With all due respect to Samuel Clemens, I'm not sure that quote is a universal truth. I know plenty of people who seem to travel only to complain that the food "isn't like it is at home," and that the people living wherever they've gone don't speak English.

LOL, Andie--my aunt used to travel all over Europe eating only hamburgers wherever she found herself.

I also wonder if at least some of the people who do travel have the kinds of open mind that are already eager to dispel "prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness." I don't travel as much as I would like, but I love learning about new places, new food, new customs, etc. I'll bet there are more like me than the other kind.

Is this a chicken and egg quote, LOL?

amen Andie. I was almost ashamed to be an American when we were in Paris. I never saw so many cloddish rude people in my life as some of the American tourists walking around.

The great American novel is said to be either Huckleberry Finn or Tom Sawyer,but I don't remember which. Anyway..I haven't read either one so think maybe I'll move one of them to the top of the TR pile. I'll bet he and George Carlin would have liked each other.

This must not apply to the British, they are single handedly responsible for fish and chips being served all over the place in Europe. British punters can't live without their chips - with everything. They eat pizza and chips - curry and chips, chinese and chips.

I myself have been known to have a chip sandwich ~ a culinary delight experienced by the more sophisticate chip eater.

It is no accident that English is increasingly accepted and spoken internationally ~ the British have simply refused to learn anyone else's language and there is a condescending curl of the lip when hearing American "English" spoken. :)_

Sheila,are you saying you think the reason English is spoken so much internationally has more to do with the UK than it does the US?

Yes, we began refusing to do trade in anything except English right after Henry V won at Agincourt around about 1413. International bullying always worked well for the English in the old days:)

Actually, I don't know. I have my tongue in my cheek, Marda:)

But on reflection I suspect it might be true. England was a great trading country that traded internationally long before the United States was born. I'd have to do a little bit of research.

English as a lingua franca is the one positive gift of the British Empire. It gave a common language to India, and allowed the subjects of one part of the empire to be able to commuinicate with another part of the empire.

This is why English is the official language of worldwide aircraft controllers.

Learnt as much from some series called, I believe, History of English . Ironically the English department offers just such a course, though I haven't taken it.

The sun never set, etc. England was responsible for some of the most populous countries in the world (like India) being familiar with and fluent in English.

As to Mr. Clement's quote. Let's consider it in context. When one traveled in his era, by comparison to today, it was a leisurely travel. A trip 'abroad' meant weeks aboard a steamer and months of absence. There were no international Holiday Inns where an American could go from point A to point B eating nothing but hamburgers and expecting all waitpersons to be fluent in English.

I find it hard to consider two weeks on holiday on any continent, where one sees a different country each day, much of a learning experience in culture. One has to dig in for awhile and let some life happen to really begin to understand that we are all pretty much alike under the surface. I have always been so very thankful to have lived abroad for years. Been forced to learn another language or two. Not been able to surround myself with an enclave of people of only my nationality. Experience the same fears, shortages, natural disasters that the natives of those countries did.

In the same vein, I know some English folks who think all of America resembles either NYC, or Disneyworld. Those are the only two places they've ever been in America and by extrapolation, think that's all there is. It is very fun to get them to come to the heartland and see for themselves that those two exotic places are as exotic to us as to them.

I think most people who are narrowminded, bigoted or prejudiced against a certain group of people wil most likely always stay that way because that's the way they want to view the world. They look for things that will back up their beliefs and ignore those things that don't. I think a bigot could live in a country for severeal years and never change his or her views.

Perhaps, Marda. But, I don't think the majority of people are bigots. Many have cultural distortions, perhaps. I think it's more effective to walk in another's moccasins, because it's very difficult not to acquire some semblance of understanding of another culture when you have no choice than to live within their limitations.

I don't think the majority of people are either,but I'm assuming when Twain said bigot, he meant bigot and I was referring to his quote.

Unfortunately, that's probably true.

The Railways, Michael. The British Empire left behind some splendid rail infrastructure. Not just in India but in many places. Argentina for instance attributed their rail system to the British (not that Argentina was a colony).

Even today, the British Rail System is a fine thing. Now Amtrak....:)

And the British court system...Michael. josh