The Different Flavors of Tourism

I think Americans and Europeans have different ideas about what each country is like. Europeans probably view America as a place that features many of the best places to shop, very unique and interesting people, and great places to have fun. Americans probably see Europe as a very culture rich, historical, and relaxing place to visit. Just looking at the types of places that were showcased as the premier tourist destinations in America and Europe, the messages were very different. In the U.S., Forbes had rated New York City's Times Square, Las Vegas's Strip, and Orlando's Walt Disney World 1,2,and 5 in the top ten tourist destinations. This is not really a surprise to any American citizen because of the country's emphasis on commercialism and consumerism. I think this is what the general perception is about the U.S.; it's a great place to spend money and have fun.

In contrast, I believe Europe's tourist attractions highlight a totally different culture. Many of Europe's top tourist destinations were classical architecture, historical sites showing the history of the country, and national monuments. Some of the top tourist destinations in Europe were the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Big Ben in London, The Roman Coliseum in Rome, and Acropolis located in Athens. Americans probably expect to experience more of the culture than the commerce, and the overall perception is that Europe is rich in tradition in history.

I think it is important to remember that these places do have some things in common. The is great shopping in Paris, just like there is great shopping in New York City. Also, there are places to gamble and amusement parks in both Europe and in the U.S. What sets these destinations apart is the emphasis placed on these locations by residents and visitors alike. While the United States is one country and Europe is home to many countries there is still a consensus about which destinations are most popular among tourists.  I think many of the shopping and amusement locations in the U.S. are uniquely American because of the experience they provide tourists. There is nothing like walking Times Sq. at three in the morning with thousands of people, similarly there is nothing like the view of Paris from the top of Eiffel Tower. I think both places have unique themes which represent the people and their personalities accurately.  The U.S.'personality is centered around commercial and entertainment and Europe's is more historical and serene.

Dual Ethnic Landscape

For my ethnic landscape I chose Flushing in Queens, New York City because I am very familiar with the area and I believe it covers more than one of the different ethnic landscape types. Now although Flushing is technically a town, that can be misleading to the actual size and diversity of ethnic landscapes. Flushing is home to the largest Chinatown in New York City and its Asian residents account for over half of the population. Ethnic markers are all over Flushing Main Street and this area would be classified under the "Ersatz"or ethnic landscape. Many of the building signs are in Chinese or Korean and newspapers are sold in the same languages. Restaurants and other establishments cater to the largest Asian population in the area. What I believe separates this Chinatown from the one in Manhattan is the focus on tourism. In Flushing their is not that feeling of tourism. (Maybe because tourists think the only thing in NYC is Manhattan). (A few images to show Flushing's Main Street)

In the same "town" of Flushing, a large Italian, Greek, and Irish population have maintained what I would call the Old World landscape with its mixture of churches and houses. Its also home to a large amount of restaurants and businesses that cater to its ethnic population. This large European population has maintained some of the older more classical looks of their home countries. Flushing, named after the Dutch village Vlissingen was founded in 1645 and was the first permanent settlement in Queens. In 1657 the Flushing Remonstrance was issued, which defied Peter Stuyvesant's demand to expel Quakers, Jews, and other religious groups. Flushing was also the first town in the western hemisphere to grant religious freedom to its residents. Maybe this explains why there are over 200 places of worship in a 6.5 square kilometer range.

I think this shows that an area can be made up of more than one type of ethnic landscape, because Flushing definitely represents sort of a hybrid between two types.