[PRCo] The Ugly American

[Harold Geissenheimer]

Greetings to all

Fred is very correct.  I rarely have had a bad experience.

But many good ones.....for example

20 years ago coming from Barcelona to Lyon, France on a Talgo.
The train arrived after the money change had closed and I had no French
money.  I showed the cab driver the US and Spanish money in advance
and he understood.  At the hotel, he went with me into the lobby to
change the money.  We found that the hotel desk was way upstairs.
But there was a Hertz desk in the lobby.  He paid the cab for me and I
went up and got French currency for him.

In Valencia, Spain, my friend left his camera bag on the tramway.
He talked to the next motorman who called on the radio to Central
Control.  Meanwhile, the bag was found by the first motorman who
also called Central Control.  The second motorman delivered us
to Central Control and secure the bag.

In Sydney, Australia, an infor clerk was answering my questions
about the overnight train to Melbourne.  He was about to take a
break and invited me out to the train to the diner where we had tea
and then he found the sleeping car conductor who took my luggage
in advance.  He later visited me in Chicago.

In Chemnits, East German (Karl Marx City)  I made an official visit to
ride the new Adtranz  artic LRV.  No one spoke English and I do not
speak German.  Guess what, we talked street car.  I had photos to
show them and they had photos on the wall of their system including
narrow gauge conversions and rebuilt TATRA PCC cars

In Geneva, Switzerland I took the tramway out to the French border
and went with the commuters into France.  It was 6PM on a cold night.
I looked into the various cafes and picked the most crowded.  No
one spoke English.  The host took me around to various tables
and showed me what was available.  I made a selection and then watched
the Lone Ranger on TV in French!  Soon an older man came to my table
and showed me his Resistance pin from the war.

In Budapest, I ended up on a river boat for an evening ride.  No English

but the host marched me around to the various tables to select my food.
It was a beautiful sail in Communist days.

In Mexico City, I hired a tour guide/taxi who once worked on a NY
Central
track gang in Ashtabula.  I spent the day with him, we went to the main
station twice (mid and evening) and to several car barns, all
unofficially. When entering the car yards to see
the many US Trolley buses, he slowed up at the gate, opened his window
and
pointed to me and said "important person" and proceeded with out
stopping
We later had a wonderful Mexican dinner together.

Lots of similar experiences.  If you require assistance and are not
arrogant,
people will respond.

When visiting actual systems, their officials and staff really show
their hospitality.
Even in Romania, the door opened wide.  Hungarians, Poles and Checks
are excellent hosts

My policy is always to make contact in advance if I want to see shop or
control center.  I do this in the USA as well.  When visiting Jamaica, I

talked to the Ambasador in Washington DC who handled my ride on
the Jamaica Railroad across the island.  He produced the marketing mgr
and the
road foremen of engines for the all day trip including cab rides, etc.
The
matrketing mgr and his wife later visited me in NYC.

Some times I arrange a trip when their people are  visiting the USA.  I
had
beautiful exhange visits in Egypt (Cairo and Alexandris) and in South
Africa (J'burg and Capetown and the Blue Train).  I was even taken to
Sowato to see the black rush hour at 6AM.  And in Egypt, they made
a special visit for me to a pyramid 100 miles south of Cairo  We inside!

My first foreign  travel was to Quebec City when I was only 15.  No
French
for me and very little English for them.  So once again, we talked
railroad
and trolley car.  Its amazing what a few photos will do.

Now is the time to make a foreign visit.  Air fares will never be any
cheaper.

Fred is right about a Swiss visit.  Its wonderful.

Harold Geissenheimer