BobS <robert@suggitt1438.*REMOVE*fsnet.co.uk> wrote:
    > Thanks for all your valued comments, especially the water. My reference to hassles
    > in the USA was a little tongue in cheek but reading these NGs Americans always seem
    > to have a funny idea about Europe.

Yes, well, it can be a little stressful to travel from a peaceful, wealthy
technologically-advanced haven such as America, to a continent plagued by constant
wars, unpotable tap water, different currencies and languages every 25 miles, lethal
electrical voltage delivered through plugs the size of elephants, no tradition of
personal hygiene, and an extremely limited selection of TV channels. Cut the poor
folks some slack.

miguel
--
Hit The Road! Photos and tales from around the world: http://travel.u.nu

On Tue, 19 Mar 2002 21:32:37 -0000, "BobS"
<robert@suggitt1438.*REMOVE*fsnet.co.uk> wrote:

    >Thanks for all your valued comments, especially the water. My reference to hassles
    >in the USA was a little tongue in cheek but reading these NGs Americans always seem
    >to have a funny idea about Europe. I thought a little balance was needed. BobS

Drop in to rec.travel.usa-canada and see some of the funny ideas Europeans have
about the USA.

******* DAVE HATUNEN ([email protected]) *******
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow * ******* My typos are
intentional copyright traps ******

"BobS" <robert@suggitt1438.*REMOVE*fsnet.co.uk> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Thanks for all your valued comments, especially the water. My reference
to
    > hassles in the USA was a little tongue in cheek but reading these NGs Americans
    > always seem to have a funny idea about Europe. I thought a
little
    > balance was needed. BobS

BobS, Now knowing this, I regret volunteering a considerable amount of my time to
offer detailed info and advice for your travels to my home state (particularly in the
very lengthy reply I offered you on the North American travel NG last week). Sorry
but true. Next time, please reveal your "tongue in cheek" biases before time is
wasted on providing advice/help.

As for your opinion of American views towards Europe....I'm not arguing with that. I
can understand your feelings. I can even agree with them. Why? Well, it's a two-way
street, my friend. You would not believe the misconceptions and inaccurate
generalizations I've heard about North American culture while on my European travels
over the past 15 years (or even seen on the North American travel NG). It's often
laughable...if not completely ignorant. Sound familiar? If not, you may want to
consult the definition of the term "double-standard".

OK, gotta run....I need to go watch Jerry Springer, then buy another gun, hone my
"twang" accent, see Elvis in Vegas, and learn about Europe geography (I heard there's
different countries there and stuff).

Sorry for trying to help you out...

Hatunen wrote:
    >
    > On Tue, 19 Mar 2002 21:32:37 -0000, "BobS"
    > <robert@suggitt1438.*REMOVE*fsnet.co.uk> wrote:
    >
    > >Thanks for all your valued comments, especially the water. My reference to
    > >hassles in the USA was a little tongue in cheek but reading these NGs Americans
    > >always seem to have a funny idea about Europe. I thought a little balance was
    > >needed. BobS
    >
    > Drop in to rec.travel.usa-canada and see some of the funny ideas Europeans have
    > about the USA.

I follow the French-language NG fr.rec.voyages. There are frequent threads about
travel in the US. I can't remember any negative messages, and the advice given is
often very good. There are clearly some French vacationers who really know the USA. A
large fraction of the interest is in the California National Parks and Grand Canyon -
but responses have recommended Brice and Zion, etc.

Bob C.

"Miguel Cruz" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > BobS <robert@suggitt1438.*REMOVE*fsnet.co.uk> wrote:
    > > Thanks for all your valued comments, especially the water. My reference to
    > > hassles in the USA was a little tongue in cheek but reading these NGs Americans
    > > always seem to have a funny idea about Europe.
    >
    > Yes, well, it can be a little stressful to travel from a peaceful, wealthy
    > technologically-advanced haven such as America, to a continent plagued by constant
    > wars, unpotable tap water, different currencies and languages
every
    > 25 miles, lethal electrical voltage delivered through plugs the size of elephants,
    > no tradition of personal hygiene, and an extremely limited selection of TV
    > channels. Cut the poor folks some slack.
    >

Hmm, some interesting comments
1: constant wars - not in the EU, and I think (dare I say) 'the America's' have had
their fair share over the last 30 years
2: tap water - its fine (you just need to get used to it...)
3: most of the currencies have gone, and at least everywhere has an official language
(sometimes two or three), which is more than even the USA can boast
4: voltage - fair point, but I'm not sure how big your elephants are (?)
5: (rather depends where you are - 'nuff said)
6: TV - I've got about 700 FTAs, plus more if I can bother to get the cards (of
course, they are in 87 languages, but what the hell, football and motor racing are
universal, right?)

but I can see how people would get confused

BlueHorses wrote:

