Contactless payments are the way to go, especially since the evolution of COVID-19 and pandemic panics. If you are not sure what this is, you need to study before going on your trip.
Contactless payment technology enables payment transactions via a contactless chip embedded in payment cards, tags, key fobs, watches, and mobile phones. The chip communicates with a reader device that uses radio frequency or Near Field Communication (NFC) standards.
Contactless payment “machines” and devices can be found in restaurants, bars, pubs, public transportation vending machines, food and soda machines, parking meters and payment machines, taxi cabs, buses, hotels, and many other locales.
Recently issued credit cards will have a “fan-shape” icon (like shown above) printed on them if contactless-enabled.
iPhones, SmartPhones, Apple Watch, GooglePay, and ApplePay will need to be “set-up” with credit card and account information BEFORE LEAVING HOME.
In Restaurants, split the bill, no problem!
If you are out dining with a group and want to split the bill, try this:
Don’t worry about telling the waiter beforehand. Everyone should order their meal “on one tab.”
Enjoy your meal.
Ask for the check when you are ready for it. Don’t ask for it to be split!
Look at the check, take out your calculator, and add up the total for what each person (or couple) is paying. Add 5%-10% tip if you want.
Ask the waiter to bring the “machine.” He will show up with a portable credit card device.
Tell the waiter how much you want to pay. Swipe, insert, or tap the machine and that about will go on your card.
Before the COVID-19 Pandemic, Europeans tended to use cash for their day-to-day spending much more than Americans did. Back in the early 2000’s Europeans carried lots of cash in their pockets on a daily basis. Even as recent as 2019, I would deal mostly in cash when making purchases less than €50. But, that has all changed with “social distancing” and the Covid-19 Pandemic panic.
In 2022, CONTACTLESS payments are the way to go.
Either TAP your contactless credit/debit card to the MACHINE or your WRISTWATCH to the machine. However, you must set this contactless system up with your bank and credit card provider before leaving home. ApplePay and GooglePay have similar systems for phones and portable devices.
And, by the way, the MACHINE is portable. It comes to the table at a restaurant, and your credit card never leaves your hand.
If you need CASH, use a BANK ATM Machine
Using your debit card from your local back home is still the best way to get cash while traveling in Europe. There are ATMs (often called Bankomats) everywhere, and you treat them like those in the United States. Insert your card, type in your PIN code, and choose the cash amount. The machine makes noise and then spits out cash in the local currency.
AVOID EURONET ATM MACHINES! – These machines have popped up all over Europe in the last year. The machines are typically in storefronts and advertise “free cash withdrawals.” Those traveling with me have reported high fees and exorbitant exchange rates combined into 20% or more markups.
If you have cash to spend, get to know the currency, both notes, and coins.
Bank NOTES
Paper currency (notes) are very easy to identify in all European countries. They all have a number in the corners denoting the value of the note. To make it even easier, European notes have different sizes and colors for each denomination. A €50 note is larger than a €5 note and is a different color. This holds whether you’re spending UK Sterling, the EU euro, or any other currency. Other than it looks like Monopoly money, you should have no trouble working with paper currency.
I still carry a small daily supply of banknotes in my front pocket, secured with a money clip. Each morning I take inventory of my banknotes and load up with what I think I might need to spend during the day.
The remainder of my stash of cash (and passport and credit cards) goes in my money belt tucked neatly and safely inside my pants. Now, of course, I know this is not living like a local, but it does give a peace of mind knowing that in unfamiliar circumstances, I don’t have to worry about my important stuff being taken from me.
COINS
You’ll likely use a few coins in Europe, like for doing laundry. It’s a good idea to do a little homework before your trip and study the different coin denominations, colors, and sizes. Here are some hints:
I like to lay all the coins out and do a mental and physical quiz each time I arrive in a new country.
Here is how I begin this quiz in the European Union.
Here is how I begin this quiz in the United Kingdom.
I like to use two pockets to sort out my coins; one for small coins under €1/£1 and another for large coins over €1/£1.
Before going into a shop, I take inventory of the coins in my pocket so that when the merchant gives me the total, I’ll know if I have enough coins to make the purchase or need to pay will bank notes.
Gone unchecked, coins can be overwhelming. It is a good idea to use many coins as you can on a daily basis.
After your trip, spend or cash in the coins before leaving the airport. Since many European coins are high-value, it can be expensive to fly home with a pocket full of change. Before heading home, spend them, trade them in or give them away.
