When I visit any country as a tourist, guest etc. I respect the customs, traditions and Laws of that country. I use common sense and err on the side of caution. What the Laws of the host country are, I am generally not well versed in. Though, I do read about obvious things that might concern me as a visitor.
Fahim,
Well then, in Long Beach California, you and I could very will get detained then for taking our customary pictures! The police there are on the wrong side of the law and won't get away with it for too long. Taking photographs, that acton itself is totally legal in public places in the USA. It's the fantasies n the minds of police that cause then confusion. They will, no doubt get educated!
I too have travelled widely but I've never found any place, anywhere, that didn't allow tourist or street photography. I can't even name any! So I've never come across such a culture clash as you suggest. Well, I imagine that paranoiac state of North Korea might be such a place, but I don't think they allow many tourists there, anyway, LOL!
I don"t poke my nose in other people's business. That is a sure recipe for getting into trouble.
It's never occurred to me that photography would be illegal, unless in an army base or in someone else's private place.
That would be "poking one's nose into other people's business". After all, even if invited into someone's home, one's not invited to document their artwork and silver!
In public places in the USA, some individual might object, and if that was understandable, I'd simply delete the shot. If the person was really unreasonably pompous and rude about it, I'd tell them to call the police and take more if it was safe, LOL!
Asher
