xxx

<BR> <BR>Ann <BR> <BR>Whilst I agree the slip system in he Utrecht bar is not one I have heard about... <BR> <BR>... I can only assume you were being incredibly tight fisted having not ordered or paid for any of the drinks yourselves the whole evening. <BR> <BR>Surely if you or your friend had ordered even a single round of drinks the waitress would have asked for your slip to make her mark and you would have figured it out. <BR> <BR>So maybe you only got caught out as you were such cheap skates??? <BR> <BR>

Kavey

When we visited the Loire last year we took with us a guide to Food and Wine in the Loire, written by Jacqueline Friedrich. <BR> <BR>The book is quite dry and more of a reference than a book you read from cover to cover but we decided that since the region is so peppered with vineyards we would try and choose some to visit from those recommended. <BR> <BR>The first couple were nothing special, we tried a sip or two and always bought at least one bottle to be polite and to thank them for their hospitality. <BR> <BR>But we were starting to think the grand friendly tastings she had written of were afforded to her only because of her job. <BR> <BR>Then we visited one more place, signs very difficult to follow, crisscrossing through narrow country lanes along the fields. <BR> <BR>We couldnt see anyone but found a man, I think a farm hand, who directed us down to the cellar, and encouraged us to hurry hurry. <BR> <BR>(I speak very fluent french which helped) <BR> <BR>We went down to be invited by a man who was clearly the owner to join a group of french tasters. <BR> <BR>Luckily I dont drink wine, leaving me free to drive and Pete to taste. <BR> <BR>About 10 to 15 glasses later (not tiny glasses either) we had discovered the group were local restaurant owners tasting on a big scale for buying their year's sullpies. All were also good friends of the owner. <BR> <BR>They encouraged us to share the pate, bread and other picnic food they had bought with them, and we stayed for over an hour... maybe too. <BR> <BR>Pete was also treated to some vintage years of a very fine wine. <BR> <BR>In the end we had to leave them happily tasting, Pete couldnt stand up much longer (no one was spitting!). <BR> <BR>But the case of 12 he bought just gets better and better and we have vintage memories which will last even longer. <BR> <BR>Sorry, I do ramble dont I? <BR> <BR>

Vic

Time to resurrect this and cool down the tone of this website. <BR> <BR>My moment of Zen: a long day in the car, in the heat of the US southwest. We got lost in Santa Fe, got stuck in a traffic snarl because of an accident outside Flagstaff, were hours behind schedule getting to the Grand Canyon. Dog and child were getting whinier and whinier and I saw a sign for yet another "scenic overlook" up ahead. I figured there would at least be a waterfountain and a place to walk and stretch, although we were still quite a ways, I figured, from the motel, and the road had already begun to darken because the sun had set. <BR> <BR>As I pulled in, I was too concerned with unbuckling a wiggling child and leashing a very bouncy dog in the fading light to pay much attention to the scenery, and right around us were mostly just more of the same evergreens that line the drive from Flagstaff. <BR> <BR>But child said, "oo, Daddy, look" and I raised my head to see where the trees gave away to miles of purple and pink mists among the canyons, as if a door had opened on an entire other universe. <BR>

Ess

Vic - you've got class. These stories are a treat. Thanks for the resuscitation.

lynn

In 1983 I took my 18-year-old cousin on a trip to Spain, France and Switzerland. In Paris, the students were revolting (not a value judgment - I merely mean they were protesting some govt. education policy). The first strange experience: looking out our hotel window at the Boul. Mich/St. Germain at a mob of students, who had snarled traffic and were busily wiping motorists' windshields (kind of like the squeegee men in US cities). The next day, we were on the 2nd level at the Tour Eiffel, when we looked down and saw a mob of students at the base of the tower, burning some administration official in effigy. <BR> <BR>I can't remember whether these instances were before or after we were "flashed" by a teenager on the Metro. What an adventure!

Ilovetopping

For the newer Fodorites - there are some good tales in this thread. J.Sevy's arrest is always good for a laugh.