Plastic Credit Cards
Europeans don’t make a distinction between credit cards and debit cards. I don’t believe I’ve ever had anyone ask “debit or credit.” I use my plastic (credit card) for larger purchases such as hotel bills, airline tickets, car rentals, and other big-ticket items. It makes perfect sense to use a credit card for online and telephone purchases. Credit cards also come in handy for purchases at unattended self-service machines in train and bus stations and at those unmanned European gas stations. Unfortunately, you’ll most likely need a chip-and-pin card for these. See my chip-and-pin card article for more information.
American credit cards work throughout Europe and are widely accepted at major hotels, stores, and attractions, especially in tourist-oriented areas. In smaller towns and mom-and-pop operations, credit cards may not be accepted because the merchant must pay the credit card company a hefty fee for the “privilege” of accepting credit cards. Visa and MasterCard are widely accepted. The American Express card, although a well-known name in the travel industry, is often not accepted due to the higher transaction fees the merchants must pay American Express.
Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC) is a service offered to credit cardholders that offers to convert a foreign transaction at the point of sale into the home currency of the cardholder. This is never a good idea for the consumer because it comes with inflated exchange rates that benefit the merchant. An unsuspecting cardholder can lose up to 7% by opting into this feature. Since DCC works against the purchaser, never say you would like your purchases to be converted to dollars.
The Coronavirus lockdown has disrupted the “normal” routine all over the world. Here at home, in Middleburg, Florida, Charlotte and I are spending much of our time keeping to ourselves, working on previously ignored projects around the house, and occasionally running to the store to pick up food or hardware items. Needless to say, I am getting stir-crazy and itching to get back to travel (#BackToTravel)! But, until we can do that safely, cooking is a good substitute for me.
Pizza Done Wrong
Recently, we had worked outside in our yard, all day long. When supper-time rolled around, neither of us felt like cooking, there were no left-overs in the fridge, and restaurants are closed during the pandemic. So, I decided to run up to Papa Murphy’s and get a “bring-home-and-cook-it-yourself” pizza. (I’ve eaten pizza all around the world and have decided Papa Murphy’s Pizza produces the best takeaway alternative to a homemade pie. I like cooking it myself and eating it hot! By the way, I keep it simple too, thin-crust, mushrooms, pepperoni, onions, and bell peppers). It was only 6:30 in the evening, but unfortunately, the store was already closed due to shortened hours! So, I went to the local Pizza Hut, walked in, ordered a pizza, and waited for it in my car. It was semi-warm when I got it home, but we were starving by this time, so we opened the box and dug in.
It was not very good. The crust was overcooked and hard, the red sauce was tart and astringent, and the veggies were not fresh. The pepperoni was the best ingredient. But we ate it!
Next Time, I Made My Own
A few days later, I decided to stock up on the ingredients to make fresh homemade pizza. But, when I got to the grocery store, they had no flour on the shelves. It seems, like toilet paper, flour is a hot-selling item during this pandemic! So, I walked over to the deli counter and purchased a hunk of made-fresh daily pizza dough. I’m not sure if Publix Super Market mixes this up every morning in their deli, or if it arrives frozen and they thaw it out, but regardless, it is pretty good. I also stocked up on my fav four ingredients of pepperoni, bell peppers, sweet onions, and mushrooms. Here’s how it turned out… almost like Italy!
Italian Pizza Done Right
When in Rome, we often begin our Exploring Europe tours with a Day 1 get-together at Mercato Centrale Roma for a pizza lunch before heading out for sightseeing. This is the perfect way to get acquainted with one another and with authentic Italian food. Not only does it house a great pizzeria, but there are also 17 other food stalls selling almost anything to eat or drink that comes to mind when thinking of authentic Italian cuisine. Check out this artisanal pizza from pizzaiolo Gabriele Bonci. Photo thanks to Italy Magazine and their article on Mercato Centrale Roma.
We have searched thousands of photos in our archives for a picture of our groups eating pizza at Mercato Centrale in Rome or Florence. I guess the pizza is too good to document, but we did not find a single photo in our files. So, if you have any photos of pizza at Mercato Centrale or in Italy or your favorite pizzeria at home, send them in and we’ll post ’em!
There are hundreds of pizzerie (that’s plural for pizzeria) all over Rome. Some are better than others, but none of them are bad. If they were, they would be out of business real quick! I like to visit those that are small places with a real wood-fired pizza oven, a pizzaiolo (the man who wears white clothes and makes a pizza), and is located outside of the tourist areas.
