American Dress sense
 

Dress how you like but spare us our ears - your loud voices are deafening.

Does that applies to the sound of the American tourist dollar as it fuels your pathetic economy as well? <BR> <BR>

Pathetic economy? Belgium, France, the Netherlands, England, and Switzerland struck me as having vibrant, strong economies. Germany has a problem with reunification and unemployment. <BR>I have not visited Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Austria recently, but they seem to be doing ok. <BR> <BR>But lets face it, most Americans are loud. If you hear someone shouting in a hotel corridor, it is usually an unmistakeable American accent. Moreover, they are often obnoxious and expect everyone to speak English.

Bob, please! Don't we all know by now that we shouldn't generalize? I have vacationed in spots where the loud voices have come from a number of different types of accents--American, Swiss, French, German, Japanese, etc. There are Americans, though--believe it or not--that actually go to a foreign country with some prior knowledge of the spoken language there. I, for one, always try to speak the language of the places I visit. I also try to dress the way the locals do, as much as I can. <BR> <BR>So there are Americans that are loud and obnoxious, but don't say that it's only the Americans. And don't say that it's all the Americans.

I have no experience with loud-voiced or badly dressed Americans. When eating out in a restaurant in Antwerp there were 4 quiet nicely dressed English speaking persons sitting next to us. They were eating their (French) fries with their fingers ... that's how I knew that they were American.

geez, doesn't anybody credit cultural differences anymore? Americans have booming voices for the same reason our personal space is much bigger than other cultures'; it's the culture. We talk loudly compared to western Europeans, for example, but then western Europeans stand much closer to us than is comfortable for us. Why would I tell French people "dress how you like - just don't stand so damn close - it is extremely rude and threatening"? Or when an English visitor's personal hygiene is not the same as Americans' "dress how you like - just spare us your body odor"? THAT'S rude. Would you tell a visitor to your home "gee you talk really loud; tone it down or leave"? My God, what a bunch of self-centered little twerps we've all become; we sound like kindergarners "you jerk" "you're a fathead" "no, YOU'RE a doodyhead" "I'm telling!" "BABY!"

While in Florence, I witnessed some particularly loud and unattractive behavior by two American couples on a hotel rooftop terrace. One man — who fancied himself an expert on all things Italian — was holding forth about their itinerary and managing to butcher every Italian name he uttered. I was trying to quietly read a book when he started to importune me about whether I was an American, etc. Ick! <BR> As for Americans dressing sloppily, I have to admit, too, that I cringe when I see tourists in their brightly colored sports shirts and shorts, sneakers, and fanny packs — camcorder in hand. I always wonder if these outfits are specially chosen to stand out among the more formally and darkly attired Europeans. And why do people insist on filming their vacations? Why can't they just have the unmediated experience? Do they really watch hours of unedited tape of their vacations later or just bore their friends with it? <BR> That said, I've always been especially amused by the middle-age English man's knee-socks-with-shorts-and- sandals look — a favorite on the Amalfi Coast. <BR> That's my tacky tourist rant. Otherwise, let me put in a good word for Dutch and Belgian tourists: always friendly and polite.

1. I think European economies are strong; the evidence bears that out. <BR>2. As for loud, thought I would stir things up. I can always count on a loud retort, particularly on this forum. Sort of bears out my assertion! <BR>3. I agree that various national groups have quirks of behavior that annoy others as well. I was once in Yellowstone waiting for Grand Geyser to erupt when I thought there was riot in progress over by Castle Geyser. No. <BR>Just a bus load of xyz visitors making the rounds. They were having a good time. <BR>

I don't think Americans are loud, but they are certainly easy to wind up. <BR>"spare us our ears" is a strange construction for a Frenchman to use...

Hey folks, let's just let this one die the natural death that it deserves!

Please dont generalize about Americans. Tourists are tourists whatever their nationality. This summer while in Alaska, I experienced loud inappropriately dressed Germans, Japanese, etc. Living in New York, I have seen pushy Italians and Africans whirling through department stores buying everything in sight. And we have all heard about the reputation of European soccer fans and drunken English airline passengers. So we can all stereotype, no matter our nationality. But what is the point? We are responsible for our individual conduct, and I for one do not feel the need to defend any one else's actions, whether they are fellow Americans or not. <BR> <BR>Lastly, the European economy can't compare to the American economy. That is why the Euro has fallen to almost one-to-one against the USD. Good news for those of us who love to travel!

Have we all lost our sense of humor about the quirks and foibles of human beings?

Like people walking down the street with their daily bread in a little wax paper aren't amusing to US....So what if it is tasty...your attitudes are silly and self-centered. But we still love you, somehow.

I was a sorry to see some go on and on about the way people dress, talk, and even one extremely picky lady decided she had the right to tell people when they are allowed to hold a video camera. <BR>Relax and enjoy your trips. Ignore the hypersensitive europhiles that are frightened to death they might appear to be what they really are - from the States. If you are really worried about your dress sense, wear the same clothes as the backpacker and you won't be considered a slob but stylishly cool. Don't forget to sneer at all the other tourists so they will realize you are better than they are. If you think you're voice is too strong be sure to surround yourself with loud drunks as camouflage and have a few drinks yourself to kill any bugs that may be up your backsides. <BR>Just R E L A X : )

Last summer, I was enjoying the breakfast buffet at my hotel in Montreux. I was (quietly) reading my newspaper (well, not reading exactly, more like staring at the French words and trying to make meaning) when a loud, male, surprised voice boomed from behind me, "Hey! These croissants are GOOD!" I almost choked. <BR> <BR>Moral of the story: we were both Americans, we were both tourists. <BR> <BR>s