dulciusexasperis

I'm wondering if your husband is interested in going anywhere in Europe or not moonbaby?

You've said what your interests are (to expose your husband to what you perceive as different from his way of thinking) but you haven't said what his interests are.

I agree with L Sky, "If he really does see the world this way, I don't like to tell you this but he's not going to change just because you take him to Europe."

What I am reading is that samme old same old issue. A woman narries a man because of who he is and then immediately starts trying to change who he is.

Maybe he isn't even interested in going to Europe.

dulciusexasperis

No edit function, most annoying.

Should be, 'same old same old' and 'a woman marries a man'

sparkchaser

<i>No edit function, most annoying.</i>

My biggest frustration with this board.

kybourbon

>>>I don't understand your comment about green living. You can't find a recycle bin anywhere in much of Europe.<<<

Street side recycling bins existed in much of Europe long before I ever saw any in the US.

I would go to Italy and spend a few days in the center of cities (Rome? Florence?,etc.) and a few days in the countryside visiting some weekly food markets.

moonbaby

Wow, you people seem so interested in criticizing people it is amazing you call yourselves travelers. Thanks for making me feel so small.

Happy travels!

sparkchaser

You're welcome.

TDudette

See what you all have done?

sparkchaser

This is why we can't have nice things.

vjpblovesitaly

There are no small posters, only small ideas

BigRuss

<i>Thanks for making me feel so small.</i>

So sayeth the belittle-er of her home country.

The nanoviolin quartet begins its tuning exercises . . .

vjpblovesitaly

Maybe she was just describing her housekeeping skills

justineparis

First off there is a DIFFERENCE in the culture of some Europeon countries and Amercia.. so all you red blooded chest thumping patriots who picked apart the OPs post and took it as some sort of insult to your beloved mother land.. get over yourselves.

Secondly there are aspects of the "green" lifestyle that have always been around in Europe..for decades anyways since the food shortages of the wars, most vegetables at the markets ARE organic.. not because they are in a special little over priced section.. but because the Europeon Union has much stricter rules about the use of pesticides and as for meats,, their meats are far far more likely to be chemical , hormone and anitbiotic free.. and not just the "special organic meat" in the corner of your grocery store..

Also as most of you know ( and these are NOT new things) they commonly have lo /double flush toilets.. and lights on timers in many hotels and many homes too.
Electricity is expensive so is not wasted.

More adults happily go car free.. the excellant transportation systems they have make car need almost nil in many large city centers.

As for Italy.. crap it can be pretty dirty outside of cities.. they still huck garbage out on to sides of highways quite a bit.. ew.

Go to France.. perhaps the Loire Valley... stay in a lovely inn.. the Roseraie looks lovely..


I notice most north americans seem the most comfy with Italy.. not sure why.. its not my fave or even second fave country in Europe.. food is so so .. and the people annoy me.. too fake.. I prefer the folks in UK( but yeah, food is not a highlight there for me) and France ( great food) .. but to each his own..

As for historical sites and museums all three countries above are amazing so in that respect you can't go wrong.

suze

I'm not sure I understand why what anyone said is making you "feel small". Your observations and generalizations about life in the US, and speaking only for myself, I was merely disagreeing with what you said.

BigRuss

<i>First off there is a DIFFERENCE in the culture of some Europeon countries and Amercia.. so all you red blooded chest thumping patriots who picked apart the OPs post and took it as some sort of insult to your beloved mother land.. get over yourselves.</i>

Yes, your semi-coherent rant has one point, "difference." Beyond that, the OP did nothing but insult the US and idealize Europe. Characterizing the opening salvo in any other manner is denying reality. And she doubled down with such idiocies as "Also the ingredients in the food in the USA is essentially soilent [sic] green."

So Justine, perhaps your own saddle is perched too high on your equine pet.

cdnyul

Brigadoon, Scotland.

I found the best and freshest food at a Carrefour Planet supermarket in Brussels, the worst croissants were from a "mom and pop" bakery.

Given the number of cars in the cities, most with local license plates, it appears most Europeans still need and like their cars.

Mark

MissPrism

The good old legends about British food persist. It is still possible to get bad food e.g. Carveries and Aberdeen steak houses, but it's getting more difficult. In London, you can get just about every cuisine in the world.
Every trip report about the UK will mention excellent food.

It's a while since I was there, but I certainly remember dreadful waste of electricity in the US. In the Summer at work I had to take a cardigan because the air-conditioning was on full blast. I kept lowering the thermostat in the corridor outside our flat in the winter from 90 Somebody would always raise it again

cmeyer54

Moonbaby - by the description you have given us of your expectations, I would suggest you look at the small(er) towns in Tuscany where the life is a bit simpler and less hectic than, say in Rome.

If you want beautiful scenery, it will be anywhere you go in my opinion whether that's driving through the black forest, dolomites, western front, normandy, etc. While you may not see the largest collections of great art without venturing into larger cities with more hustle and bustle, you will find gems like castles along the rivers, chateaus, etc in most places. For food, look for the smaller places that don't have a menu in english and seem to have large groups of local families which indicates to me that this is a place for a special occasion.

You could start in Munich and wander your way west to Strasbourg and then thru Normandy and end in Paris.

Alternatively, you could spend the entire 2 weeks in Italy and do a huge loop from Venice north, then west thru the dolomites, down thru Milan and then thru Florence and end in Rome. Plenty of smallish towns to visit and experience there.

Our family did 2 weeks in Spain - Madrid then Seville, Malaga and ended in Barcelona. the white villages are wonderful, Seville has a magic of its own and Barcelona is just vibrant and full of so much to see and do. Our least favorite place was Madrid.

My experience is that all of europe has a more laid back attitude than what we have in the US....work days are shorter, weekends are off limits from the boss's requests, meals are longer, etc. Not better or worse, just different

Enjoy your trip, get plenty of guide books and only plan every other day so you can take advantage of serendipity.

dwdvagamundo

In case moonbaby comes back:

http://njmonthly.com/articles/lifest...den-state.html
It'll make your life in New Jersey somewhat easier to take.

My thoughts were more like those of Big Russ--there are many places in the US that have aspects of what she's looking for--even New Jersey. I live in Atlanta, Georgia, the epicenter of corporate America south, and there is lots of what moonbaby describes as non-existent in the US: recycling, good local food, good local bakeries, etc., and certainly lots of us who work to live. I would also say that people in the US care at least as much Europeans about recycling.

And Justineparis--your comment was totally over the top. I saw little chest thumping patriotism in this thread, but rather a problem with moonbaby's whining about the US (and a little bit about her husband) which put me off too.

FWIW, I don't think moonbaby is going to find what she's looking for.

justineparis

Russ who cares if she "insulted " America.. really? Thats your perception anyways I didn't really see it as an attack on your motherland. I think its weird how some get so freaking defensive .. I guess you are one of those "love it or leave it" types. I don't relate well to them as I think they are strange. Here is someone complains about our government or hospitals or food I say " yup , you gotta point there ".. cause who cares? Things can suck anywhere and admitting it is half way to FIXING it as far as I am concerned.. the status quo needs to change sometimes.

PS its "Soylent Green" a good movie .

sdtravels

Funny, I read the original post differently. I thought that the husband doesn't really enjoy life and thinks the US is the best at/of everything. I thought she was trying to open his mind to the possibility that there is value in exploring other cultures; value to slowing down and enjoying life. I don't think she was insulting the US. I think she was saying that her husband thinks that the US is the only place that has all that. If I read it correctly, I'd go by myself as a trial separation.