Sue

Over 20 years ago on one of our first trips to Europe, my husband and I were in Bologna on our way to Venice. We waited on the platform; then came an announcement that the train to Venezia would be coming in on "Binario ya-ya." The whole crowd of people grabbed their luggage, ran down the stairs under the tracks and up the stairs to the new platform. We waited and waited. Then came another announcement and the mob ran down the stairs and up the stairs to a new platform. We did the mass evacuation four or five times and gave up, climbing on the first train heading west. <BR> <BR>Thus, we landed in Rimini, where I met of the daughter of owner of a beach concession. She told us about a good restaurant and how to get there. Her father then wrote something on the back of his business card, which we were to give the owner. So, that night we rode the bus to the end of the line, walked over a half mile through open country in the gathering dusk, crossed over an ancient bridge built by Roman legionnaires, and there was the restaurant with a number of cars parked in front under the trees. We could hear lots of noise and laughter, but as we entered, it fell silent and everyone watched us carefully. The owner approached seriously and I said good evening in my limited Italian and handed him the card. He turned it over and read the back. Big smile, big laugh, big announcement to everyone and all the noise and laughter resumed like it had just been on pause. Lots of smiles as we were escorted to our table and the children giggled and waved. <BR> <BR>The waiter insisted on selecting our meal and wine served in gaily painted crockery pitchers. About halfway through what was a fantastic meal of fish and pasta, two young men came to the doorway. Both were wearing tuxedos and one—a rather tall, husky fellow with a shaved head and a full red beard—was also "wearing" a portable, crank-operated Victrola around his neck on a wide leather belt. He walked with a stone face behind his friend, playing Bing Crosby 78s while he cranked the machine. His friend carried flowers and smiled and greeted each diner and virtually every man in the place, including my husband, purchased a rose for his wife or girlfriend or daughter. The strange duo then went back into the dark with the notes of Bing Crosby’s "Somebody Loves Me" lingering. The rose lasted a day or two, but I know we’ll ever forget the parallel universe of the Night of the Two Tuxedos in Rimini. <BR>

topping

a classic <BR>

Dolores

What a wonderful thread. <BR> <BR>This isn't Europe, but maybe it can be included. <BR> <BR>Wolf Trap Farm Park is an outdoor concert venue near Washington DC. When it originally opened, it was intended to be the summer home for the National Symphony, the way Tanglewood is for Boston and Ravinia is for Chicago. Over the years it's become something altogether else, but during one of its early seasons, we went out with white wine and camembert, and citronella votive candles to hear an all-Debussy program from the lawn. <BR> <BR>The park is (was) surrounded by some of Virginia's high bushes, and in the distance to the west are the Shenandoah mountains. On this night, as "Reverie" and "Clair de lune" were wafting out over the candle-specked lawn, the moon was rising in the east, lightning was playing far away in and around some thunderheads to the west, and the bushes were covered with fireflies twinkling like a circle of small Christmas trees all around the lawn us.

topagain

Still love the roses in Heidelburg story!

ja

This didn't happen in Europe, but it was definitely Zen. Fall of 1993, fairly early in our relationship, he paying off his mortgage and me my student loan, so our travel accomodations were in a tent in the campground on The Whistlers in Jasper National Park. Sky indications showed a snowstorm coming, so we checked into a rustic bungalow-type place that was still open that late in the season, bugalow being equipped with a fireplace. I had a bottle of a nice Reisling open, we lit a fire, turned the lights off, and, as we sat on the bed looking out the window at a full-moon lit vista of trees, a very fine, sparkly snow began to slowly drift down.....just like in a cheesy romance movie, but unforgettable because it was real!

open-my-3rd-eye

Feel a collective moment of lunacy, moment of zen is underway on this forum as we all share Rex's Trip Report (Fodorites currently in Italy).

MaryC

Wish I had something to contribute, but alas have nuthin';so will TOP!

Barb

I was in Bucharest on business during a miserable winter there. My flight literally skidded to the gate. My company sent a young man to collect me and my luggage and I was never so grateful for the protection. So many people were trying to panhandle for a moment I felt like I was in Calcutta. My guide Paul was like a guardian angel the entire time I was there, literally picking me up at 3:30 am for a meeting in the Romanian countryside that took us 5 hours to drive to on a snowy roads. After the meeting on the way back he stopped at a ski resort where the Old Communists used to go and we had the most amazingly simple lunch in front of this blazing fire. They literally hunted the woods for the days menu - and we got lucky with some great venison and some sort of duck that day. The next day I got a private tour of the city before I left that night for my plane. What I thought would be a miserable trip turned into an enchanting adventure.

c

Today someone asked me for the time and I suddenly had this vivid memory of London~We were staying in Mayfair and had stopped by a small pub in Shepherds Market to relax and have a drink.A young man sat next to me and asked me for the time, it was dimly lit and I didn't have my reading glasses on, so I just showed him my watch...he thanked me,admired my watch then proceeded to lecture me for the next half hour on not being so trusting~He was so nice I was not offended, but after awhile, it was enough already ... so that is my little moment on lunacy in London~