Rome- Quattro Fontane
Rome- Testaccio neighborhood
Claudia’s Homemade Pizza
My friends the Del Duca’s live just outside the ancient Etruscan town of Volterra, in Tuscany. I visit with them six or eight times a year, either at their home and agriturismo known as Podere Marcampo or their Ristorante Enoteca Del Duca. Twice a year, we rent out their agriturismo rooms and host 12-15 people on our “Villa Vacation” tour. This is a delight because we get to unpack our stuff for seven consecutive nights and experience what life might be like for a local in Volterra. Each day we go on short excursions to Lucca, Siena, Volterra, San Gimignano, and the Chianti region for sightseeing, wine tasting, and fun. When we return to Podere Marcampo, there is time for relaxing, swimming, sunbathing, hiking, and of course, eating and drinking!
PODERE MARCAMPO
One evening, a few years back, Claudia offered to make pizza for our group and to share her recipe. Here it is.
INGREDIENTS FOR 4 PEOPLE
1.3 lbs all purpose flour
1/2 oz. beer yeast
14 oz. warm water
Half a glass of extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. spoon of sugar
1 tsp. of salt
tomato puree
oregano
Dissolve the yeast in warm water. In a bowl, mix the flour with salt, sugar and extra virgin olive oil. Add the water and knead until you get a soft uniform dough. Cover the bowl with a cloth and let the dough rise for 2 hours.
Thereafter, extend the dough with a rolling pin and adjust it in one or more flat oven pans lined with parchment paper. Cover again, and let sit for an hour.
In the meantime make the tomato sauce. Puree fresh tomatoes or purchase quality canned tomato puree. (David’s note – I always use the CENTO brand for whole canned tomatoes and puree. They have no citric acid which is often added as a preservative). Mix in salt, pepper, oregano, and extra-virgin olive oil. Let it rest for at least one hour in the fridge.
Pre-heat the oven to 500°F.
Uncover the dough, place a thin layer of tomato sauce on the dough. Add other ingredients from the list below. Cook for 15-20 minutes.
Mozzarella, sliced potatoes, bacon, rosemary
Mozzarella, spinach (pre-cooked with garlic), and sausage
Tomato, mozzarella, ham, mushrooms, olives
Tomato, mozzarella, sliced veggies, marjoram
Slice and enjoy your homemade pizza!
Claudia is at the far end of the table. There is a bit of her pizza remaining in the photo on the right. These photos were taken at our Villa Vacation Tour in July 2015.
Feel free to leave comments below. Share your favorite photos of pizza and tell us all about your dining experience on one of my social media platforms noted below.
The COVID-19 Coronavirus has spread across the globe faster and wider than expected. Now with Europe and the United States almost on total lockdown, it is uncertain when life will get back to normal. Regardless of all the “news” erupting from our TVs and radios, I am still relying on accurate information coming from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization, and the US Department of State. I will continue to monitor their websites for daily alerts on the status of the Coronavirus and its travel-related consequences. Additionally, we are fortunate to have many friends around Europe who continue to provide accurate on the ground and “in the trenches” information.
Friends in Italy, who just two weeks ago seemed not worried, are now in crisis mode. A report from a fellow tour guide in Berlin, just this morning, tells of Germany coming to a standstill and in full-out crisis mode. Unfortunately, it appears things will get worst here on this side of the Atlantic before they get better.
At Exploring Europe, we are taking no new bookings for tours scheduled to begin before May 31, 2020. By order of the CDC and the US Department of State, we will not operate any tours scheduled to depart from now until April 19, 2020. We are trying to cancel as few tours as possible but with the information changing almost daily, our decisions will be updated as needed.
March 1, 2020 –
The COVID-19 Coronavirus has been a hot topic for the last few weeks. There is no denying this Coronavirus is spreading across the globe. Experts tell us there is no way to predict how this will affect travel in Europe in the next few weeks or even months. Some suggest the virus will disappear as winter turns to spring, while others fear travel may come to a screeching halt in the coming months. Honestly, no one knows for sure.
As a tour operator, our primary concern is the safety of those who travel with us. Consequently, to make the best possible decisions, I am relying on accurate information coming from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization, and the US Department of State. I will continue to monitor their websites for daily alerts on the status of the Coronavirus and its travel-related consequences. Additionally, we are fortunate to have many friends around Europe who continue to provide accurate on the ground and “in the trenches” information.
We have not canceled any of our tours at the moment. I pledge to monitor the news and alerts coming from the organizations mentioned above and make tour-related changes or cancelations as needed. Currently, the Department of State has issued a Level 3 advisory (Reconsider Travel) for all of Italy and a Level 4 advisory (Do Not Travel) for the regions of Lombardy and the Veneto. Fortunately, we do not have any tours scheduled for Italy until Mid-April. Over the coming weeks, we will continue to monitor the situation in Italy, and make decisions as needed regarding our tours in Italy.
