Weird Things about Europe

[Kneel B4 Zod]

I like visiting Europe for many reasons. The food can be fantastic, the cities and town pleasent to visit...but most of all, it's b/c people here are generally more civilized than Americans. Not in the "wearing a tuxedo 24/7" sense, but rather in the sense that people here (talking generally about Western Cont. Europe) take longer lunches than we (Americans) do, take longer vacations, works less every day, drink more wine, seem to have less stress...etc etc...people here are just civilized.

However, some things still confuse me, which flies in the face of what I said above. One example: people here are incapable of standing in a line without pushing, shoving, or trying to cut in front of other people. WTF is up with that? It's like NYC in rushhour in every lines you are in.

another thing: showers. below is a picture of the bathtub/shower in the hotel I stayed in.



Notice anything missing?

HOW ABOUT A [censored] SHOWER CURTAIN??

and do you see where you put the showel nozzle?

YOU DON'T! YOU HAVE TO HOLD IT ABOVE YOUR HEAD!!

I've had this same bathroom experience at multiple hotels over here. Holding the shower nozzle while you shower/drench your bathroom in water: not civilived.

if we could somehow combine European civility with American superiority in shower nozzle and curtain technology, we would have an uber-continent on our hands.

[wdead]

I am abroad in Madrid. First of all, I disagree with your more civillized comment, as none of your reasons have anything to do with the quality of being civillized.

My homestay (I stay with an old Spanish Segnora) has two showers, one tub with a curtain, and an enclosed shower.

Some people in my group dont have shower curtains.

When I went to Switzerland to Snowboard there was no curtain in the tub. It was annoying but doable, didnt spill ne water, its pretty simple how not to when you think about it.

[chrisnice]

At least you got a tub. One nice hotel I stayed at in Europe had that same hand held shower thing (allthough there was a spot to hang it on the wall) in the corner of the bathroom with a drain on the floor. Weird, it was a realy large nice bathroom too.

[LittleOldLady]

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At least you got a tub. One nice hotel I stayed at in Europe had that same hand held shower thing (allthough there was a spot to hang it on the wall) in the corner of the bathroom with a drain on the floor. Weird, it was a realy large nice bathroom too.

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Uh, the bath tub arrangement pictured is not a shower per se. The point is to rinse yourself whilst you are soaking in the tub. Hence the location of the nozzle and the lack of a shower curtain. Friends of mine in the Netherlands have exactly that tub arrangement (called in Dutch a ligbad) plus a shower stall (called a douche cabine). The handheld shower on the wall with floor drain (no tub or stall) is what I had in my house in the Netherlands (it's called a badcel). I LOVED it, and if I were remodeling a house over here, that is what I would install. It is wonderful for two-person showers (which are a lot of fun), and when I became seriously ill it was very convenient to use a shower chair (I was too sick to stand for the time it took to shower). In my own house in New Orleans, I had hand-held European-style showerheads installed. I don't need to detail their many advantages, do I?

As for behavior in lines, it depends on which country. Italians do not relate to the concept of waiting in line, but the English are well-known for standing in queues.

[AvivaSimplex]

Europe has two other flaws. First, ketchup and other condiments are not free at fast food places. They cost like a quarter for a packet, which is ridiculous.

Second, even when you're a paying customer at a restaurant, you have to pay extra to use the restroom. And it's not like the restrooms are any cleaner there than here.

So, Europe, I think you're very close to being civilized. If you could just fix those couple things, we'll definitely come over some time.

Ooh, but they are ahead of us on one count. In the Netherlands, at least, public toilets aren't just the metal stalls we have here. No, you get a tiny little room with a real door and real walls that go all the way to the ceiling and the floor.

Maybe we could form some kind of cultural cross-pollination conference to spread the best ideas from both continents.


P.S. Tube pillows are retarded.

[Mr_J]

Sounds like by 'civilised' you just mean the ability to enjoy life better.

What's wrong with that bath? The mobile nozzle makes it easier to wash your body properly. Most hotels etc here have them (australia). Shower curtain? The rest of the world aren't as uptight as americans. We are comfortable with our sexuality. This leads to uncurtained showers, topless women at the beach, legalized prostitution and fat guys wearing speedos (fortunately we aren't as fat as america).



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people here are incapable of standing in a line without pushing, shoving, or trying to cut in front of other people

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You have to dominate them. It's practice for driving.

[mrLite]

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ketchup and other condiments are not free at fast food places. They cost like a quarter for a packet, which is ridiculous.

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Umm, wtf. No they don't.

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Second, even when you're a paying customer at a restaurant, you have to pay extra to use the restroom.

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No you don't, at least not in any real restaurant.

[spamuell]

Lucky the whole of Europe is one huge homogenous locality or what you said would have no value at all.

[MikeNaked]

The hair. I mean, really, wtf.

[Kneel B4 Zod]

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Lucky the whole of Europe is one huge homogenous locality or what you said would have no value at all.

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of course...why do you think they are called EUROPEANS?????