How to Spot an American in Europe
May 13th, 2015, 03:35 PM
#82
French churches built before 1905 are property of the state, which is responsible for their upkeep. Churches, temples, mosques built after 1905 are the sole responsibility of whichever faith operates them.
There is never any charge for visiting any religious edifice which is still used for religious services in France. "Deconsecrated" things like the Sainte Chapelle or various royal chapels and abbeys (Mont Saint Michel) can be visted for a fee, like any other museum or monument.
There is never any charge for visiting any religious edifice which is still used for religious services in France. "Deconsecrated" things like the Sainte Chapelle or various royal chapels and abbeys (Mont Saint Michel) can be visted for a fee, like any other museum or monument.
May 13th, 2015, 04:23 PM
#83
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M\<i> "Deconsecrated" things like the Sainte Chapelle or various royal chapels and abbeys (Mont Saint Michel) can be visted for a fee, like any other museum or monument.</i>
The Mont Saint Michel now has some religious order offering services. It's a hybrid, but one pays to visit.
The Mont Saint Michel now has some religious order offering services. It's a hybrid, but one pays to visit.
May 14th, 2015, 02:00 PM
#84
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Chartley said, "Better nutrition, and possibly overeating, mean that Americans are often taller and heavier than residents of the nations they visit."
We're talking about Europe here, Chartley. Do you really believe that Americans have better nutrition than Europeans? As for height, the following will show you that the majority of European countries have a higher average height than the US.
http://www.interbasket.net/news/4385...ales-20-years/
This is for 20-year-old males. Any other statistics I found didn't have comparable age groups, but the conclusion would have been the same: You guys are short!
We're talking about Europe here, Chartley. Do you really believe that Americans have better nutrition than Europeans? As for height, the following will show you that the majority of European countries have a higher average height than the US.
http://www.interbasket.net/news/4385...ales-20-years/
This is for 20-year-old males. Any other statistics I found didn't have comparable age groups, but the conclusion would have been the same: You guys are short!
May 14th, 2015, 05:59 PM
#88
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I saw some survey, and unfortunately I cannot remember where, where Europeans stereotype Americans for being, at once, obese and physical fitness fanatics.
Well, make up you mind. (In truth trends and counter trends are generally quite common.)
Well, make up you mind. (In truth trends and counter trends are generally quite common.)
May 14th, 2015, 08:24 PM
#90
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There is no "European" perspective on these issues as there are no "Europeans".
In reverse it would be as silly to ask for the pan-American (from Canada to Argentina) perspective on German or French tourists.
The informal do's and dont's differ from country to country in Europe (and probably everywhere else as well). Sometimes even from region to region.
As sparkchaser said above, the list is partly funny and mostly reveals how clueless the author is.
In reverse it would be as silly to ask for the pan-American (from Canada to Argentina) perspective on German or French tourists.
The informal do's and dont's differ from country to country in Europe (and probably everywhere else as well). Sometimes even from region to region.
As sparkchaser said above, the list is partly funny and mostly reveals how clueless the author is.
May 15th, 2015, 03:21 AM
#92
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"We're talking about Europe here, Chartley. Do you really believe that Americans have better nutrition than Europeans?"
I was thinking historically, and remembering that stature is apparently dependent on the nutrition enjoyed by your mother when she was a child.
When Americans arrived in Britain during the Second World War, they were noticeable because of their height and build. At that time, many Europeans, especially those living in poorer regions, barely had enough to eat. I cannot find the quote just now, but Annie Hawes, an English woman, has written of her life in Liguria, and described one of the older residents who still ate dry bread smeared with garlic, since that was all he had as a child. I doubt if that was true of anyone growing up in the mid-west.
It is also true that young Britons of South-Asian, African or Far-Eastern origin are taller and heavier than their parents. I think that more food, and cheaper food, has been available in the United States for longer than elsewhere.
I was thinking historically, and remembering that stature is apparently dependent on the nutrition enjoyed by your mother when she was a child.
When Americans arrived in Britain during the Second World War, they were noticeable because of their height and build. At that time, many Europeans, especially those living in poorer regions, barely had enough to eat. I cannot find the quote just now, but Annie Hawes, an English woman, has written of her life in Liguria, and described one of the older residents who still ate dry bread smeared with garlic, since that was all he had as a child. I doubt if that was true of anyone growing up in the mid-west.
It is also true that young Britons of South-Asian, African or Far-Eastern origin are taller and heavier than their parents. I think that more food, and cheaper food, has been available in the United States for longer than elsewhere.
May 15th, 2015, 03:31 AM
#93
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Cow Boy
Don't believe we don't feel European when we compare towards US.
We share the same stupid stereotypes, whether we're German, Belgian, Italian, French etc.
When confronted among ourselves, then we split beteen these nations.
When Inside a nation, we'll split among régions (Bretons against Chtis, Alsatians against Languedociens, Corsicans against everyone). Inside a region we'll split between villages...
I guess the same occurs in US: first level is being US, then texan vs californian, then From Houston etc...
And don't tell me NewYorkers don't have stereotypes for Texans...
Don't believe we don't feel European when we compare towards US.
We share the same stupid stereotypes, whether we're German, Belgian, Italian, French etc.
