kybourbon

I always assumed that most restaurants in Europe don't have ice machines and use old fashioned ice trays and that is why you only get one or two cubes if any. Does anyone know?

If you want lots and lots of ice then you find a Hard Rock Cafe and they will bring it automatically and say "I know what you want - a drink with lots of ice".

Rex - I always drink tap/fountain water in Italy and will be sure to post if it kills me.

cigalechanta

Our beer is so tasteless(most not all) we are used to icing it. I remember someone telling me London's beer was warm, not true but not taken over by being iced to hide the flavor.
Some of our city waters have not a pleasant taste so that I prefer bottled water.

CarolA

The only country in Europe where I have avoided the tap water was Turkey. And that was mainly because all the locals told me the water was GROSS and not to drink it. I figured if they didn't, I wasn't.

That said, I have a pretty tough digestive track. Others may not be as lucky.

cmeyer54

Yes you can get ice in any drink in Europe but you will probably have to ask for it. In Paris, we found several cafes that would bring the drinks and a separate glass of ice for us. Also, we found a convenience store that froze bottles of water - same price as the 'chilled' or shelf stuff. It was a life saver as we were there during the 2003 heat wave - we just got the frozen bottles, let them thaw during the day and had very cold drinks when needed.

Kelabel

It is so odd how an innocent post becomes heated so easily. People put so much negative energy into these replies. What else could we be doing with all this energy people?

I heard once that drinks that are above or below body temperature take up energy as well because your body must cool it off or heat it up in order to digest it. Does anyone know if this is true? Maybe cold drinks are just wasted energy just like many of your posts.

Rex,
You always say just the right things and it is always put so well. I am such a fan!

Clifton

We were just talking about this post today as we were having lunch in a restaurant. We'd just always noticed how much ice comes in drinks (other than wine or beer, etc) here in the states. And if you're having ice tea, the emphasis is definitely on the ice portion.

Has anyone else ever noticed how insistant wait staff is that they pour from the side of the pitcher, and must shake out ice cubes as they go, regardless of how much ice is already in your glass? Just something we'd been noticing in a variety of places. Get shocked expressions when we nicely ask if they'd mind pouring through the spout, or ask "no more ice please".

rex

Ummm... thanks, kelabel

crazymina

Funny Rex. Maybe I'm like one of those characters in "Sixth Sense"?

Happy to be alive and talking travel...

Mutantclone

My sister, (a reluctant family vacationer at best with her husband, "Moody", and her daughter, "Gripey"), just sent this note after being in out of the USA for the first time in her life. (She has been in Paris for two days so far.) I came to the forum to find out why they don't do ice in Europe and thought I would post her note for all to smile about.

I had my moment today. I am now a fan of Subway in Paris. Why you ask? Because they have ICE. Beautiful clear ice. I now have the most wonderful appreciation of ice. They do not believe in ice here. I wouldn't even throw my cup of ice away.

annhig

having been accused of being sarcastic, rude and condescending in another thread, [and all in two short paragraphs, which may be a record] I will try to keep this contribution purely factual.

it is not unusual to be offered ice in cold drinks in English pubs. some have ice-buckets on the bar for you to help yourself. they will replenish them if asked.

there. I've said it. I'm done. hope it helps. have a great trip.

[phew, that was hard].

spaarne

<i>some have ice-buckets on the bar</i>
The ice buckets on the bars that I have seen in England have been filled with bottles of Bud Lite, Miller Lite, and other disgusting liquids from the USA. I wouldn't put a cube from one of those buckets in my glass.

Mimar

This is another very old thread.

Peter_S_Aus

Mimar noted that this is another very old thread.

Like, it comes from the last Ice Age.

Anne, I think that your wit is mistaken by some as sarcasm.

LSky

It may be an old thread but I do wonder if people who think they need ice and don't realize that drinks aren't served with ice typically in other countries, actually miss it?

The reason I say this is because I don't use ice and rarely have fresh ice in my freezer that isn't really, really old. Therefore I can't serve it to guests.

A friend of mine has stopped using ice, she says, because when she comes to my house and I give her a beverage sans ice and she has gotten to appreciate it. She told me she can really taste drinks when they don't have ice. I've never enjoyed ice so I don't know.

logos999

Don't you folks start that ice- thread again. It took years to convince McD in the seventies, NOT to serve their soft drinks with ice. It was very annoying, you'd always had to say "No ice please" and since there were no free refills in those days people felt scamed. It was a big step forward, when McDonalds Europe realized they don't need the ice and everything was controlled from Munich. Now since, they introduced free refills, they also have an ice machine that nobody ever uses

adrienne

logos - I hope that when I come to Germany I can get ice for my beer! LOL

logos999

I've heard about Americans putting ice cubes into their wine and calling it "Gschpritzter", shudder...

AAFrequentFlyer

<i> Now since, they introduced free refills, they also have an ice machine that <b>nobody</b> ever uses </i>

have seen many local people use it.

november_moon

I've never seen anybody put ice in beer or wine, but I wouldn't doubt that some do it. We did once end up with wine-slush after leaving a bottle out on the back porch overnight in the winter I didn't drink it, but my cousin did.

But I do miss ice in my sodas when I am in Europe. I also miss giant glasses of ice water.

Clifton

Wow is this old., but it popped up under my account in the recently updated list. Just interesting that I think I kind of stopped using ice somewhere along the way since this first written. Now I'm not sure why I used so much (or any) ice if a drink had already been chilled. It doesn't really change the taste of drinks... unless it melts, and then the change isn't in a good way. Just diluted. Extreme temperatures are nice if it's blazing hot or super cold, but they do mask flavor with the temporary effect they have on the tongue. Sometimes that's a good thing. Often not. Not sure it matters in soda. "But, I wish to enjoy the subtle nuances of the Coca-Cola?"

But - ice is to wine as ketchup is to filet mignon.