[PRCo] Re: Standards

[Edward H. Lybarger]

I guess as we get to know each other (or renew old acquaintences) through
the group it becomes easy to kid our friends, and some of us can get carried
away at it very handily.  The banter is not "on topic" but I'll accept it a
lot easier than I will discussions of how many rivets distinguish one piece
of rolling stock from another!

Some of the info is useful for those of us actively traveling the world,
too.  We certainly don't have to agree on everything to be usefully aware of
what's been said!

Ed

-----Original Message-----
From: pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementia.org
[mailto:pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementia.org]On Behalf Of
tsquare
Sent: Monday, January 07, 2002 6:53 PM
To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
Subject: [PRCo] Re: Standards



What does all of this have to do with this group?
Get off the personal stuff

-----Original Message-----
From: pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementia.org
[mailto:pittsburgh-railways-bounce at lists.dementia.org]On Behalf Of Fred
W. Schneider III
Sent: Monday, January 07, 2002 6:38 PM
To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
Subject: [PRCo] Re: Standards



I can accept the needling.

Philosophy you want?

I'm too cheap to invest a lot of money in a fancy car just to watch it
depreciate in the driveway.  A Volkswagen Passat is virtually identical
to the Audi A4 for a whole lot less money ... I drive the Passat.  At
77,000 miles it still hasn't cost me a penny other than oil changes and
one set of brake linings.

And I'm also too cheap to rent a sauna, game room, exercise room, lobby,
and a mediocre restaurant that looses money and adds thoses losses to
the guest rooms, when all I really need is a bed, toilet, tub, sink, and
television.

This isn't an issue of being able to afford or not afford.  We all spend
what we earn.  But I'd rather take one more trip somewhere than own a
expensive car to prove how much money I had before I bought it.  But I
will go miles out of my way for a family-owned, non-franchised
restaurant that doesn't spend a dime on advertising because every one in
town knows they are good.

Ah, yes.  Now lets talk about "Motel 5 15/16ths." Yes, I know the sheets
are thin, the towels are small, and the soap is microscopic (I bring my
own liquid bath detergent which most people use in the kitchen sink).
But the same company does a very good job elsewhere.  Motel 6 is the
only American one of the many subsidiaries of Accor
(www.accorhotels.com), a French corporation.  European hotels have
customarily charged by the person ... $50 for one, $100 for two in the
same room.  Most double rooms in Europe run $80 to $120.  The Ibis chain
of Accor hotels charges $40 to $50 for a room -- you decide if you have
a lover or not.  My wife and I spent two weeks in Ibis hotels all over
France plus others in Zurich, Salzburg, Linz, Milan, and even London,
and we never got a bad deal.  Many are American style motels, some or
rehabilitated older urban hotels.  They are no-fringe accommodations
that have attracted a businessman's following very rapidly.  Some have
restaurants (and very good ones at that)but not where the surrounding
streets are full of restaurants. You want a higher end, try Mercur
(Mercury in English) by Accor.  And there is a cheap end ... a closet
and sink with a toilet down the hall for about $25...great for
university students touring Europe...but that is too far down for an old
man who needs the WC a few times throughout the night.

And we must not forget that great British chain called Holiday Inn.  You
didn't know the Brits bought it?  Well, they did. I stayed in a very
nice but pricy Holiday Inn Express at Gatwick, England last August ...
$85 to $97 a night (lower on weekends) ... about half the traffic
(judging from the coins in the charity bottle) were Americans.

But I still despise Denneys.


Fredbruhn at aol.com wrote:
>
> I'm confused, Titanium Fred III went on at some length earlier this year
> about gastric
> upheaval by eating at Denny's.  This was discussed on our West Penn trip
as
> well as with this group.  He is right about Denny's and has a culinary
nose
> and a good scent for food and wine that can help make a great evening
talking
> our favorite subjects.
>
> But as we plan for Bromley's PRCo. slide show, he tells us Motel 6 is just
> fine for his back.  I always sort of associated Denny's and Motel 6
together.
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