{"id":2103,"date":"2005-10-27T22:00:00","date_gmt":"2005-10-27T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/globetrotters.co.uk\/newsletter\/2005\/10\/27\/macs-travel-reminiscences-4\/"},"modified":"2018-01-02T07:37:27","modified_gmt":"2018-01-02T07:37:27","slug":"macs-travel-reminiscences-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/globetrotters.co.uk\/newsletter\/macs-travel-reminiscences-4.html","title":{"rendered":"Mac's Travel Reminiscences"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"mac\"We are
\nsorry to say that Mac is not very well, but he is still e-mailing
\nstrong and recently sent the Beetle a collection of travel book reviews
\nand things that caught his eye. <\/p>\n

From Book Holidays In Hell by P. J. O Rourke. P. J. O
\nRourke is currently the White House correspondent from Rolling Stones
\nmagazine (l988.) Page ll: “There are worst pests than
\nmainland Chinese taking Frigidaires home on the plane.” <\/p>\n

Commodore Hotel in Beirut, Lebanon where correspondents
\nhang out: “Get a room away from the pool. It’s
\nharder to hit that side of the building with artillery. Rates are about
\nfifty dollars a night. They’ll convert your bar bill to
\nlaundry charges if you’re on an expense account.” <\/p>\n

Page 15: “The wise traveller will pack shirts
\nor blouses with ample breast pockets. Reaching inside a jacket for your
\npassport looks too much like going for the draw and puts armed men out
\nof continence” <\/p>\n

Page 16. “West Beirut can be toured on
\nfoot. — “There’s a lot of jewellery and make-up
\nand the silliest Italian designer jeans on earth. They’re
\nrushing from one place to another in order to sit around drinking
\nhundreds of tiny cups of Turkish coffee and chat at the top of their
\nlungs. The entire economy is fuelled so far as I can see by everyone
\nselling cartons of smuggled Marlboros to each other.” <\/p>\n

Page 17. “The Old American Embassy is here in
\nthe same state as U.S. Middle East policy.” On kidnapping –
\n“If nabbed, make as much noise as possible (this is where the
\nwhistle I carry might come in handy.) Do not get in someone’s
\ncar. If forced in, attack the driver. At least that is what I am told.”\n <\/p>\n

Page 23. “Welcome to Lebanon” said
\nthe Israeli captain. He read my credentials and smiled.
\n“Tourism?” “Yes” I said,
\n“I’m the only tourist in Lebanon.” The
\ncaptain laughed. “Oh, no you’re not. I’m
\na reservist, you know, and this is my vacation too.” <\/p>\n

Page 29. “My answer to everyone was that
\nPresident Reagan wasn’t sure why he sent the Marines to
\nLebanon. However, he was determined to keep them here until he figured
\nit out,
\nbut then he forgot.” <\/p>\n

Page 35. “The Syrian army has dozens of silly
\nhats, mostly berets in yellow, orange and shocking pink, but also tiny
\npillbox chapeaux, peaked officer’s caps and half a foot of
\ngold braid up the front and lumpy Russian helmets, three sizes too
\nlarge. The paratroopers wear shiny gold jumpsuits and crack commando
\nunits have skin-tight fatigues in a camouflage pattern of violet,
\npeach, flesh tone and vermilion on a background of vivid purple (good
\ncamouflage Ha!) <\/p>\n

On Korea, page 46: “I was overwhelmed by the
\namazing stink of kimchi, the garlic and hot pepper sauerkraut
\nthat’s breakfast, lunch, and dinner in Korea. Its odour rises
\n—eyeglass fogging kimchi breath, throat searing kimchi burps and
\nterrible pants-splitting kimchi Farts.” <\/p>\n

And here is a guide to frequently used hotel terms (and
\ntheir real meaning): <\/p>\n

Guide to Hotel Terms <\/h4>\n