by David McGuffin | Sep 6, 2008 | Culture & Customs, Experiencing Europe
When traveling in Europe, I think half the thrill is experiencing good food and good drink with good friends. Over the years I’ve developed this uncanny knack for searching out and finding cool little places to eat and drink. My rule is always go for the local stuff. To do that, you’ve often got to get out of your comfort zone, venture sometimes into the unknown, and even be willing to accept embarrassment or ridicule… but the pay-off is most always worth the effort.
CZECH REPUBLIC – The Czech Republic is known for good lager. Ever since the middle ages many towns, no matter how small, have had their own brand of beer. Last month I was in Český Krumlov and Prague with a small tour group. We had our share of wine in France for the first few days, but the last half of the tour was in “beer” country. First Switzerland, then Austria, and finally the Czech Republic. Pilsner reigns supreme in the Czech Republic. Its light, clear color ranging from pale up to a golden yellow is a treat to the eyes, and the distinct hop aroma is a bouquet for the nose. And the flavor… pure, clean, crisp, with no after taste.
The most popular Czech Pilsners are Pilsner Urquell, Staropramen, and Budweiser. Budweiser is probably most interesting to us Americans. The Czech “Budweiser” and America’s Anheuser-Busch “Budweiser” are miles apart in taste and quality. Where Anheuser-Busch “Budweiser” gives me an immediate headache, the Czech variety is smooth as silk with great taste and flavor. It seems that original Czech Budweiser Bier was founded in 1795 in Budweis, a town in Bohemia (now part of the Czech Republic). This beer was known as Budweiser because it was known to be from the town of Budweis, hence the adjective Budweis-er. In the United States, Anheuser-Busch started using the name Budweiser for its beer in 1876 and two years later they finally decided to register its name. So I guess the long story short is that there has long been a debate over which is the “King of Beers,” beer from Budweis or beer from Anheuser-Busch. For me there is no comparasion. I go for the original and local stuff every time.
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by David McGuffin | Sep 3, 2008 | Culture & Customs, Experiencing Europe
FREE REFILLS on sodas, sweet tea, and any other beverage is definitely an American thing. There is NO WAY any European restaurant is even going to consider it. Even at McDonald’s, which has restaurants in every major city in Europe, you’ll get a curt “no” or a quizzical look when asking for a refill. So sorry guys, along with no ice, you’ll also get no refills and no sympathy.
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by David McGuffin | Aug 27, 2008 | Culture & Customs, Experiencing Europe
BIDETS
Most of us Americans get a kick out of an encounter with a bidet. To many, it’s often intriguing, entertaining, funny, or even sexy in an odd sort of way. But in many parts of the world, it’s a normal fixture in the bathroom. In French, bidet is the word for “pony.” Now, how appropriate can that be, because you ride a bidet much like you would a pony. That is… straddling it.
I take a lot of Americans around Europe and believe me, I’ve heard lots of “bidet” stories. Here are some ways in which my tour members have utilized the bidets in their hotel rooms:
a foot washer;- a water fountain;
- a urinal;
- a place to shave one’s legs;
- an object for “truth or dare”;
- a replacement for bathing;
- a laundry;
- a dishwasher; and,
- a cooler for beer.
Bidets originated in France, several centuries ago as a means to wash after using the toilet, after having sex, or even after a day at the office. In short, its purpose is to maintain clean personal hygiene without taking a full shower or bath. So, now you know why lots of Europeans think they are clean when their pits smell to high heaven!
Here’s how to use a bidet:
- Test the water controls before getting on! Some bidets have high pressure jets that squirt up to the ceiling if turned fully on. Others have a faucet similar to a sink. Some have hot and cold water valves while others have just one water valve. The point here is to SLOWLY test out all the knobs, valves, and controls before getting on.
- If you are wearing pants, you have got to take them off! Otherwise hike up your skirt or dress. Then straddle the bidet, facing the wall, so you’ll have full control of the knobs, controls, and valves. Then, by positioning yourself and the faucet, direct the water to the area you want to clean. It’s ok to use soap and your hands. Some people prefer to face away from the wall and manipulate the controls in a contorted manner. I ran across this hilarious video on YouTube that shows you how to do it from a Spaniard’s perspective. Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cunTYbi9yM
- Once finished, use toilet paper to dry off. The towels hanging by the bidet are to dry off your hands after the whole procedure. Don’t stick the towels down there to dry off, or you’ll hear it from the maids the next morning!
OK, that’s was pretty personal, but at least you’ve got no doubt about bidets. Now, go experience some more of Europe!