As for the rest of Europe, the Department of State, WHO, and CDC have issued no Coronavirus-related travel advisories. We have tours scheduled in Austria, Germany, and Spain beginning in mid-March, and for the moment, we will run those tours as planned. Later this month, I will get on my flight to Munich and explore Europe for a few weeks.
When traveling for the first time, the cultural differences can catch you off guard. If you’ve done your research, you’ve probably heard of the big ones, like differences in tipping customs, for example. But the little things that you never expected to be different can really leave you at a loss. From sinks that are operated with foot pedals to toilets with fancy controls, a trip to the bathroom can be the most unexpected “tourist trap”. Here are some tips to navigating toilets, tubs and showers, and bidets abroad.
TOILETS
Public Toilets
For clarity’s sake let’s define a public toilet as any toilet outside a private home or your hotel room. Public toilets vary greatly from country to country in Europe. I’ll try to break it down by toilet type, starting with the best and moving to the worst.
Highway Rest Stops
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.
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 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. 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 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 which case you’ll need to move quickly!
Step right up and go!
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 20th 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? Keep in mind, this description 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 divided from the ground up into thirds. The lower third is uncovered and exposes the subject’s (a.k.a. the pisser’s) 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 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 Belgium 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 and spray 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.
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 been stifled by body odor. 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. This simply means that sometime in the past ten years, a hotel owner has taken an already small room with no bath or toilet facilities and added an even smaller room with a sink, toilet and tub or shower. But for American travelers, those en-suite facilities are essential. So, here is my “run down” on bathing in each country.
I travel in Europe over 100 days a year sleeping in a different hotel, guesthouse or B&B every other night. It is interesting to note that there is absolutely no standardization in shower and tub water controls. On a recent tour in Scotland and Wales, my travel partners and I had a laugh each morning when we discussed what type of water controls we encountered the night before. Twelve nights and twelve totally different faucets and controls!
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 use 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 hotels 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 serve breakfast. These offer a great value and usually come 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 every rule. Every country mentioned sports fancy four- and five-star hotels with huge rooms, marbled baths and air conditioning. You’ll pay extra for this style, but for some it is worth it.
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 comes from the word for “pony.” How appropriate, 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 playing “Truth and Dare”
a replacement for bathing
a laundry
a dishwasher
a cooler for beer and wine
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!
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!
My Toilet Story
I was at a restaurant along the Autostrade in Italy where we’d made a stop for lunch. These restaurants are located conveniently every fifty kilometers or so along the major highways in Europe. They have great food, either from a buffet or from a selection of fresh-made sandwiches, and they offer clean bathrooms. When making a tour bus stop, the first thing everyone does is rush off the bus and head to the bathroom. These restaurants (branded as Autogrill) usually have the bathrooms downstairs which are maintained by a female attendant who keeps the bathrooms sort of spotlessly clean. This “cleanliness” usually comes with a compulsory fee of fifty to eighty euro cents per visit to the toilet, but it’s a small price to pay for a clean toilet!
Well, this particular day, the restrooms were booming with business and the lady attendant was having a tough time keeping up with collecting her “tip” and keeping the bathrooms clean. So when I went downstairs and deposited my change in her dish, I noticed the ladies’ line for the toilet was about twenty deep. There was no wait for the men’s room, which I guess you ladies will say is typical.
I walked in the men’s room and headed for the urinal which was just a ceramic tiled trough against the wall. It was “backed up” with guys “going” so I did have to wait here! While waiting, there was a commotion in the hallway. Women were speaking loudly in rapid-fire Italian, only some of which I could understand. But the general tone and message was, “We’re not waiting out here any more, let’s overtake the men’s room!” Moments later, the men’s room was invaded by several Italian women looking for an open stall. Well I had to go, and now it was my turn! So up I stepped, down with the zipper, and …uhmm you get it, right? OK, now I was ready to go, but all the confusion behind me had caused a momentary “blockage.” So there I stood doing nothing! Concentrating real hard and focusing on the wall right in front of me, I began to go… relief! Then to my horror, I felt something hitting my shoes. Had I missed? Looking down I saw a grey mop being swished back and forth between my feet, and behind me holding the handle was the lady attendant going about her business of keeping the toilets tidy!