When confronted among ourselves, then we split beteen these nations.
When Inside a nation, we'll split among régions (Bretons against Chtis, Alsatians against Languedociens, Corsicans against everyone). Inside a region we'll split between villages...
I guess the same occurs in US: first level is being US, then texan vs californian, then From Houston etc...
And don't tell me NewYorkers don't have stereotypes for Texans...
May 15th, 2015, 04:40 AM
#95
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Are most of you equating European with Western Europe? Seems so. What about Eastern Europeans? Trim? Soft spoken? In Russia a few years ago I noticed gorgeous trim women in their 20s. Older women, where'd the trim go? Goes for the men too.
May 15th, 2015, 04:46 AM
#96
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"And don't tell me New Yorkers don't have stereotypes for Texans..."
I loved that.
And let's talk about the Upper West Side of New York versus the Bronx while we're at it.
I found the height link interesting, bvlenci, because actually, when one thinks about it, the average height in the US will certainly trend down now for years to come.
I'm going to re-paste your link for reference if you don't mind:
http://www.interbasket.net/news/4385...ales-20-years/
We in the US originally WERE quite tall in comparison to the rest of the world, and not because we were well fed. The largest single ancestry in the United States since the 1800s has been German. There are still over 50 million with such ancestry in the United States now. On the scale link you posted, Germans currently rank 11th in height.
This map might be of interest: http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...25_964x720.jpg
With regards to the rest of the countries on the "tall" side on the average height, it is important to note that the American Midwest, especially in the northern states, was populated by lanky Scandinavians.
In my US area, even though my folks are English, Scot, Irish, and German, I grew up with mainly folks of Eastern European descent. Steel mill folks loved hiring tall strong Slovenians, Czechs, Croatians, etc.
My point is that the US used to be "tall" because of its ethnicity proportions, and those proportions are rapidly shifting. Hispanic populations have grown incrementally; the influx of person from India, Pakistan, South Korea, China and surrounding countries has also increased dramatically. None of those groups is exactly known for height.
I loved that.
And let's talk about the Upper West Side of New York versus the Bronx while we're at it.
I found the height link interesting, bvlenci, because actually, when one thinks about it, the average height in the US will certainly trend down now for years to come.
I'm going to re-paste your link for reference if you don't mind:
http://www.interbasket.net/news/4385...ales-20-years/
We in the US originally WERE quite tall in comparison to the rest of the world, and not because we were well fed. The largest single ancestry in the United States since the 1800s has been German. There are still over 50 million with such ancestry in the United States now. On the scale link you posted, Germans currently rank 11th in height.
This map might be of interest: http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...25_964x720.jpg
With regards to the rest of the countries on the "tall" side on the average height, it is important to note that the American Midwest, especially in the northern states, was populated by lanky Scandinavians.
In my US area, even though my folks are English, Scot, Irish, and German, I grew up with mainly folks of Eastern European descent. Steel mill folks loved hiring tall strong Slovenians, Czechs, Croatians, etc.
My point is that the US used to be "tall" because of its ethnicity proportions, and those proportions are rapidly shifting. Hispanic populations have grown incrementally; the influx of person from India, Pakistan, South Korea, China and surrounding countries has also increased dramatically. None of those groups is exactly known for height.
May 15th, 2015, 05:33 AM
#97
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sparkchaser - That story you linked to was a riot. Surprised no one has commented on it thus far.
As for yoga pants - they are so popular that "Spanks", the company that gave you a new word for girdle, is shaking in their shoes. Seems woman don't mind so much if some "it" is visible (covered but visible) and not held in. So Spanks has had to change the way they are doing things. Heard a whole story on NPR about this with interviews with Spanks higher-ups.
As for yoga pants - they are so popular that "Spanks", the company that gave you a new word for girdle, is shaking in their shoes. Seems woman don't mind so much if some "it" is visible (covered but visible) and not held in. So Spanks has had to change the way they are doing things. Heard a whole story on NPR about this with interviews with Spanks higher-ups.
May 15th, 2015, 05:36 AM
#98
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Of course, as a tourist, I'm going to dress differently and speak differently. Why would that be newswotthy? We have tons of tourists in our town and quite frankly I don't know any locals who make fun of the way they dress or what they eat. We do know that IF they don't have bottled water they'll get some strange water borne illness though.
May 15th, 2015, 06:06 AM
#99
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And don't tell me NewYorkers don't have stereotypes for Texans...
It is true. But since I went there on business many times, I was wrong. They were worse than I thought. So now that is founded in fact.
______________
Aren't the Dutch one of the tallest nationalities in the world?
_________________
And I used to like English until I ran into Flanny and others.
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Probably the rudest tourists in NYC are French speaking. But I am not sophisticated enough to discern whether they are Québécois or from France. So I just go with the French.
It is true. But since I went there on business many times, I was wrong. They were worse than I thought. So now that is founded in fact.
______________
Aren't the Dutch one of the tallest nationalities in the world?
_________________
And I used to like English until I ran into Flanny and others.
___________________
Probably the rudest tourists in NYC are French speaking. But I am not sophisticated enough to discern whether they are Québécois or from France. So I just go with the French.
