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10 things Nuclearned learned whilst in Europe (now with bonus things!!!)

NuclearNed

NuclearNed

Raconteur
1. "whilst", not "while"

2. 99% of Europeans are considerably more polite & friendly than Americans

3. where are the washcloths?

4. European air conditioning is a myth. Like a King Arthur type of myth.

5. "Smart" hotel rooms suck. Several of the rooms required a key to "turn on" the room, which is how the hotel controls the power consumption of their customers. Generally, this key has to be turned in to the desk while you are out siteseeing. In other words, while you are gone, nothing in your room ("air conditioning", water heater) works.

6. It is easier understanding an Italian speaking broken English than it is understanding an Englishman speaking proper English.

7. English "bitter" really is.

8. Bidets are and always shall be an unfathomable mystery.

9. They have the whole restaurant thing down to an art (i.e. no tipping, and you have to ask for the check - no one bothers you otherwise)

10. European airports & customs are soooooo much more efficient & streamlined than those in America.


MORE:
11. (applies to Italy only?) Wine & beer are fine, but Europeans have no idea how to make a decent cocktail. Among other sins, they want to add carbonated water to every drink... and they are likely to screw up the basic ingredients/ratios of even common drinks. (wife got a Margarita... I'm not sure what was in it, but now I have some idea what fizzy urine might taste like) The cocktails I had there were just as bad.

12. The European cities we saw were extraordinarily clean compared to US. The only exception to this was that there seemed to be a lot of graffiti in places.

13. (something I learned about myself). Prior to this trip, I would not have thought of myself as an art guy. However, it is an incredibly powerful, moving experience seeing firsthand some of the greatest art ever created (Raphael, Michaelangelo, etc.)

14. A lot of European men are tiny and frail. They're so adorable with their little 7" arms. In a lot of cases, their women are larger than they are. (Of course, there are exceptions).

15. Apparently we Americans are lightweights when it comes to coffee. Until this trip, I would have said that I liked my coffee strong... I was very very wrong.
 
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NuclearNed said:
1. "whilst", not "while"

2. 99% of Europeans are considerably more polite & friendly than Americans

3. where are the washcloths?

4. European air conditioning is a myth. Like a King Arthur type of myth.

5. "Smart" hotel rooms suck. Several of the rooms required a key to "turn on" the room, which is how the hotel controls the power consumption of their customers. Generally, this key has to be turned in to the desk while you are out siteseeing. In other words, while you are gone, nothing in your room ("air conditioning", water heater) works.

6. It is easier understanding an Italian speaking broken English than it is understanding an Englishman speaking proper English.

7. English "bitter" really is.

8. Bidets are and always shall be an unfathomable mystery.

9. They have the whole restaurant thing down to an art (i.e. no tipping, and you have to ask for the check - no one bothers you otherwise)

10. European airports & customs are soooooo much more efficient & streamlined than those in America.
Click to expand...

I learned one thing reading this thread. :whiste:
 
4,6,9, and 10 are what I picked up traveling through the EU as well ... the rest I never encountered....I assume you did not go to France 😉
 
ViviTheMage said:
4,6,9, and 10 are what I picked up traveling through the EU as well ... the rest I never encountered....I assume you did not go to France 😉
Click to expand...

Just UK & Italy. I'm assuming you're referring to #2... the only bad experience I had with any of the natives was with the hotel desk at the place we stayed in Venice. I seriously suspect that they were French. Whether or not they were, I'll never know, but I am positive they were 100% assholes.
 
NuclearNed said:
10. European airports & customs are soooooo much more efficient & streamlined than those in America.
Click to expand...
Yes, because they don't have the TSA. And they have terrorists blowing up planes literally every 17 seconds. In the time it takes you to read this sentence, 3 European planes will be the targets of successful terrorist attacks, which just goes to show that you're a slow reader.

I bend over and thank God every time someone making minimum wage inserts his fingers into my rectum in the name of safety.
 
NuclearNed said:
Just UK & Italy. I'm assuming you're referring to #2... the only bad experience I had with any of the natives was with the hotel desk at the place we stayed in Venice. I seriously suspect that they were French. Whether or not they were, I'll never know, but I am positive they were 100% assholes.
Click to expand...

ok, then otherwise I'll agree with 2, haha. Overall they are pretty nice over there... but traveling in the US, I have never had any issues though, except with angry drivers....sometimes they're more hospitable.

I actually think a B&B we stayed at in Prague had THE nicest people on the earth ... the owner gave us a free tour of the city, drove us around in his own car, they made us breakfast, etc...it was a pretty big B&B too, about 8 rooms.
 
ViviTheMage said:
I actually think a B&B we stayed at in Prague had THE nicest people on the earth ... the owner gave us a free tour of the city, drove us around in his own car, they made us breakfast, etc...it was a pretty big B&B too, about 8 rooms.
Click to expand...

Which is odd because the Czechs are the most aloof people on the planet. Also the worst drivers.

