My European correspondent, Carlo, tells me that he loves to pursue middle-aged and older women.

HE WORKS HARD FOR THE MONEY...VERY HARD FOR THE MONEY..THEN KICK THEM IN THE A.....S AND NEXT

Let's not get too graphic.
No need to shout.

BE REALISTIC "NO YOUNG MAN WANTS A MIDDLE AGE WOMAN WITHOUT MONEY AND PLENTY TO SPARE, AND SURE THESE LADIES WANT STALLIONS, NO MIDDLE AGE MEN".... if these middle age are willing to pay and get what they do not get at home...go for it, do not call it romance, call it "paid company and sex" Plenty of it in Cuba...and cubans from the island need no work much, so they concentrate on their romance and sexual techniques..dollars and euros buy lots of meat there.......

If I recall correctly, there's no romance in the Under the Tuscan Sun book. It's all about her villa and Italy. The movie is an entirely different entity.

Good Morning! Since I have outed my classmates I now feel like I should defend their honor!

There was no money involved, heavens! They did not say they were with extremely younger men but even so what is wrong with that, men do it all the time. I don't know how far their romance went but one of the ladies said that strolling along the river in Paris with a local man was wonderful. I don't know if the other women still keep contact with the men or if they just savor the memory.

Don't shoot the messenger, I'm just reporting here. Yes they did roll their eyes at me when I told them some other Fodor's Truths too!

What happens in Europe, stays in Europe.

Keith

Wham, bam, thank you mam...he DID say thank you didn't he? Hmmmmm...maybe SHE was the one that said thank you..oh..I just thought of Bette Midler in "Down and out in Beverly Hills"..with Nick Nolte? Anyone remember that scene? Please don't make me try to explain it!!

Thank you, WillTravel. Under the Tuscan Sun was a rather charming little book about renovating a dilapidated villa and learning to appreciate the different quality of life in a small Tuscan town. There was no foo-foo romance in it at all. The film was a piece of silly fluff with not even enough local scenery to justify the price of admission.

ira, as I suspected! But being a woman of a certain age, I do enjoy the quality of interaction with the men in Italy, which recognizes that there is more to sexuality and sensuality than being 20 with a hot bod. Anyway, it beats being called "Ma'am" by the supermarket checker. :-D

Scarlett, I meant to write I am glad you are happily married and I see your point too.

I used to have fun in the summers at our lake house having summer romances and I assume the European romances are about the same just with a language problem!

Marilyn, you explained exactly what I was trying to put into words. It's so nice just to be noticed when, most of the time, I feel invisible here in the US.

Thank you, janeygirl. What a lovely compliment!

Marilyn, you said it exactly! I had the most unexpected, exciting, romantic encounter of my life two weeks ago in Roma - memories I will have forever. This would NEVER have happened in my little town in the Pac NW I can tell you that!

Barb, more details wouldn't hurt :).

More cautionary notes on this phenomena on the Women Travelers forum at the Rick Steves site (scroll down a bit):
http://www.ricksteves.com/graffiti/graffiti4.html

OK, I think that Europeans have a different way of thinking when it comes to the ways of love and attraction. Some American men (as noted on this thread) become brash when confronted with a woman's desirability and try to belittle it.
Peeky said her classmates were looking for romance which could be holding hands and looking at the moon over the Eiffel Tower as most of you know. It doesn't have to be the sex act or more important paying for sex or a green card!

Some of you should look up the word romance and maybe incorporate it into your lives. I like this meaning: a mysterious or fascinating quality or appeal.

Romance has been written about alot here and IMHO if a woman uses her natural instincts and discretion she could enjoy a little romance in Europe or at home. (I always end up defending romance, don't I?

SealUrchin: point taken.

This is a fun thread!

It's interesting, the different perspectives on romance, love, etc. Italian men are interested and attracted to American women for the very reason that they are more "open" and loosened up (doesn't have to be a bad thing). This information comes directly from the mouth of my Italian fiance in the Cinque Terre, his family, and many other Italian friends of mine that live in Florence, Rome, etc that actually complain about the influx of American women in the cities as they know the men will just go crazy trying to be with them! On the flip side, I think the reaction would be the same in the U.S. if there were lots of attractive, foreign guys with accents descending on a particular city, the women would try to vie for their attention.

American women are not used to the mannerisms and m.o. of Italian men; and I think the Italian women know the usual routine with their fellow males and don't fall for the lines, etc.

I agree with Barb, Marilyn and the others -- the action I get over there (in Italy) in a 2 week period is more than I ever get in a year over here in the States. American men should learn a thing or two about the ways/wiles of Italian men! :)

That is called "flirting" and is all over Europe, Latin America and Middle East...
So much about American men... go for the women.. many, many times i will hold a door for one, they just walk by, no a thank you...i just walk by and said "that was nice, tahnk you much"..
Americans believe too much in their own space, just look at the space between two americans when having a converation. Miami is full of hispanics, no kidding, and we kiss each other quite often (not in the mouth, that is repulsive, kissing about anyone in the mouth)... so many americans do not understand that custom...but so many are getting used and adopting the practice..

My mom and dad were very startled to see condom vending machines attached to the outside of some buildings in some of the quaintist (Is this a word?) towns. I was a bit startled myself. Personally, I think it is a pretty good idea.

Not to take the romance out of the equation however. :)

Not sure if we are talking about romance or just getting laid. I am not sure how people can seek out romance. Romance is not something to look for or predict. It is spontaneous, unpredictable and probably doesn't just happen on a gondola in Venice. If someone is looking to have "some fun" with a Frenchman or an Itallian guy then that is a different story altogether.

I was in Italy last Sept. with my niece and girlfriend. Our last stop was Venice and we decided to go to the Hotel Cipriani for lunch. Well,I am a widow of 2 years and guess what? I met a retired doctor at lunch who wanted to take me to lunch the following day. We, were leaving for home and I declined but thought wow! I wasnt't looking for romance but who knows it might have been.