[LittleOldLady]

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European mayo =/= US mayo. The mayonaise that goes on fries is much fatter and flavorful than the mayonaise that goes on salads as they do in the US. We have seperate mayonaise to put on salads, we do not put that stuff on our fries. Also, this is a Dutch/Belgian thing I think.

Showers - I absolutely hate the handheld showers in France etc, I would like my showerhead to be up on the wall, removable when I would like it, and besides having a bathroom that can handle ALL the water, I prefer having a cell too, just because it handles heat better. I don't care much about waterspillage.

As for cheese... wth? American cheese is the single worst dairy product I've ever had. There is nothing good about it. How the hell can you call European cheese bad? I can imagine you not liking the moldy french cheeses, as they require peculiar taste, but Dutch Gouda cheese and the other brands completely own American Cheddar etc. It's not even close. It's not even close to being close enough to being comparable.

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In the Netherlands every supermarket has a wall of numerous wheels of Gouda. You tell the lady exactly what sort of Gouda you want--percentage of fat, sodium content, pittig of niet pittig (sharp or mild), and then she goes to the right wheel (there are dozens and dozens) and cuts you the size wedge you want.

BTW I grew up north of the Mason-Dixon line (in Pennsylvania) and when I moved south in 1976 (where I have been almost all of the time since), I was totally freaked out by all the strangers saying hi and have a nice day. To this day I consider all the have-a-nice-dayers to be at best insincere busybodies and at worst one step removed from muggers. Where I come from anyone who as much as makes eye contact with a stranger, never mind speaking, is considered as likely to be up to no good.

One thing I miss terribly now that I have travel limitations due to my health problems is the European sidewalk cafe (terras). WHat a pleasure it is to sit there chatting with a friend and drinking Grimbergen and watching the people walk by. In New Orleans (as it used to be) coffee shops had a couple of plastic chairs stuck in a parking lot--not the same.

One thing that I found weird in the parts of Europe that I frequented (mainly the Netherlands and FLanders) is the indulgence of dogs. Dogs can go everywhere--on the buses, in restaurants (do I want someone's huge canine sniffing my food before I can get it into my mouth?), in department stores, and even in the ancient historical buildings. In Nijmegen where I lived the biggest civic problem was the ubiquity of hondenpoep. All the indulged pooches out for walkies, and no pooper-scoopers in the hands of owners.