Summary
I hope this article has given you the confidence to boldly face the bathrooms in Europe. Just remember, public toilets vary in quality. Your best bet is a highway rest stop or a fully automated toilet on the street. The more modern your hotel, the more likely you will encounter the bathing facilities you are used to in the US. Be sure to check the website before booking to ensure your hotel or B&B has private bathrooms. In some countries, the bathroom will also have a bidet, which is meant for cleaning your nether regions.
If you found this article informative, please share it with your friends, family, coworkers and associates. If you have something to add, just leave a comment in the box below. Do you want to learn more about painted sheep and traveling to Europe? There is a wealth of information and special discount pricing on my tours at https://davidmcguffin.com/.
David McGuffin is Founder and CEO of David McGuffin’s Exploring Europe, Inc., based in Middleburg, Florida. You can connect with him on Twitter, Facebook, Google+,LinkedIn and YouTube. David spends his time in Europe organizing and leading small group and independent tours to European destinations. In business since 2001, David has provided exceptional travel opportunities to several thousand satisfied customers. You can find out more about David and his European tours at his website, https://davidmcguffin.com.
Why do sheep have patches of color painted on their wool?
Farmers “paint” their sheep for identification. Frequently, you’ll notice large pastures blanketed in green grass and dotted with sheep. Typically, these pastures are enclosed by stone walls or wire fences and are shared by multiple farmers. When it comes time to claim ownership of the animals roaming around hundreds of acres, a customized painted sheep is easy to identify.
Also, during the mating season, the male ram will be fitted with a bag of dye around its neck and chest. When mating, the ram mounts the ewe and a bit of dye is deposited on the ewe’s upper back. This way, the farmer knows which ewes have been impregnated and moves them on to another field away from the ram.
FACT: This webpage, “Painted Sheep” gets 500-700 visits per month. It is amazing how many people are searching for this term. Do me a favor, leave a comment and let me know if I answered your question.
Thanks, David McGuffin
WHO IS DAVID MCGUFFIN?
David McGuffin organizes, designs and leads tours to many European destinations. David’s tours are for strictly small groups ranging from 6 to 18 travelers.
Traveling with a small group means we can get off the beaten path and away from the big bus tours and experience Europe on a unique and personal level.
Eating well is also a priority, and you’ll get your fair share of fine food sourced locally by excellent chefs. David has spent decades poking around Europe’s nooks and crannies looking for unique restaurants, clean hotels with character and cozy B&Bs.
In Ireland, the top five counties in terms of sheep numbers are Donegal, Galway, Mayo, Kerry, and Wicklow. Each of these counties are located in hilly-mountainous areas of the country.
Ireland sheep flocks typically have 50 ewes or fewer. Compared to international standards, this is quite small. For example, Scotland averages 200 ewes per flock and the world largest exporter, New Zealand, average 1400.
Ireland only “keeps” 30% of it sheep for human consumption. The remaining meat is exported mostly to the UK and France.
According to a recent Irish livestock census, the island had 3.7 million sheep, 6.5 million cows, and 1.5 million pigs. With all that bacon showing up on the breakfast table this fact is going to require a little more investigation!
God intended sheep to mate in the fall and give birth in the spring when the weather would be more favorable for their survival. Therefore, sheep are known as “short day” breeders. When the days become shorter (in the autumn) this activates a hormone in the ewe’s brain that triggers the reproductive system into action.
During their fertile period ewes come into heat every 17 days or until the fertility period is complete. When in heat, the ewe flirts with the ram by wagging her tail, nudging, or cuddling.
When detecting a ewe in heat, a ram’s characteristic response is to lift his head in the air and curl his upper lip. Then, I suppose he goes for it!
A mature ram can mate with 100 or more ewes during the mating season.
The gestation period is about five months, give or take a week.
Ewes usually give birth (known as lambing) to one to three lambs.
Lambs go to “market” when they are less than one year old, and their meat is known as “lamb.” Mutton is the meat from lambs that are 1 year or older.
Wool, lanolin, and sheepskins are also products of sheep.
Finally, to leave a good taste in your mouth, about 1.3% of the world’s cheeses are products of sheep’s milk. So, the next time you try a piece of Roquefort, Feta, Ricotta, or Pecorino Romano, think about all these painted sheep!
Either TAP your contactless credit/debit card to the MACHINE or your WRISTWATCH to the machine. However, you must set this contactless system up with your bank and credit card provider before leaving home. ApplePay and GooglePay have similar systems for phones and portable devices.
Why do sheep have patches of color painted on their wool?
David McGuffin organizes, designs and leads tours to many European destinations. David’s tours are for strictly 