Bill

I just returned from my first trip to Europe. We visited five countries over a three week time period. Enjoyed all the sites, but not the people!<BR><BR>(Yes there were some nice people in each of the countries we visited and yes I did my best to be very nice to everyone I met.)<BR><BR>The coldest people we met were the people who worked at the front desk at the hotels. They treated us with such coldness. (they were not reserved, they were cold!). They acted like were doing us a favor to talk to us.<BR><BR>The people we came in contact with at eating establishments and attractions were also cold. The coldest: The Swiss, the warmest the Scotch.<BR><BR>Your thoughts??

Rex

Apart from people in the "hospitality industry", I think jus thte opposite. Europeans are much more comfortable with getting "close" physically, I mean. This is an odd phenomenon among Americans and it is especially weird with respect to our cars. Americans act like it's a squeeze for two cars, each six feet wide, to drive past each other on a street fourteen feet wide.<BR><BR>Now, as to the Swiss not being friendly - - well, I actually might agree with that! Their specialty is organization, and timepieces accurate to the second. Not warm and fuzzy, like Mediterraneans.<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Rex<BR><BR>

Dee

Dear Bill,<BR><BR>Has it occurred to you that plenty of Europeans regularly use this website? I am one, and I'm getting pretty fed up with the posters who seem to assume that the majority of posters on this site are NOT European.<BR><BR>In reply to your question, my response is no.

Dave

The people in Italy I found to be the coldest, not to each other- who they treated warmly but to outsiders, especially Americans.<BR><BR>I was never told off or yelled at, just treated coldly, like the orginal poster.

KC

NO<BR>I am from NYC,and have found the people in France,England,Japan and Italy to be just as warm and friendly as all the Americans that I have encountered.<BR>Actually, most Europeans are more polite than a lot of people on these boards,asking rude questions.

April

Oh, yea, Bill, the front desk people at ALL American hotels are warm and fuzzy. And ALL the waitresses want to sit at my table and chat. How can you make such generalizations??<BR><BR>I'm American. I love to travel. I've met incredible people everywhere I've gone. This is a GLOBAL forum. Posts which offend any nationality should be pulled.

Katie

I was in Paris last week and, as on previous trips, found the people to be very friendly and helpful. The people at the hotel desk were especially friendly and helpful, although some more than others. But that is just a difference in persanality which you would also find in this country. Some people went out of their way to help us when we were looking confused - without our even asking for help. I deal with rude people in the US every day. People are just people, no matter where they live. On the other hand, we did find the dogs to be stand-offish. Maybe it is just good training. I am used to dogs I encounter in the street in the US attempting to sniff me and wanting to be petted and fussed over, with tails wagging begging for attention. The French dogs just go about their business without even a glance at passing people.

bettyk

When I lived in Austria, I came in contact with many friendly people, some of whom did not speak much English but managed to make me feel welcome with their smile. I also came across some who were reserved and maybe a little standoffish. But I learned not to take this personally and neither should you, Bill. This is just their nature. If you know anything about the different languages of Europe -- German, Spanish, etc. -- you know that there is a "formal" and "familiar" version. In Austria, you NEVER use the familiar with anyone who is not your family or very close friend. I for one find it refreshing. I think that Americans are sometimes too familiar. I also believe that there is definitely more respect shown to others in Europe, at least in my experience.

bettyk

Oh, by the way, just a minor point, Bill, it is "Scots" not "Scotch".

scott

Dear Bill-that was Scotch that you were drinking.<BR>The people in Scotland are Scots.

Nancy

I have to agree with the orginal poster. Sure there are some nice people in Europe but in general most are cold. My vote for the coldest: Madrid Spain.