-David
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by David McGuffin | Aug 25, 2008 | Culture & Customs
TUBS and SHOWERS
Bathing is necessary and we tend to take it seriously. I mean, how many of you go more than a day without a bath or shower? Well that’s a whole different story in Europe, where daily bathing has just come into vogue in the past few decades. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve stood on crowded subways or buses and have been stifled by body odor. It makes me want to gag just thinking about it. So… it’s no wonder that not much thought goes into planning European bath and shower facilities.
Today, most newly constructed two star hotels in Europe have private baths locate en-suite. Most all three star hotels (old and new) have private baths en-suite. That simply means sometime in the past ten years, a hotel owner has taken an already small room, with no bath or toilet facilities, and installed a room with a sink, toilet, and tub or shower. Now you’ve got a room with en-suite facilities that is smaller than it was originally. But for American travelers, those en-suite facilities are essential. So, here is my “run down” on bathing in each country.
ITALY- Just last week I was checking out some hotels in Italy and ran across a bathroom that had a sink and toilet, then on the same level there was a curtain dividing the shower area. Now having the shower on the same level as the rest of the room is common for Italy. I often laugh because in an Italian bathroom, it is possible to go to the toilet, brush your teeth, and take a shower all at the same time. Well this particular “shower area” had a bidet sticking precariously out from underneath the shower curtain too. Talk about multitasking!
FRANCE- Bathrooms are generally small in France. As with Italy, many of the hotels have retro-fitted bathrooms into already small bedrooms. Most often you’ll find a shower, sink, toilet and bidet. Newer purpose-built hotels now come equipped with modern showers and sometimes even tubs.
SPAIN- Think of Italy without bidets.
GERMANY and AUSTRIA- Bidets are not common here and you’ll also find a better selection of tubs. In many of the larger cities that were destroyed during WWII, you’ll find relatively new and modern hotels featuring bathrooms similar to those back home.
UK- Like France, many of the UK’s hotels are older properties dating from a time when en-suite baths were not common. You’ll find city center hotels similar to those in France. The UK is loaded with B&B’s. These are often private homes located in rural areas that the owners have opened to rent out a room and breakfast. These offer a great value and are usually fixed with up-to-date bath facilities. Although it is still common to find “bathrooms-down-the-hall” in B&B’s it is usually well publicized so you won’t be caught off guard.
IRELAND- Here you’ll find mostly up-to-date hotels and B&B’s. Yes, there are exception, so be sure to look at the sales literature or website before booking.
Now certainly there are exceptions to all rules. Every country mentioned sports fancy four and five star hotels with huge rooms, marbled baths, and air conditioning. You’ll pay a lot extra for this style, but for some it is worth it. I hope I have given you enough insight to select a hotel that meets your needs while traveling in Europe.
-David
Read Part #3 of this article (Bidets).
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by David McGuffin | Aug 21, 2008 | Culture & Customs, Experiencing Europe
TOILETS
Public Toilets – for clarity’s sake let’s define a public toilet as any toilet outside a private home or your hotel room. With that in mind, we also need to agree that public toilets vary greatly from country to country and even region to region in Europe. I’ll try to break it down by toilet type, starting with the “best” and moving to the “worst”.
HIGHWAY REST STOPS AND RESTAURANT TOILETS – These are usually the cleanest facilities you’ll find anywhere. Normally highway restaurants are spaced every 100 km or so along major four-laned limited-access highways. In France and Italy, you’ll be expected to give a tip or even pay an entrance fee to use these toilets. The usual cost is fifty euro-cents to one euro per person, so be prepared to have a few euro coins available. In Germany and Austria, you’ll be expected to pay an “admission” fee of a euro or so to enter the toilet area. Upon entering you’ll receive a ticket, be sure to keep it because it can be turned in at the cash register in the store or restaurant for a credit against items purchased.
RESTAURANTS- Toilet facilities can vary widely in restaurants and my general rule is to stay out of them if you can. Most restaurants, especially in towns and cities, are located in century-old buildings which were not originally built with toilets in mind. Consequently, they have been retrofitted with bathrooms that range from disgusting to adequate. The toilets can be especially lousy in restaurants found in France and Italy where they are usually located down in a basement or cellar. The worst toilets date from the early 20th century and are basically a simple hole in the floor with a foot rest on either side. Simply step up, aim, go, and drip dry. The general consensus is toilets of this type are disgusting and should be avoided at all costs. Others can be a bit more user friendly initially, but flushing can become a problem. The best solution is to look up for something to pull, look down for some to push, or look around around for something to lift up or push down. Of course there are clean and modern toilets too, but you’ll need no help with those unless it is one of those fully automatic models, in that case you’ll need to move quickly!
