Back from Europe

[Scott Ians Beard]

And speaking of expensive, if you're in Japan and you order some Kobe Beef and you didn't check the price, don't be upset when you get a $300 bill for an 8 ounce meal.

But its soo good! You can get it for far less over here though, I wouldnt pay $300 dollars.

Without getting too drawn into this thread, I would imagine the Spanish would be fairly anti-american too. Ive been all over Europe, the coolest people are the Germans, Dutch and the Scandinavians. They put us Brits to shame!

 

[fireal]

Hmm i've been accross europe without problems, i think it was your just not use to the culture. I have friends in london who come up for a night out drinking, they find it real intimidating "people looking for fights". Its just second nature to me. When i was in prague it was great beer was so cheap! Everyone kept themselves to themselves but tourism has taken over that place bigtime!

You say you are lucky to live in the USA fair enough i would be interested in living over there if you had a better leader and no huge target pointing at you. I'm in the beautiful derbyshire countryside here and i would say you are no more privilidged than I. As for british food hmm we have some nice stuff but its more things my mother may have cooked rather than i could get easily in a restaurant Then again you guys have given us fast food errr thanks

 

[Jack Luminous]

France has always had a reputation here in the States that they just don't like Americans. I figure a lot of it is made up or exaggerated but there is some truth to it. I'm talking about typical things though like bad service at restuarants and whatnot, nothing major.

No. France has not always had such a reputation in the US. It's very recent. France always liked the US and the US always liked France. Why are they "french studies" depts in the US universities ?? Why many US jazz musicians/writers etc. came to live in Paris in the past ?? There always has been very strong cultural ties between France and the US. I remember being a teen in the 80s and buying "USA magazine", which was some very successful comics zine at the time... The mood was very different 20 years ago.

 

[Glimpse]

Me personally, the most uptight people i have been around was Raleigh North Carolina. Everywhere i went, it seemed everyone had a carrot up their ass.

Hahaha! Please explain danyeo, I want to hear more about this! I've lived in NC my whole life (and did a good 1.5 yr stint in Raleigh myself). What exactly happened??

(And I'm not flaming you at all, but rather trying to get a sense of why it was the most uptight place you've ever been)

 

[ke2]

How so? Because I said I like all the choices we have over here and because I thought things were expensive over there? Those are both FACTS, not even opinions. I had a great time over there, but it still made me appreciate my country. So because I like having a lot of choices and I like competitive pricing I'm close minded?

"Expensive" is all about buying power from the regulars. Norway is even more expensive than the rest of the EU, but we are a fairly rich country, though.

Taking into consideration the $ is weaker now than in a long time, I can see that the trip cost you a lot of money, but like I said, "expensive" is a very subjective matter. You need to visit Norway! Except for the fact that is costs a lot of money to eat out etc, Norwegians are in general friendly people who speak your language And there`s a lot of beautiful scenery if you like nature.

 

[moronmountain]

How so? Because I said I like all the choices we have over here and because I thought things were expensive over there? Those are both FACTS, not even opinions. I had a great time over there, but it still made me appreciate my country. So because I like having a lot of choices and I like competitive pricing I'm close minded?

"Expensive" is all about buying power from the regulars. Norway is even more expensive than the rest of the EU, but we are a fairly rich country, though.

Taking into consideration the $ is weaker now than in a long time, I can see that the trip cost you a lot of money, but like I said, "expensive" is a very subjective matter. You need to visit Norway! Except for the fact that is costs a lot of money to eat out etc, Norwegians are in general friendly people who speak your language And there`s a lot of beautiful scenery if you like nature.

I guess to make it simple, "expensive" to me is something that costs a bit more than what I'm used to spending for a similar item. There are a lot of countries I would like to visit in the future. I'm sure Norway is very cool. I wish we could have seen more of Ireland, but in the end I think we tried to do too much in such a short amount of time.

 

[moronmountain]

Hmm i've been accross europe without problems, i think it was your just not use to the culture. I have friends in london who come up for a night out drinking, they find it real intimidating "people looking for fights". Its just second nature to me. When i was in prague it was great beer was so cheap! Everyone kept themselves to themselves but tourism has taken over that place bigtime!

You say you are lucky to live in the USA fair enough i would be interested in living over there if you had a better leader and no huge target pointing at you. I'm in the beautiful derbyshire countryside here and i would say you are no more privilidged than I. As for british food hmm we have some nice stuff but its more things my mother may have cooked rather than i could get easily in a restaurant Then again you guys have given us fast food errr thanks

If you mean culture is being pushy, unfriendly in general, and an "every man for themselves" attitude, then you may be right. Like I said before, I only experienced this in Rome, and not just from the locals either. I think it was just more of a city thing. I have nothing against Italians in general, or anyone for that matter. I hated that just to get on the metro I would myself have to shove someone out of the way or to have to act a certain way to ward off pick pockets. Dublin and Munich are both big cities and they felt more like "regular" big cities to me compared to Rome which took the pushy and rude thing to a whole new level. FWIW I don't personally eat fast food that often, but I can say I prefer "American" Italian food to "Authentic" Italian food. I did like German food quite a bit though, but it was still expensive compared to where I'm from.