yesiknowiwas

Many years ago my girlfriend and I flew to Spain and hitchhiked from the coast to Madrid..we were picked up by a trucker who spoke little English but seemed very nice. We drove with him most of the afternoon and bought him dinner. Late that nite when it was dark, he stopped his truck in the middle of nowhere and in his very broken English told us to either "give out or get out"..we were stunned. We wouldn't give out so he dumped us in the middle of the nite by the side of the road. Very frightened we walked what seemed like miles hearing dogs barking in the distance and jumping into the ditch every time a car passed. We finally spotted in the distance a small light and headed for it. It was a bar about to close for the night. Inside was only one patron - a man who tried to start up a conversation with us. Still frightened and more than a little gunshy, we ignored him as we tried to figure out what the heck we were going to do in the middle of the night - where would we stay? We asked the bartender if he knew of any place and he didn't. The man interjected and said he would take us to a friend's place - sort of a pension type place. We looked to the bartender who indicated it would be ok. Shaking in our boots, we got into the stranger's car and he took us to the house. We slept there that nite and in the morning the stranger had left and the home owner wouldn't accept payment.

MaryC

OMG, that transcends both Lunacy & Zen; more like Twilight Zone. Glad you made it through to tell the tale.

Jess

Seeing as how I haven't been overseas (yet), I'll post what has to be the strangest encounter night of all time.<BR><BR>I was up in NYC last March to audition for graduate schools and was staying with some friends in the Village ( I know, at this point, 'nuff said but read on...). My friends had picked me up in Midtown and we made it to a burger spot somewhere around NYU campus. We'd picked a table next to the window to the street. We had our burgers and were munching when some random girl (teen) walked up to our window spot, made sure she had at least one of my friend's and my attention, and proceeded to lick the window, for no apparent reason and walk off. I could've chalked that up to just crazy N.Y. But there's more.<BR><BR>As we were walking to a friend's dorm we passed by this old homeless man who asked the same friend and me, "I'm having trouble with my zipper...can you help me?" ...while he was holding his crotch. Another couple walking opposite of us heard the same thing and as soon as we could confirm that we'd actually heard him correctly, we burst into laughter.<BR><BR>Finally the most fun capper to the evening weirdness was this random man walking far, far ahead of us sang out, "De-o!" (you know, like daylight come and me wanna go home?). So, naturally we (there were four of us) sang back, "De-eh-eh-o". And nothing. He didn't respond. Then a few minutes later he did it again, and again we responded back. Apparently we irked him pretty badly the second time so he shouted, "Shut...up!". Definitely the weirdest evening spent out on the town.

Cass

I'm back and glad to see more contributions to this. I'll add another, from London this time:<BR><BR>Walking on a residential street after dark, we were chatting quietly but became a little uneasily aware of footsteps behind us, closing fast. We stepped slightly to the side to allow whoever it was to pass on the right, but instead we heard this person start to march in place, stamping his/her feet about 5 feet fehind us. I finally turned around to sneak a peek at this person, and she (as it turned out to be) rushed past us, shouted "honi soit qui mal y pense!" (evil to him who evil thinks), ran about 12 feet ahead, and then performed a short series of pirouettes and small leaps before she disappeared around the corner. When we got to that corner, we could see no one.

Joe

Great thread attested to by the length of time it has run. Some really funny stories here. Mine, not Zen, not much lunacy, but very embarrasing and, upon reflection, hilarious.<BR>It was our first trip to Italy. We were in Tuscany, driving and recognizing that our rental car was getting pretty tacky after a couple of weeks of touring. We had stopped at a market to get fixings for a picnic. As we left the parking area, we spotted what appeared to be a car wash of some kind. Good timing. We would take advantage of it. We took the little side road, drove up to the apparent entrance and positioned the car for the wash. I got out and looked at the coin receptacle and, satisfied that I could manage it, I fed the appropriate coins. I quickly joined my wife in the car and waited for the washer to spring into action. Nothing! I got out and read the instructions again, making sure I had put in the right coins. I had. I pushed the slide mechanism in and out several times and quickly jumped into the car again. Nothing! I did this several times and could get no action. Pretty upset by now (damned foreign machines never work like ours), I jumped out to check once more. As I carefully examined the coin mechanism, I happened to look up on the slight rise above the washing apparatus (about 15 yards away). There I saw two elderly gentleman sitting on a bench, caps at a jaunty angle, sweaters tightly buttoned, complexions of leather and they were laughing uproarously. I mean knee slapping, head wagging, belly jumping laughter. They were looking right at us, so we were obviously the source of their mirth. All of a sudden "the light went on". I jumped into the car and moved forward into the position to wash. This was a stationary car wash and no matter how long I would have waited or jiggled that coin mechanism, that washer was never going to move over our car. We obviously made the day of those two old gentleman, "dumb Americans". What a story they had to tell there friends; "there were these two Americans who drove their car in front of the car wash...." This is many years ago and we still cannot remember this experience without breaking into laughter ourselves. The thought of those two old gentleman watching me, in and out of the car, checking the coin op, a car length short of the overhead washer, it's too much.