their response to me was..."nobody speaks Latin anymore"

 

Omg and smh

 

 

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LOL. I took Latin in school and we always said, “Latin is a language, dead as dead can be. First it killed the Romans. Now it’s killing me.”

 

I don’t remember much beyond Veni. Vidi. Viki. (And I probably have the spelling all wrong). But my Dad taught me that knowing Latin and looking at the roots of words would help with many languages and he was right.

 

My Dad taught me many things and I think that’s part of the problem today. Many parents don’t play their part in the education process. Children need to be also taught that learning is fun and has value.

 

There just isn’t much in the way of intellectual curiosity anymore, and an almost entire lack of critical thinking.

 

 

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