The more it rains outside...the more we sit inside with wine!! I'll take a rainy day in Europe anytime over a sunny day at home!

Hey Ady; Would raining be better on your 'tush' puppies?

Besides, the human skin is waterproof. The rain will not soak you all the way to the bone, so what is the problem with a bit of precipitation?

Don't you whiners take showers? Same difference.

Hey Ady; Would raining be better on your 'tush' puppies?

I think you are behind the times.

Michael -

I hate to break it to you - but much of CA IS a desert. It's only bringing in all this water that allows anything to grow most places.

Sorry if you're not aware - but much of CA is a desert and europe is not.

Also Italy and FL do not have the same weather - even though both are long and skinny.

nytraveler,

San Francisco and the coast are considered Mediterranean in climate, not a desert. Nor is the Central Valley or the Sacramento Valley a desert. It is said that in the 1850's, after an unusual wet winter, one could go by row boat from San Francisco to Fresno, the whole central valley being under water. We get 20 inches of rainfall a year, which is more than what a desert would get. I'm afraid that your image of California as a desert has been distorted by southern California.

[I think you are behind the times] Believe it. Anyways, I agree with the poster. After all, 900 times in Europe.

"I'm afraid that your image of California as a desert has been distorted by southern California."

Well, she's not the first.

The real problem is the nytraveler apparently lives in New York without a car and is thus parochial, not realizing that most of America don't walk around in the rain when it is raining. They walk to and from their car.

Neither does nytraveler understand that other people planning a trip to Europe are looking at spending considerable amounts of time outdoors every day, more than any normal working American does during an average day, even in NYC. People today rarely go to Europe to see the Louvre, the interior of the Duomo in Florence, or the mosaics of Venice, etc. They are going to visit scenic destinations or walk around in cobblestoned places to just soak up the atmosphere -- so of course they are concerned what that atmosphere will be. They don't want to pack the wrong clothes or be disappointed in a destination or travel time if they could have avoided it.

Contrary to nytravelers out-of-date beliefs, a great many vacations to popular European desetinations will be significantly compromised by rainy weather, including hiking trails that melt away in downpours. It is a good thing so many people ask about the weather in many Italian, French and Swiss destinations and kindly get help from other people. It saves a lot of ruined trips and wasted money.

Scream away, nytraveler. Such posta are not going to stop and people less self-centered than you are going to answer them.

The bottom line is really an inability to imagine other people living different lives and having different interests and -- doh! -- taking a different kind of trip from the one you yourself would take and enjoying it as much as you would your trip. This isn't your private playground.

As to this odd idea that southern California is a desert

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_perce...fied_as_desert

(And I wonder if nytraveler has ever seen a Roman aqueduct and wondered what it was for?)

Desert is a technical definition, and by most people's non-technical standards, there are deserts in Spain and Tuscany in Italy.

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_deserts_are_in_Italy

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_th...sert_in_Europe

But I don't think this thread is about facts. It's about nytraveler.

PS: Since this thread is about nytraveler, I can't resist adding that nytraveler must have posted 1,000,000 times about only going to Europe during May because it is otherwise too unpleasantly hot to travel there. (Her other 1,000,000 posts have been to yell about the cost of soft drinks in Europe).

I wonder what does nytraveler do when it is over 90 in New York? Sit at home all day until it cools down?

Pack some light clothes, sandals and sunblock, for christ's sake, and splurge on a soft drink. Europe is not Siberia.

Step away from the computer.

I agree with Nikki.

But just in case someone really is concerned about rain in Europe: go to southern Europe in July. I love southern Europe in the summer because I like to wake up knowing I have about a 99% chance of blue sky all day long every day. But I am apparently in the minority here - there are just as many posts warning people away from going to Europe in the summer as there are asking about rain.

The more it rains, the better to soak up the atmosphere I would say...

Hello Everyone!!!! My name is Fungi and my wife's name is Fern and we going to Europe for the first time and I really like the rain. DO you know where we can go?

WHEW! talk about toxic people on the planet.

Aduchamp - come to Frankfurt - it's raining here and ruining my day! My umbrella doesn't work properly and I hate the rain!!!

Of course, in October, you have a very good chance of rain anywhere in Europe so pick a spot on the map and fly there.

Hey man don't rain on my parade.

I can't say I get bent about such questions, but I do wonder why they don't just google a climate chart or weather site.

nytraveler, thanks for the smile! I do enjoy your sassiness.

About California, it's that song, "it never rains in California..." grrr.