 

[skoora]

Mr fellow Europeans clearly didn't get the memo that everything is superior in the US.

I wasn't trying to put Europe in a bad light. I was just trying to say that it made me appreciate what we have over here. The people in Rome were still rude........ I can't say enough about that. There were a lot of cool things to see in Rome though. Your sarcasm is greatly appreciated though.

From an Australian living in the U.S who has been to a few places around the world I think you expressed yourself just fine and don't sound close minded at all. We all know the classic image of the "American tourist" but that has been changing for a long time and I think people like to elevate their "international status" by jumping to conclusions on sterotypes. There's nothing wrong with saying someone in in Italy was a prick. I'm sure they were. Knocking hard into a woman is a pretty universal faux pas and I'm sure being put into a wall would have been all the translation they needed.

 

[degenaro]

Mr fellow Europeans clearly didn't get the memo that everything is superior in the US.

I wasn't trying to put Europe in a bad light. I was just trying to say that it made me appreciate what we have over here. The people in Rome were still rude........ I can't say enough about that. There were a lot of cool things to see in Rome though. Your sarcasm is greatly appreciated though.

From an Australian living in the U.S who has been to a few places around the world I think you expressed yourself just fine and don't sound close minded at all. We all know the classic image of the "American tourist" but that has been changing for a long time and I think people like to elevate their "international status" by jumping to conclusions on sterotypes. There's nothing wrong with saying someone in in Italy was a prick. I'm sure they were. Knocking hard into a woman is a pretty universal faux pas and I'm sure being put into a wall would have been all the translation they needed.

Alright, I was gonna stay out of this. But that's nonsense, Trevor.
First time I took my wife to Germany we're shopping and she's looking into a store window and some old lady literally pushes her aside to see into the store. When you're in line for anything there it's a matter of "he who got the best elbows
gets in first". There's no such thing as a universal faux paux. Don't want to get rammed down, get out of the way. End of story.

 

[PapaHett]

Where in Ireland did you hit up? If you were in Dublin or one of the bigger cities, things tend to me alot more expensive. In the north, some things tend to be cheaper. Drink for Example.

 

[Code001]

It's not that everyone in Europe is thin, it's that everyone here in the US is a fat pig. I went to Japan a few years ago for 2 weeks and there's NO fat people. When i came back to the US and i got into JFK airport it took me 2 seconds to find some big fat ass bitch. In Japan you just don't see women with big asses the size of a volkswagon.

One thing that's different is the portions. They don't eat as much. I took me a few days to get used to it. Over here you go anywhere and your big gulp alone is gigantic.


And as far as attitudes and Europe. Well, my father in law has been everywhere and his bussiness has taken him to Europe probably hundreds of times. And my wife has been across they pond numerous times. France seems to harvest the most anti-American attitudes. I would like to visit Spain and Scotland though.

And speaking of expensive, if you're in Japan and you order some Kobe Beef and you didn't check the price, don't be upset when you get a $300 bill for an 8 ounce meal.

http://asia.news.yahoo.com/071002/kyodo/d8s1345g1.html

 

[moronmountain]

Where in Ireland did you hit up? If you were in Dublin or one of the bigger cities, things tend to me alot more expensive. In the north, some things tend to be cheaper. Drink for Example.

Dublin. We were supposed to rent a car and drive around everywhere, but there were a lot of "hidden" costs to renting the car that made us just stay in Dublin. We could've afforded the car, but we were just done spending money that we were willing to spend.

 

[moronmountain]

Alright, I was gonna stay out of this. But that's nonsense, Trevor.
First time I took my wife to Germany we're shopping and she's looking into a store window and some old lady literally pushes her aside to see into the store. When you're in line for anything there it's a matter of "he who got the best elbows
gets in first". There's no such thing as a universal faux paux. Don't want to get rammed down, get out of the way. End of story.

Yeah well that's pretty much what I experienced as far as the pushy part. Germany was no where near what Rome was like though. See the thing is, I'm a decent sized guy and had no trouble pushing my way around a bunch of 5'6" 140 lb. guys. My wife is pretty small though, and neither of us liked having to behave that way just to get around. That has been my whole point. Just because "everyone else does it", doesn't make it cool. Y'know? I know It's what a person is used to, but slaves are used to being beaten. Does that mean beating slaves is ok? I know that's an extreme example, but to me it's the same thing.