I'm European by birth and I pretty much agree with the list above, though it depends on the country you're visiting.
 
pelov said:
Which is odd because the Czechs are the most aloof people on the planet. Also the worst drivers.

I'm European by birth and I pretty much agree with the list above, though it depends on the country you're visiting.
Click to expand...

It surprised me too...the Germans are just as awesome though, we had a similar experience when we were in Munich and Dusseldorf....awesome people.
 
10. European airports & customs are soooooo much more efficient & streamlined than those in America.

Because we are too busy patting down little kids and people in wheelchairs
 
ViviTheMage said:
ok, then otherwise I'll agree with 2, haha. Overall they are pretty nice over there... but traveling in the US, I have never had any issues though, except with angry drivers....sometimes they're more hospitable.

I actually think a B&B we stayed at in Prague had THE nicest people on the earth ... the owner gave us a free tour of the city, drove us around in his own car, they made us breakfast, etc...it was a pretty big B&B too, about 8 rooms.
Click to expand...

That was our experience with the guy who owned the B&B in Rome... super friendly & nice, we were basically part of his family when we checked out
 
#9 is awesome. i lived in germany for 4 years and the no tipping thing is just pure awesome.

the begging in america is out of hand. fricken smashburger and subway now have tip jars... fuck off.
 
1.They have awful teeth

2.Europe never thanked us after bailing them out from WW2, even though they went to war with us in the revolution.

3.The whole country is a stronghold for Liberals.

4. Their socialist country provides healthcare to everybody, putting a disproportionate amount of hardship on the Upper class.

5. They once trusted their country to a woman

6. Their economy is in the tank. (See 3,4 and 5)

7. You can't get a qtr pounder at Mcdonalds, because their measurement system blows.

8.The king of whales doesn't even have any god damn fuckin' whales

9. They call french fries chips, even though they're french fries.

10.They don't call French Fries Freedom Fries, even though they're Freedom Fries.
 
NuclearNed said:
1. "whilst", not "while"

2. 99% of Europeans are considerably more polite & friendly than Americans

3. where are the washcloths?

4. European air conditioning is a myth. Like a King Arthur type of myth.

5. "Smart" hotel rooms suck. Several of the rooms required a key to "turn on" the room, which is how the hotel controls the power consumption of their customers. Generally, this key has to be turned in to the desk while you are out siteseeing. In other words, while you are gone, nothing in your room ("air conditioning", water heater) works.

6. It is easier understanding an Italian speaking broken English than it is understanding an Englishman speaking proper English.

7. English "bitter" really is.

8. Bidets are and always shall be an unfathomable mystery.

9. They have the whole restaurant thing down to an art (i.e. no tipping, and you have to ask for the check - no one bothers you otherwise)

10. European airports & customs are soooooo much more efficient & streamlined than those in America.
Click to expand...

Ive traveled extensively in S America and Asia, and "smart" rooms are everywhere. Theres a trick- take a business card, or any piece of thin cardboard really, and stick it in the slot to keep your room on while youre gone. Some of the 4 and 5 star hotels actually require the mag strip, in which case (if traveling solo) reserve the room for two, get an extra card, and use that.

Tipping has been hit and miss for me. Most countries dont expect a tip, except from foreigners.
 
Sophitia said:
1.They have awful teeth

2.Europe never thanked us after bailing them out from WW2, even though they went to war with us in the revolution.

3.The whole country is a stronghold for Liberals.

4. Their socialist country provides healthcare to everybody, putting a disproportionate amount of hardship on the Upper class.

5. They once trusted their country to a woman

6. Their economy is in the tank. (See 3,4 and 5)

7. You can't get a qtr pounder at Mcdonalds, because their measurement system blows.

8.The king of whales doesn't even have any god damn fuckin' whales

9. They call french fries chips, even though they're french fries.

10.They don't call French Fries Freedom Fries, even though they're Freedom Fries.
Click to expand...

Wow... what an ass. You know #2 only involved one country and a bunch of mercenaries right? France and Spain actually (happily) helped us.

The rest of em... well, #6 is true but so is ours.
 
How about they don't bath and shower as often.

One neat freak I knew had to go to France a lot on business. He hated it. He would always come back complaining about the body odor.
 
11. Ice is a luxury item and if you ask for ice in your drink you'll get 1 cube. None of the hotels have ice machines, you have to ask at the bar if they'll give you some.

12. Those mini-refrigerators in the hotel room have 2 settings, off and warm.
 
Son: Why do they have drinking fountains near the toilets?
Me: Those are bidets. They clean your butt.
Son: Ohhhhh..............
 
JulesMaximus said:
11. Ice is a luxury item and if you ask for ice in your drink you'll get 1 cube. None of the hotels have ice machines, you have to ask at the bar if they'll give you some.

12. Those mini-refrigerators in the hotel room have 2 settings, off and warm.
Click to expand...

from my international travels, americans are obsessed with ice and ice cold drinks... i guess marketing works.
 
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