    > "BobS" <robert@suggitt1438.*REMOVE*fsnet.co.uk> wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    > > Thanks for all your valued comments, especially the water. My reference
    > to
    > > hassles in the USA was a little tongue in cheek but reading these NGs Americans
    > > always seem to have a funny idea about Europe. I thought a
    > little
    > > balance was needed. BobS
    >
    > BobS, Now knowing this, I regret volunteering a considerable amount of my time to
    > offer detailed info and advice for your travels to my home state (particularly in
    > the very lengthy reply I offered you on the North American travel NG last week).
    > Sorry but true. Next time, please reveal your "tongue in cheek" biases before time
    > is wasted on providing advice/help.
    >
    > As for your opinion of American views towards Europe....I'm not arguing with that.
    > I can understand your feelings. I can even agree with them. Why? Well, it's a
    > two-way street, my friend. You would not believe the misconceptions and inaccurate
    > generalizations I've heard about North American culture while on my European
    > travels over the past 15 years (or even seen on the North American travel NG). It's
    > often laughable...if not completely ignorant. Sound familiar? If not, you may want
    > to consult the definition of the term "double-standard".
    >
    > OK, gotta run....I need to go watch Jerry Springer, then buy another gun, hone my
    > "twang" accent, see Elvis in Vegas, and learn about Europe geography (I heard
    > there's different countries there and stuff).
    >
    > Sorry for trying to help you out...

I'm doing my MA at Cardiff University and am from the States. What I *love* (sarcasm
intended) is all the people who come up to me and say "I know all about the States."
I get excited, kind of, and ask when they visited. "Oh, I've never been there; I've
seen it on TV (or the movies)."

If I made comments like that about Africa, Asia or Europe, I'd be called a
dumb American.

A.

    > I'm doing my MA at Cardiff University and am from the States. What I
*love*
    > (sarcasm intended) is all the people who come up to me and say "I know all about
    > the States." I get excited, kind of, and ask when they visited.
"Oh,
    > I've never been there; I've seen it on TV (or the movies)."
    >
    > If I made comments like that about Africa, Asia or Europe, I'd be called a
dumb
    > American.
    >

The last time I was in France I had 3 different people (who were French) ask me how
Americans could live eating Hamburgers (McDonald's) every week. After chatting with
them further neither of them had ever set foot in the US, but had their mind made up
about what we are like, our living habits, what we eat everyday, etc... I found it a
bit amusing.

In article <[email protected]>,
robert@suggitt1438.*REMOVE*fsnet.co.uk says...
    > We are travelling to Denver CO, USA from England at the end of May and in the light
    > of earlier posts about hassles in Europe we are wondering what to expect in the
    > States. Any help would be appreciated. BobS

Let's understand each other. You're asking a question in a group devoted to Europe.

The last time I looked, the US wasn't located in Europe or the UK.

What hassles would or could you encounter here? A low tolerance for stupid people.
We used to be much more welcoming of them, but since 9|11, well you understand the
likes of people who pay for flight training and tell the instructor they don't care
about taking off/landing, well... stupid people are getting, ... hassled.

If you should learn which continents the US, the UK and Europe are on, then you
have a smashing chance of actually making it to Denver with not much, as you
say, "hassle".

Don

In article <[email protected]>, R J Carpenter <[email protected]> wrote:

    > Hatunen wrote:
    > >
    > > On Tue, 19 Mar 2002 21:32:37 -0000, "BobS"
    > > <robert@suggitt1438.*REMOVE*fsnet.co.uk> wrote:
    > >
    > > >Thanks for all your valued comments, especially the water. My reference to
    > > >hassles in the USA was a little tongue in cheek but reading these NGs Americans
    > > >always seem to have a funny idea about Europe. I thought a little balance was
    > > >needed. BobS
    > >
    > > Drop in to rec.travel.usa-canada and see some of the funny ideas Europeans have
    > > about the USA.
    >
    > I follow the French-language NG fr.rec.voyages. There are frequent threads about
    > travel in the US. I can't remember any negative messages, and the advice given is
    > often very good. There are clearly some French vacationers who really know the USA.
    > A large fraction of the interest is in the California National Parks and Grand
    > Canyon - but responses have recommended Brice and Zion, etc.

With very good reason too... they are spectacular.

I think the French and the Italians ('spaghetti westerns') seem to be the most
enamored with the 'Wild West' of the EU members.

jay Tue, Mar 19, 2002 mailto:[email protected]

    >
    > Bob C.

--

Legend insists that as he finished his abject... Galileo muttered under his breath:
"Nevertheless, it does move."

    > BobS, Now knowing this, I regret volunteering a considerable amount of my time
to
    > offer detailed info and advice for your travels to my home state (particularly in
    > the very lengthy reply I offered you on the North
American
    > travel NG last week). Sorry but true. Next time, please reveal your "tongue in
    > cheek" biases before time is wasted on providing advice/help.
    >

It's called "taking the piss". And you don't annouce that you are about to do it!

Bob, you are mean!

Evelyn Vogt Gamble (Divamanque) wrote:
    >Jens Arne Maennig wrote:

    >> As you will most probably always be wearing bowler hat and umbrella, everybody
    >> will ask you if you're from England. If you would like to confuse them a bit, I
    >> could borrow you a pair of lederhosen for your trip.
    >
    >I don't think it would work - that crisp English accent would give them away (or
    >not, depending upon where in England they are coming from).

