Well, there was a summit involved. It was outdoor, as much as it is possible in the Vatican. Vatican is listed in the scroll-down menu of countries by summitpost, so what is wrong about reporting on an ascent of Vatican Hill, Vatican's Highest?
The intention is not to offend. I have reported what I saw along the way, and I have reported about the structure of the state in question. All facts.
I beg to differ. The entire TR is not just a reiteration of facts. It is sprinkled with your own critical view on things. Of course you can see (believe) like you wish, but you should understand that commenting on the subject as you have will offend a lot of people. To be provocative is a good thing but if it crosses the line to be simply disrespectful to many others and their beliefs, then it is too much. Your TR definitely crossed the line in my opinion.
SpiderSavage - Dec 17, 2010 10:41 am - Hasn't voted
Fixable
Vatican Hill is definitely a worthy topic for this site. A fascinating place I have visited myself. Humor is fine but not at the expense of friendship. Now that you've had your fun. How about cleaning it up for mass consumption.
This IS for the masses, indeed: a difficult mountain, only 75 m high. Only few people have ever reached its summit, yet there is little technical know-how required. What else can a mounaineer desire?
The bold font makes it harder to read on my screen.
Also the emphatic visual effect is not dramatic. Instead it is just too heavy.
I am uncomfortable reading the bold font. In fact I saved myself the effort and simply skimmed the first word of every third paragraph.
Do your readers a favor and change the font to "regular". Then I might (might) try reading it.
...honestly, I'm rather helpless here...I find it's a good report, with a lot of personal views of yours, of course - one can agree or disagree with them; I also felt a bit taken aback by one or two sentences in your account, but all in all you wrote this very well. Although I must fully and completely agree with those who stated in their comments that this is off-topic; it doesn't fit into the issue people go to the SummitPost website for (I always try to keep in mind that it's not only for our community we are writing pages for; SummitPost is a source of information also for many hundreds of non-members as well!). As we both speak German, let me express it this way: the "summit" falls in this report of yours simply under "ferner liefen", in my opinion...
So, as I say, also in view of all the different points of view expressed in the comments I see from the other members, I'm at a loss here - I simply don't know what vote to give - that's why I rather don't vote. A bad vote seems unfair to me as well, because, as I say, you wrote a good story...
Cheers,
Eric
Thank you, EricChu. I have to repeat myself. It IS the report of a trip to a mountain. I can't help: It required waiting three days, before I was able to join a group visiting the Gardens. Without the group, ascending this rare mountain was impossible. I had to separate from the group in order to stand on the summit, and that violated the rules. I also had to find back to my group afterwards.
Like in other trip reports one describes what is to be found along the way. I can't help: What I found in the Vatican Gardens MUST be different from what I find on "usual" mountains. I tried to give a comprehensive description of what the trip was all about.
My hobby dictates that I stand on every highest mountain in every European country. That includes the Vatican. It is not MY fault that the Vatican houses a mountain. It is also not MY fault that the Vatican is so small that it cannot afford a better mountain.
What I can be blamed for, however, is that I report on EUROPE in all its political colorfulness. That I misuse mountains as a hook-up. So sorry. But I view mountains in their surroundings. The simple technical "how to get up" is not enough. I want to find the soul of a mountain. I found it in the Vatican, as I find it elsewhere on my mountains.
Yes, but pardon me, if I got you right, you didn't even really stand on it's actual summit...
Of course this isn't so terrible; what I would certainly advise though, is, replace the profile image by something more related to what you are telling about, and revise maybe a bit those parts which in my opinion are very generalizing, like the bit about the Japanese or "how far has Christianity sunk that it tolerates Thais and Chinese right next to the pope". That people can take offense on phrases like that - as apparently gabriele did - I can fully understand! Careful when generalizing on the ethnic side of things...!!
Gabriele Roth - Dec 17, 2010 7:58 am - Voted 1/10
offensiveand absolutely off topic
lcarreau - Dec 17, 2010 8:14 am - Voted 5/10
Question:Why did you have to go and stir up the pot right before Christmas?
Wolfgang Schaub - Dec 17, 2010 8:18 am - Hasn't voted
Re: Question:"LAUGHTER is the only medicine I can afford!"
lcarreau - Dec 17, 2010 8:48 am - Voted 5/10
Re: Question:Sorry, but I would have included a few "smily-face emoticons" on
a report such as this one.
Now, you're leaving it up to Christians whether to laugh or sigh??
Wolfgang Schaub - Dec 17, 2010 8:52 am - Hasn't voted
Re: Question:I would recommend you to laugh, if you are a Christian.
Being Christian has nothing to do with being member of a Church.
And as the emoticons are concerned: NO! NO! NO! Everyone is invited to READ. I'm not telling people where to laugh.
lcarreau - Dec 17, 2010 8:59 am - Voted 5/10
Re: Question:But, WHAT does this have to do with enjoyable outdoor activities,
like climbing mountains and exploring new routes?
I believe in freedom, too, but there's a fine line between
freedom and offending the masses and putting your own political
spin on things..
Wolfgang Schaub - Dec 17, 2010 9:07 am - Hasn't voted
Re: Question:Well, there was a summit involved. It was outdoor, as much as it is possible in the Vatican. Vatican is listed in the scroll-down menu of countries by summitpost, so what is wrong about reporting on an ascent of Vatican Hill, Vatican's Highest?