 

[Zyngath]

Alright, I was gonna stay out of this. But that's nonsense, Trevor.
First time I took my wife to Germany we're shopping and she's looking into a store window and some old lady literally pushes her aside to see into the store. When you're in line for anything there it's a matter of "he who got the best elbows
gets in first". There's no such thing as a universal faux paux. Don't want to get rammed down, get out of the way. End of story.

Yeah i have to wear a helmet and knee and elbow pads to survive a shopping trip around here

 

[degenaro]

Alright, I was gonna stay out of this. But that's nonsense, Trevor.
First time I took my wife to Germany we're shopping and she's looking into a store window and some old lady literally pushes her aside to see into the store. When you're in line for anything there it's a matter of "he who got the best elbows
gets in first". There's no such thing as a universal faux paux. Don't want to get rammed down, get out of the way. End of story.

Yeah well that's pretty much what I experienced as far as the pushy part. Germany was no where near what Rome was like though. See the thing is, I'm a decent sized guy and had no trouble pushing my way around a bunch of 5'6" 140 lb. guys. My wife is pretty small though, and neither of us liked having to behave that way just to get around. That has been my whole point. Just because "everyone else does it", doesn't make it cool. Y'know? I know It's what a person is used to, but slaves are used to being beaten. Does that mean beating slaves is ok? I know that's an extreme example, but to me it's the same thing.

Dude...when in Rome...
It's really simple, don't like it, don't go there.
As for the slave analogy, that dog don't hunt. I don't subscribe to the believes that what is right in one country has to be right for another one. But then again America as a rule has a tendency to want to play world police.

As a side note in terms of expensive...as long as a Mesa is twice the price of what it is in the US I don't think expensive figures in on a vacation.

 

[Digital Jams]

So all Germans are 5'6" or are the Romans 5'6"?


To all euro dudes......we are all not like moron dude!

 

[moronmountain]

Alright, I was gonna stay out of this. But that's nonsense, Trevor.
First time I took my wife to Germany we're shopping and she's looking into a store window and some old lady literally pushes her aside to see into the store. When you're in line for anything there it's a matter of "he who got the best elbows
gets in first". There's no such thing as a universal faux paux. Don't want to get rammed down, get out of the way. End of story.

Yeah well that's pretty much what I experienced as far as the pushy part. Germany was no where near what Rome was like though. See the thing is, I'm a decent sized guy and had no trouble pushing my way around a bunch of 5'6" 140 lb. guys. My wife is pretty small though, and neither of us liked having to behave that way just to get around. That has been my whole point. Just because "everyone else does it", doesn't make it cool. Y'know? I know It's what a person is used to, but slaves are used to being beaten. Does that mean beating slaves is ok? I know that's an extreme example, but to me it's the same thing.

Dude...when in Rome...
It's really simple, don't like it, don't go there.
As for the slave analogy, that dog don't hunt. I don't subscribe to the believes that what is right in one country has to be right for another one. But then again America as a rule has a tendency to want to play world police.

As a side note in terms of expensive...as long as a Mesa is twice the price of what it is in the US I don't think expensive figures in on a vacation.

You're kinda generalizing Americans there Ed. Man this thread has totally gone crazy. I simply made a post about how I thought the people in Rome were rude and got to a place where I felt I had to defend my statement. Even with all the shoving and crap I still would have gone there because it was that cool. That doesn't mean I have to like how the people act there does it? If you don't like how Americans are then why do you live here? I'm not trying to be a prick either. I think it's a fair question.

 

[moronmountain]

So all Germans are 5'6" or are the Romans 5'6"?


To all euro dudes......we are all not like moron dude!

Give me a break. I never said anything negative about Germans. Yes most of the dudes in Rome were small. I wasn't saying that as a negative, just as an observation.

 

[Zyngath]

There are a lot of pretty far fetched generalisations in this thread. Judging Italy by a 3-day-trip to Rome is like judging the US after a 3-day-trip to Disneyland. There is no such thing as "the Germans" or "the Irish" imo. There are assholes everywhere and there are nice people everywhere. Moronmountains experiences in Rome could have happened in every other city on this planet as well imo. Sometimes shit happens.

 

[moronmountain]

There are a lot of pretty far fetched generalisations in this thread. Judging Italy by a 3-day-trip to Rome is like judging the US after a 3-day-trip to Disneyland. There is no such thing as "the Germans" or "the Irish" imo. There are assholes everywhere and there are nice people everywhere. Moronmountains experiences in Rome could have happened in every other city on this planet as well imo. Sometimes shit happens.

This is all true. I was giving my "impression" of 4 days in Rome. I prolly shouldn't have said anything, but it was enough of an impression that it impacted me enough to feel ok with the statement I made. I will add that I was in Rome during the peak season, so I'm sure this made everything that much worse. I'll re-state as well that my original statement included other "tourists" as well. It's just how everyone in general was acting while we were there. If I'm not allowed my opinions on this board, then I guess I'll just shaddup.