Kay

While waiting for a restaurant in Paris, we had a German couple invite us to dine with them, we have had two different Italian families open their home to us and in both cases, even had a family gathering and cooked for us. I have had a German inn Owner, put on his hat and get in his car and lead us to the main highway when we were lost and neither of us spoke a word of the other's language. While I am proud to be an American, I believe Europeans treat their guests very special and we could learn something about that from them. Once while visiting a Persian friend in NY, he slept in a closet and gave us his only bedroom (we didn't realize it at the time.) <BR><BR>I found the hotel staff at the DuAubusson in Paris the best of a 3 1/2 week trip. I found the staff at the Dei Mellini in Rome, the worst. (They told me there was no Fed-Ex anywhere around, wouldn't help, and we located one within walking distance.) However, when my college age daughter stayed there, she thought they were wonderful. The only place I would say they were really cold and rude was the Loews in Monte Carlo. I hated that place.<BR><BR>It just depends on who you accidently meet, who is working that day, what type of establishment you stay at, restaurants you frequent, just like the US.<BR> I travel to Europe for the history, but love the people.<BR>

Uncle Sam

Perhaps my wife and I have been lucky, but we have travelled extensively in Europe and we have yet to have anyone, anyone be rude to us.<BR><BR>Now they don't not ask you in for coffee, but when providing service, when offering assistance and just in general conversation they have all been very nice.<BR><BR>The nicest have been the folks in Scotland and Bavaria, execept for a young waiter in the Hofbrauhaus that insisted that Salzburg, Austria was still a part of Germany!<BR><BR>Perhaps he had drunk a few too many with some old Nazis because he was a real obnoxious piece of work!

Jill

That's very interesting that Katie found the dogs in France to be stand-offish. I would guess that no country coddles their pets the way Americans do, and thus dogs in other nations may be conditioned not to expect a love fest when encountering people. I would love to see hear from some non-Americans on this subject. (Yeah -- I know this wanders from the subject of travel). So tell us: Do you consider dogs to be members of your family? Do they sleep in your beds?

egg

&gt;Dear Bill-that was Scotch that you &gt;were drinking.<BR>&gt;The people in Scotland are Scots.<BR><BR>This is a fairly modern usage. Scotchman and Scotch were used up until the mid twentieth century. In the eighteenth century some scots referred to themselves as North Britons.<BR>As for friendliness, you get what you give. Personally, I prefer people like desk staff to be polite and professional not "have a nice day".

tom

Bill - perhaps the problem is with you. Not trying to be rude, but in general (of course there are excpetions) I have found people all over Europe and especially in the hospitatity industry to be friendly, helpful and warmer than in many parts of the US. <BR><BR>Sure, Southerners are warm - but have you ever stayed in SF or Chicago? Give me a Parisian or Scot any day.

katie

My dog sleeps in my bedroom, not on my bed.Of course that might be because he is a large dog and we do not have a king sized bed.<BR>He is very friendly (an aspect of his breed) and wants to be petted and tries his best to sniff everyone,sometimes embarrassing me if not everyone<BR>I guess he is just one of those oafish good natured American dogs.(although they are called French,he is really German!)<BR>I am sure there are some people that would prefer their dogs less friendly,but then there are dogs for them also, Presa Canario I think is one breed that could fit the bill.

Tony Hughes

A fairly regular complaint that surfaces on this board. The Europeans that you find standoffish, Bill, are the ones you've met, people who tend to deal with the public - who can be annoying at times - on a daily basis. <BR><BR>Sure customer service may be lacking somewhat but dont take it personally. We're no worse than Africans or Asians or Americans. All the same, mate.

EU

Desk clerks are personnel, they are not even supposed to act like your pals.

Joanne

Bill: We apparently are traveling in parallel universes, that is you to a different Europe than we travel to and love. Sure we have encountered cold, unfriendly desk persons in Greece; a snotty waiter in Paris; a less than helpful clerk in Italy. So what! It sure didn't ruin any of our trips. We met wonderful friendly, helpful people as well. People are people no matter where. What is it you wish to know? You feel something is wrong with you because of the way you say you were treated and you need validation from other posters that Europeans are cold and standoffish? <BR><BR>I just don't get these threads about being badly treated by people in other countries. We overlook those people, just as we do the so often referred to dirt and noise some travelers seem to find everywhere and find so offensive. <BR><BR>We love Europe, all countries we have visited. We find the people charming and our trips have been marvelous. Can't wait to leave for a return to Italy in just over a week.<BR><BR>Incidentally Tom, we live near SF and don't find the people there any different or colder than anywhere else.<BR><BR>Give it a rest. Enjoy your trips and forget the downsides. <BR><BR>j