The intention is not to offend. I have reported what I saw along the way, and I have reported about the structure of the state in question. All facts.
SoCalHiker - Dec 17, 2010 2:09 pm - Voted 1/10
Re: Question:I beg to differ. The entire TR is not just a reiteration of facts. It is sprinkled with your own critical view on things. Of course you can see (believe) like you wish, but you should understand that commenting on the subject as you have will offend a lot of people. To be provocative is a good thing but if it crosses the line to be simply disrespectful to many others and their beliefs, then it is too much. Your TR definitely crossed the line in my opinion.
SpiderSavage - Dec 17, 2010 10:41 am - Hasn't voted
FixableVatican Hill is definitely a worthy topic for this site. A fascinating place I have visited myself. Humor is fine but not at the expense of friendship. Now that you've had your fun. How about cleaning it up for mass consumption.
Wolfgang Schaub - Dec 17, 2010 10:54 am - Hasn't voted
Re: FixableThis IS for the masses, indeed: a difficult mountain, only 75 m high. Only few people have ever reached its summit, yet there is little technical know-how required. What else can a mounaineer desire?
Ejnar Fjerdingstad - Dec 17, 2010 10:41 am - Voted 10/10
Very entertainingand informative, I felt like I had been there!
Charles - Dec 17, 2010 11:02 am - Hasn't voted
This isa trip report! Wolfgang, a smile worth.
jdzaharia - Dec 17, 2010 3:39 pm - Hasn't voted
A good report......that would be excellent without a handful of opinionated comments.
hgrapid - Dec 17, 2010 4:00 pm - Hasn't voted
Primary Image?Change the primary image, put it on the main page, and you got yourself something very good.
dan2see - Dec 17, 2010 6:07 pm - Hasn't voted
All the text is "bold"The bold font makes it harder to read on my screen.
Also the emphatic visual effect is not dramatic. Instead it is just too heavy.
I am uncomfortable reading the bold font. In fact I saved myself the effort and simply skimmed the first word of every third paragraph.
Do your readers a favor and change the font to "regular". Then I might (might) try reading it.
dan2see - Dec 17, 2010 6:08 pm - Hasn't voted
Where's the summit?You claim that there is a summit on the grounds, but its description is lost among the non-essential brick-a-brack.
dan2see - Dec 17, 2010 6:10 pm - Hasn't voted
What summit?I don't think you intended to present a "trip report" about "outdoor adventure".
I think you intended to present a political satire about the Vatican.
To be precise: Find another forum that's more fitting for your stories.
EricChu - Dec 17, 2010 7:36 pm - Voted 5/10
I don't know what to vote here......honestly, I'm rather helpless here...I find it's a good report, with a lot of personal views of yours, of course - one can agree or disagree with them; I also felt a bit taken aback by one or two sentences in your account, but all in all you wrote this very well. Although I must fully and completely agree with those who stated in their comments that this is off-topic; it doesn't fit into the issue people go to the SummitPost website for (I always try to keep in mind that it's not only for our community we are writing pages for; SummitPost is a source of information also for many hundreds of non-members as well!). As we both speak German, let me express it this way: the "summit" falls in this report of yours simply under "ferner liefen", in my opinion...
So, as I say, also in view of all the different points of view expressed in the comments I see from the other members, I'm at a loss here - I simply don't know what vote to give - that's why I rather don't vote. A bad vote seems unfair to me as well, because, as I say, you wrote a good story...
Cheers,
Eric
Wolfgang Schaub - Dec 18, 2010 2:10 am - Hasn't voted
Re: I don't know what to vote here...Thank you, EricChu. I have to repeat myself. It IS the report of a trip to a mountain. I can't help: It required waiting three days, before I was able to join a group visiting the Gardens. Without the group, ascending this rare mountain was impossible. I had to separate from the group in order to stand on the summit, and that violated the rules. I also had to find back to my group afterwards.
Like in other trip reports one describes what is to be found along the way. I can't help: What I found in the Vatican Gardens MUST be different from what I find on "usual" mountains. I tried to give a comprehensive description of what the trip was all about.
My hobby dictates that I stand on every highest mountain in every European country. That includes the Vatican. It is not MY fault that the Vatican houses a mountain. It is also not MY fault that the Vatican is so small that it cannot afford a better mountain.
What I can be blamed for, however, is that I report on EUROPE in all its political colorfulness. That I misuse mountains as a hook-up. So sorry. But I view mountains in their surroundings. The simple technical "how to get up" is not enough. I want to find the soul of a mountain. I found it in the Vatican, as I find it elsewhere on my mountains.
EricChu - Dec 18, 2010 4:17 am - Voted 5/10
Re: I don't know what to vote here...Yes, but pardon me, if I got you right, you didn't even really stand on it's actual summit...
Of course this isn't so terrible; what I would certainly advise though, is, replace the profile image by something more related to what you are telling about, and revise maybe a bit those parts which in my opinion are very generalizing, like the bit about the Japanese or "how far has Christianity sunk that it tolerates Thais and Chinese right next to the pope". That people can take offense on phrases like that - as apparently gabriele did - I can fully understand! Careful when generalizing on the ethnic side of things...!!