I could not believe my eyes !!
 

In Italy we were driving from Pisa to Sorrento and needed to stop for gas. We pull up, get out and go inside. I kid you not, there was a full service cocktail bar at the gas station !!

Can you see us pulling up to the Texaco and saying fill er up and I'll take a Vodka Tonic?

What have you seen in your travels that seemed so unbelievable?

Same type of story - wine at the autoroute rest stops!

Very nice cafes in the auto dealerships in Switzerland.

It's called letting people be responsible - the driver stays sober, the passengers can have a drink. The DUI fines are such that it's not a tempting proposition for the driver to indulge, but it shows a certain maturity in the societal approach to alcohol - same as with the age limit (16 in most places but nobody cares as long as the consumer behaves).

I love the fact you can get a beer or wine at Macdonalds in Italy!

It is absolutely no different than seeing slot machines every possible place in Las Vegas IMO.

"Fill 'er up"

"Yes sir. Will that be you or the car?" :-)

It's not that much different than the combination rest areas/liquor stores in NH. :) (See http://www.photo.net/photo/pcd2488/n...e-liquor-21-21)

Paul

>Same type of story - wine at the autoroute rest stops!<
Well, why not? I mean, when I sit at the table for my lunch in a rest stop, I spend at least 45 min. to one hour and sip my glass of wine with my lunch. I really don't see anything <i>'unbelievable'</i> in that.

Until recently, here in our little town in Georgia you couldn't buy liquor by the drink, but you could buy beer and wine at the grocery.

Something I hadn't seen in more sophisticated big cities up North.

What really jolted my provincial senses was when I first came across Chinese/Kosher restaurants in Montreal.

((I))

We stopped at an auto grille somewhere on our drive from Naples to Siena. We had a bite to eat - the usual sandwich choices - nothing special. However, the stairway back to the parking area took you downstairs into the most amazing wine, cheese, bread, fruit and gourmet snack shop I had ever seen. I couldn't believe my eyes! The displays were just beautiful (lovely table cloths and pottery accents for the displays) and everything looked delicious and fresh. We should have passed on the sandwiches upstairs and bought something from this shop instead.

Italy's attitude to alcohol, including among young people, is completely different. See http://www.beginningwithi.com/italy/living/inloco.html

One side effect of kids being allowed to drink earlier (official age is 16, most get away with it at 14) is that by the time they are allowed to drive (18), any attraction that binge drinking might have had is long since over, and most are far too keen to keep their licenses to drink and drive. The problem does exist here, but not nearly to the extent it does in the US. Clearly, something is not working in the US' puritan approach.

best regards,
Deirdr&eacute; Straughan

beginningwithi.com

Hey - I didn't say they shouldn't sell wine on the autoroute - I just said I was surprised the first time I saw it (that was the question after all!)

If I didn't do so much driving in Europe, who knows, I might have one there too! ;)

Have you seen our drive-thru liquor stores in Texas?

No, I haven't seen drive-through liquor stores, but that seems a bit different, doesn't it, since it is not encouraging you to drink and drive (just to drive and drink! :) )

But that does seem convenient!

&gt;Clearly, something is not working in the US' puritan approach.&lt;

I don't think that it is the Puritan attitude, the problem is more closely linked to the fact that one is unlikely to lose one's license due to DUI (driving under the influence).

((I))

Whatever the approach is here in the states, one thing is for certain, the laws are not strict enough.

I took my first trip to Europe when I was in high school. I was very surprised to see beer being sold from vending machines in Austria.

P_M:

I took my first trip to the US when I was in high school. I was very surprised to see cigarettes being sold from vending machines in America. ;)

[Well, it's not like vendors won't sell cigarettes to minors in Hong Kong back then. Just not through vending machines.]

Anyways, that's why traveling is fun, isn't it? Different customs in different places.

Interesting....

:-D