If by Lockhart you mean Kreuz Market -- yes, absolutely right.

http://www.kreuzmarket.com/index.shtml

I will take an afternoon at Kreuz Market over an evening at some Gordon Ramsay place anytime.

I wantr to explore more of California in the future at somepoint, Big Sur and Carmel etc. Might try and fit in a trip to Chicago and/or NYC before or after.

Quote:
Originally Posted by HilFly
They probably spit in your food preemptively if you're Scottish! :D

It was a joke - hence the laughing face. Did you read the thread? The whole bit about tipping / not tipping, waitstaff spitting in the food of non tippers and Hiddy warning the waitstaff ahead of time that he was Scottish?

:D

Methinks you hold the minority opinion here.

Do tell, where have you visited in Canada?

Not quite... I must say that Canada - albeit a great destination - did not do it for me in the way that CA or MT did it. All perfectly nice and beautiful but too much like a large Switzerland. I visited BC, more specifically I started at Vancouver & Vancouver Island, made my way to the States, re-entered after Eureka, drove to Nelson, Kelowna, Whistler and back to Vancouver. Some of the best drives out there but nothing real spectacular along the way.

Pity you didn't venture further up to Alberta. The Bow River Parkway is a stunning road to drive/cycle along.

Hmmmm. That's kind of what I had suspected- a view of a very large and diverse country based on one small sampling. I believe one poster even based their opinion on having worked with some "people from there".

The reason for my original query was that many hold the opinion that Canada offers many of the positive aspects of US travel, without many of the drawbacks.

What I like about visiting the US is that the people are far less openly judgemental about people from other cultures/countries. :)

But in all seriousness, I like visiting the country because everyone is so optimistic, positive, welcoming and friendly. Service culture is taken very seriously and you don't feel like you're inconveniencing anyone for asking them to do their job.

That, plus it's a very easy country to travel round and it's very accessible - the roads are wide and straight (and generally good quality), the money and the language are the same no matter where you go, and the landscape is fantastic.

I think that some of the people travel to meet people or who have friends there. So if they dont like the people they meet or have come into contact with it puts them off.

Other people dont worry about this and therefore have different reasons for going to a country or area.

Its just what people look for when they are travelling. I suppose when you have been around the world and seen things your ideas are different.

I personally have never been. I have flown over on the way to Chicago. Its one of the countries that I would like to visit. I hopefully will take family there in the next few years. Its on my list. Well maybe not the French areas.

Why I travel to the US:-

- Its easy from London
- Currency
- Roads!! Big open roads with Real cars
- Foods easy to eat as long as you like the mainstream food.
- Cheap
- People are normally nice
- Weather


On a personal note, my company doesnt as yet have an office there. Therefore I can realax a little more than when in Europe. My life is a bit stressful and as soon as I am off the M25 at LHR I am cool and relaxed. Coming back I stressed as soon as I am at the airport to return.

The faults

- Mosequitos on the East side anyway.
- People are sometimes too nice.
- Some areas are a bit tacky. I avoid them, like I do in the UK.
- Getting in is hard work

It is strange, I'd kill for their seared tuna starter, followed by one of their burgers right now.

Whilst M&S food, is simply supermarket food, not bad in any way but nothing special whatsoever (saying that I'd still choose stuff from there over Pizza Express)

Exactly, I really find it weird that people in the UK criticise the food there, the chain restaurants are miles better than the ones here and the independent restaurants are at least on a par in my experience (bar Indians but as discusses thats because the ones there are still authentic, as opposed to the ones we have here, specifically catering for our tastes)

Probably covered elsewhere, but my reasons for continuing to go back

- Huge variety of destinations (and easy to get around internally).
- No language barrier (although being Scottish, there's always something of a language barrier)
- Good hotels and restauarants - no idea why some people are complaining about bland food.
- Relatively inexpensive.
- Above all, plenty of award availability!!

Why not try Alaska or Hawaii. Start in New York or LA/San Fran and then head on. It is a bit of a trek, but pretty unique.