Just an observation: why do Americans a) never say Please b) never say Thank you and c) NEVER EVER finish their food??????? <BR>

Can someone please tell me why people named Sue always generalize? <BR>Thank you.

on the contrary sue, i find most americans to be very polite! I'm a waitress here in London, and the americans are always the friendliest ones. Most Londoners are snobbish in this area, and they treat the hostesses like "the hired help". The americans are always so chatty.

Martha. I am sorry but I am not 'generalising' I have owned a restaurant for 20 years in a very touristy part of the UK and the American people are the only people who NEVER say please/thank you to my waitress's. All others are more than polite. And I reckon with the amount of food left on your plates (and they help themselves in most instances) you could feed the third world on a daily basis. <BR>

I wish to point out at this moment that Sue is in no way affiliated to Tony Hughes and/or Stellarossa or any Stellarossa incarnation past, future or present. <BR> <BR>I happen to think Americans in general (gosh) are more polite. American waitresses or servers or whatever you call them actually seem to enjoy their job. I find a lot of servers in Britain sniffy and indifferent. <BR> <BR>regards

Sue, I'm sorry but you *are* generalizing, and insisting that you're not won't change that. Do you honestly expect us to believe the statement that Americans *never* say "please" or "thank you"? I am frequently dismayed by lack of manners--not to mention lack of ability to see beyond one's nose--displayed by my fellow Americans, but I'm also aware of just as many, if not more, polite, friendly, warm, culturally-well-educated Americans who travel. <BR> <BR>So you undercut your point to (rudely, in my view) insist that ALL Americans are rude and never say please or thank you. Since I'm an American who travels abroad, and since I'm always quite careful, whether at home or overseas, to be polite and friendly in exchanges with waiters, people in shops, hotel personnel, etc.--I know for a fact that your statement is false...and rather insulting to those of us Americans who do our best to belie the cultural stereotype. <BR> <BR>You might want to consider, when you're making a point, avoiding mass characterizations of a culture, country or ethnic group. "In my experience, many Americans fail to say "please" or "thank you" when eating in restaurants--why is that?" comes across as much more reasoned, reasonable, and dare I say, polite, that insisting that all Americans *NEVER* do these things.

Hmmm, the American diners fill their plates with food, and then IN EVERY CASE they don't eat it all. Maybe the problem isn't with the diners?

No kidding! If all of us fat-arsed yanks are actually LEAVING food on our plates, then your British food must be nasty, because we are the fat people everyone keeps complaining about!

OK, you Ian Wright fans out there, would someone PLEASE GENERALIZE and tell me when he's on? My large TX city just got the Travel Channel added to our cable. I can tell I'm missing something by not having seen him. <BR>THANK you ever so!

As an authentic fat American, I must protest. I ALWAYS eat everything on my plate (and whoever else's plate is in reach - and if the owner is accomodating, whatever scraps are left in the kitchen at closing time). And I always wash it down with an ICE-COLD (Belgian) Coca-Cola! <BR> <BR>I usually don't say "thank you" - I use "cheers" instead so that noone will know I'm a tourist, in spite of my blue shirt and yellow jeans.

I have to admit, Sue, that the minute British customs stamps my passport, I forget how to be polite. Instead of bringing the latest Colin Dexter or James Patterson read with me, I'm going to make sure I have Emily Post. So awfully sorry to have left my manners at home. Probably it's Freudian, in retaliation for our English client who starts every phone conversation "YOU PEOPLE". Fortunately, not EVERY English client is so impolite.

Kay, I'm frustrated, I just lost my 1st attempt at this posting. I realized that I can help with your question about Ian Wright, and I would not want to feel like I was being lazy or otherwise bad by failing to answer with alacrity. Anyhoo.. Ian Wright is one of the young travelers they feature on the Lonely Planet travel show, soon coming to a station near you. He's a cute guy, though I like that Justine better. The show is fun to watch, though sometimes the inauthenticity is hard to ignore. (He or she is traveling alone, but just happens to have an invisible film crew in every remote, underdeveloped location.) I did get a kick out of Ian's chutzpa in the NYC show I saw this month, playing half-court with the regulars at one of the most challenging b-ball venues in the city. (As I was watching, all I could think was, "yeah, right!") But the show is fun and inspires the travel bug. Hope you get to check it out soon.

You're so right Helen. Last night as Ian was climbing into the back of a truck he tells us, "it's pretty easy to hitch a ride in Morocco." <BR> <BR>Well, I bet it is when you have a camera crew with you. <BR> <BR>He still had a lot of guts getting into that b-ball game in Harlem, though.

Point of info, Brian, those were the Village courts, down on 6th Ave.

But he did go to Harlem in that show it's true. Didn't mean to undercut you with that correction. Sometimes I can't help myself. Must...reign...in...critical...tendencies. Argghh!

Thank you, Brian and Helen, for your help in finding Ian W's time slot, if not himself. The woman (forget her name) was on tonight and in Bali. Now I know what time to keep watching (7 pm in Houston, in case you are interested, anyone) and I look forward to making Ian's acquaintence. Thanks, all.

By the way, in today's St. Petersburg Times I spotted an "American Tourist". It was none other than Elton John, just released from his London hospital, wearing...a jogging suit, white sneakers and a baseball hat? Imagine that?

Thanks for the correction, H. Is that near Washington Square Park? I thought it was hillarious when he pulled out those new shoes. <BR> <BR>Lonely Planet update: tonight it's Rio. But then we all have something better to do on Saturday nights, right?

Um, make that Friday nights.

Brian, I was going to say they're working you too hard if you can't tell Friday from Saturday, but considering the time of day you're posting, I'm reconsidering. To answer your question, the courts are not far from Wash. Sq. Park -- a few blocks west & south. Fun to watch, but I think the casual tourist would not find himself readily accepted, as it seemed to be for Ian in that episode.

Wow, we've gotten off track. I'm a frequent traveler to Europe and a "typical" American. While I try to be cognizant of the local customs, it is important that I'm comfortable when walking for 10 hours straight. Anyone who has ever been a tourist anywhere should appreciate the value a fanny pack can bring. And if you've ever been to Rome in the middle of the summer, you're damb straight I'm wearing some kind of hat! My problem with the "ugly Americans" is when they are loud, rude, obnoxious and EXPECT everyone to speak English. As for dress, who cares what someone is wearing!

I vote for people to wear what they are most comfortable in. Every person in Europe does nor wear black everyday of the week. Besides have you ever toured in the hot sun of Italy, Spain or the South of France in black? You will certainly FRY in the sun. <BR> <BR>People in Europe seem to overdress for the weather and occasion. While in Paris and Rome we were sweating in the heat wearing tee shirts and jeans while the locals were wearing long sleeves and jackets. While we were wearing lightweight shirt on a cooler day, I actually saw people wearing what appeared to be down jackets! <BR> <BR>I think it is unfair of other to dictate or judge other by their clothing. I live in Los Angeles (the judgement capital of the world) and I see plenty of Europeans wearing trashy clothing, tee shirts,sweatshirts and colors other than black. <BR> <BR>I have a personal rule.... I wear what I wish. That includes Jeans and tee shirts to whatever reatuarant or occasion I wish. If they want to refuse my money by what I am wearing, then I wish not to patronize their business. Nothing is finer than showing up to a jazzy occasion wearing a crisp new balck tee from the GAP. Remember when Sharon Stone did that at the Oscars? That is style. <BR> <BR>:)