The lederhosen are working from the beginning (Bing: prejudice!), the (not existing
     accent is messing the whole thing up again. It works.

Jens, with profund lederhosen experience in the US

Deep Fried Mars wrote:
    >
    > "Miguel Cruz" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    > > BobS <robert@suggitt1438.*REMOVE*fsnet.co.uk> wrote:
    > > > Thanks for all your valued comments, especially the water. My reference to
    > > > hassles in the USA was a little tongue in cheek but reading these NGs Americans
    > > > always seem to have a funny idea about Europe.
    > >
    > > Yes, well, it can be a little stressful to travel from a peaceful, wealthy
    > > technologically-advanced haven such as America, to a continent plagued by
    > > constant wars, unpotable tap water, different currencies and languages every 25
    > > miles, lethal electrical voltage delivered through plugs the size of elephants,
    > > no tradition of personal hygiene, and an extremely limited selection of TV
    > > channels. Cut the poor folks some slack.
    >
    > Wars? Different currencies? Tap water? TV channels?
    >
    > If this is all too much for you, why not just stay at home and watch cable? You may
    > even find a documentary on Europe that will tell you all you need to know!

    > DFM

*** Score one for Miguel. *** He caught at least one person with his put-on.

Or is "Deep Fried Mars" really an agent of the Mars family enterprise, makers of Mars
candy bars? The Mars corporate headquarters is less than 20 km from Miguel's
residence. Is Miguel a Mars agent as well? It's getting pretty suspicious.

BobS wrote:
    >
    > We are travelling to Denver CO, USA from England at the end of May and in the light
    > of earlier posts about hassles in Europe we are wondering what to expect in the
    > States. Any help would be appreciated.

10. Don't go around whining that you can't find any decent fish and chips.

11. Don't say, "You call this rain? Where we come from this wouldn't even rate
as cloudy."

12. Don't wear your bowler hat everywhere. As a matter of fact, don't wear it
anywhere.

13. Don't insist that "color" has to have a "u" in it to be correct.

14. Don't start fanning yourself when the mercury hits 60 degrees (that's 15 C,
you know.)

15. Don't remind Americans that everything good about the USA derives from Britain
(or Great Britain, or the United Kingdom, or whatever it is that you call
yourselves.)

16. Don't remind Americans that everything bad about the USA derives from that
mistaken rebellion that cut the country off from civilized society.

17. Don't complain that our cars are too big, but our taxis too small.

18. Don't ask, "So what has YOUR royal family been up to these days?"

And the number one rule for Brits visiting the USA (or America, or whatever it is
that we call ourselves) is:

19. Don't turn left on red.

Barbara

In article <[email protected]>, "Deep Fried Mars"
<[email protected]> wrote:

    > "Miguel Cruz" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    > > BobS <robert@suggitt1438.*REMOVE*fsnet.co.uk> wrote:
    > > > Thanks for all your valued comments, especially the water. My reference to
    > > > hassles in the USA was a little tongue in cheek but reading these NGs Americans
    > > > always seem to have a funny idea about Europe.
    > >
    > > Yes, well, it can be a little stressful to travel from a peaceful, wealthy
    > > technologically-advanced haven such as America, to a continent plagued by
    > > constant wars, unpotable tap water, different currencies and languages
    > every
    > > 25 miles, lethal electrical voltage delivered through plugs the size of
    > > elephants, no tradition of personal hygiene, and an extremely limited selection
    > > of TV channels. Cut the poor folks some slack.
    > >
    >
    >
    > Wars? Different currencies? Tap water? TV channels?
    >
    > If this is all too much for you, why not just stay at home and watch cable? You may
    > even find a documentary on Europe that will tell you all you need to know!
    > --
    > DFM

how about getting a sense of humor?

In article <[email protected]>, Go Fig
<[email protected]> wrote:

    > In article <[email protected]>, R J Carpenter <[email protected]> wrote:
    >
    > > Hatunen wrote:
    > > >
    > > > On Tue, 19 Mar 2002 21:32:37 -0000, "BobS"
    > > > <robert@suggitt1438.*REMOVE*fsnet.co.uk> wrote:
    > > >
    > > > >Thanks for all your valued comments, especially the water. My reference to
    > > > >hassles in the USA was a little tongue in cheek but reading these NGs
    > > > >Americans always seem to have a funny idea about Europe. I thought a little
    > > > >balance was needed. BobS
    > > >
    > > > Drop in to rec.travel.usa-canada and see some of the funny ideas Europeans have
    > > > about the USA.
    > >
    > > I follow the French-language NG fr.rec.voyages. There are frequent threads about
    > > travel in the US. I can't remember any negative messages, and the advice given is
    > > often very good. There are clearly some French vacationers who really know the
    > > USA. A large fraction of the interest is in the California National Parks and
    > > Grand Canyon - but responses have recommended Brice and Zion, etc.
    >
    > With very good reason too... they are spectacular.
    >
    > I think the French and the Italians ('spaghetti westerns') seem to be the most
    > enamored with the 'Wild West' of the EU members.

When European acquaintances ask my advice about where to travel in the US, this is
the area I always recommend since it is dramatically different from the delights
of Europe.