AMSTERDAM- In Amsterdam there are public urinals unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. Imagine a pristine canal-side scene… swans floating serenely, bikes cluttering bridges, little boats floating by with couples in love, pastel classical buildings lining the lovely canals, and you’ve got a front row view from the public “pissor”! These public urinals date back a hundred years to the age of art nouveau and the turn of the twentieth century. I can’t imagine turn-of-the-century gentlemen needing to go so badly that these things just had to be out canal-side, but who knows? Anyway don’t get mad at me for my description, but this is for real! In Amsterdam (and in Brussels too, I’ve been told) there are public urinals for men. These urinals, known as “pissors” are constructed of thin sheet metal, painted green in color, and are divided from the ground up into thirds. The lower third is uncovered and exposes the subject’s (a.k.a. the pisser) legs up to the knee. The middle third is constructed of thin, but solid sheet metal covering the “pisser” from the knees to the waist. The final third of the “pissor” is made of sheet metal with small cut-outs in a “plus-sign” design so as to enable the “pisser” to look out and the passersby to look in. What a concept! Now for you guys, let me explain what’s going on inside, other than peeing that is. Basically, you walk into this “nautilus” shaped contraption. Once to the center you encounter a flat piece of steel, on which you are to pee, and below is a simple hole in the ground. So while you are standing there, doing your business, your pee is splashing all over you, but you’ve got a grand view of all of Amsterdam! There is nothing like it, try it once just for the thrill!
AUTOMATED TOILETS- These public toilets are usually found in big cities in France or Brussels and cost about a euro to use. The entire toilet complex is a kiosk which is normally clean and pretty sterile. Here’s how to use these toilets: look at the control panel beside the door; determine if the toilet is occupied or vacant; once vacant press the button and enter; do your business; exit the toilet kiosk. Once you exit, the kiosk will go into self-cleaning mode spraying water, cleaner, and disinfectant all over the interior. Then the entire interior is blown nice and dry. Once the cleaning cycle is completed, the outside door panel will display that the toilet is ready for another customer.
Read part #2 of this article
-David
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by David McGuffin | Aug 5, 2008 | Culture & Customs, Experiencing Europe
Here’s the scoop on ICE in Europe. Simply put, “There is no scoop!” Until recently, Europeans would look at you as being “mad” if you’d asked for ice with your drink. It’s not common, it’s not the custom and it’s only for outsiders. In the early years of traveling in Europe, a request for ice would simply get a quizzical look from the waiter. That’s provided you got the word “ice” translated into the local language. Then in later years, the request would get the response “Finished” from the waiter. That meant he understood your request, but would not honor it. Or more to the point, there just was no ice in the kitchen dedicated to putting into your drink. As one snooty Parisian waiter said, “There is ice for keeping fresh fish cold, would you like some of that in your drink?” But in recent years, a request for ice will get you ice… but only one or two cubes filling the bottom of your glass. The best you can hope for is that the little cubes will lower the drink’s temperature at least a few degrees before melting away into oblivion.
We North Americans are spoiled with ice-cold drinks. Think about it, we go to McDonald’s, order a large Diet Coke and get a cup full of ice with a little bit of cola. No wonder they make a killer profit! Ice costs practically nothing to produce. Ninety percent of the world’s population make do without ice everyday and don’t even know what they are missing. So it’s no wonder when my tour groups arrive in Europe, they are appalled when there is no ice for their colas, frappuccinos and water! Ice is only “expected” and taken for granted in North America.
Ok, I know it is possible to travel to Europe, be pampered, waited on hand-and-foot and get all the comforts of home. Doing so puts you in a bubble, a shelter for most of your tour, letting you out only a few hours a day to see the tourist sights, and then bringing you back into the safety and comfort of the bubble until the next tourist sight pops up on the itinerary. That’s all well and good and I am the first to say I love to be pampered. But this is not my “Exploring Europe” travel style. When in Europe, I love to try to fit in. I don’t mind bumbling the language while trying to speak it. I try to look at fashion and sort of fit in. I try to order the local food, drink the local drink and do it without ice if necessary. In short I try to become a temporary citizen of the community where I am staying, and on my tours I try to pass this philosophy onto those traveling with me.
So I say, “Why bother, why make a scene?” Instead, “Why not adapt to their way of life?” You know “When in Rome, do as the Romans.” There are two types of people who tour Europe: those who go with an open mind and “experience” Europe by adapting, and then there are those who try to impose their customs and expectations on those with whom they are visiting. It’s simple… do without ice and get on with experiencing Europe!
-David
Read the next article in this series: “Water and Gas”
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