I know that there are many differences between Europe and the USA. Some European ways are definitely better - public transportation, for one - and some differences favor the US (availability of ice!). Two things that perplexe me, though are the lack of shower curtains and the high incidence of body odor. These are two easily remedied problems, and I wonder why they continue to exist. <BR><BR>Call me a troll if you want, but I can't be the only one to notice or wonder about these two things.

OK, I'll bit. Use of shower curtains is a matter of custom more than anything else. You will also notice that most of the so-called showers have the shower head on an extended hose; the reason is that the shower head is used by the Europeans for rinsing more than for bathing, and they do so while sitting in the bathtub. If you will notice, real shower stalls always have a door or curtain; it's only the tub showers that don't.<BR><BR>As for body odor, I really haven't noticed that problem except on hot summer days in Italy. Otherwise, I would guess the Europeans are as clean and odiferous as the Americans.

Wayne,<BR><BR>I think you're right about the hoses. I think the assumption is that one will take a bath and the hose is used merely for rinsing! However, I'm definitely among the camp who prefers a shower, instead. For some reason, hotels like to brag that they have bathtubs instead of showers. I'd much rather have a traditional shower instead of the bath with a partial door. I try, oh I try, but I cannot help but soak the floor every time I shower! I wonder if travelers in general prefer baths.<BR><BR>Jennifer

I think the no-shower-curtain idea is a good one. You get to wash yourself and the entire bathroom floor at the same time!

Do some Italian hotel rooms still have the showerhead in the ceiling of the bathroom, so you soak not only yourself, but everything else in the bathroom when you shower?

Thanks for the legitimate responses. We had the problem with getting the floor wet, try as we might not to. We did encounter the removable shower heads tht also slid up a pole to regular shower head height, but if you use that, then you're sure to soak the floor. <BR><BR>I ended up doing it the right way, I guess, sitting in the tub and using the hose to rinse off (although I also greatly prefer a shower to sitting in hotel tubs.)<BR><BR>

Bob, I guess if I were 16 years old with no friends and no life, I'd try to think up way cool stuff to post on a travel forum, too.<BR><BR>What's the matter? X-Box broken?

Bob: If you are so keenly interested in these topics, please do a search. Each has been done to death.

Hey Ihateteenagers, what is your problem? I often see you post the same response to questions you appear not to deem "worthy" of your precious travel board. Are you the same genius that posts "This is a troll" to show how smart you are to have sniffed out the real truth? <BR><BR>I'm asking a legitimate question about something I observed on my trip. Maybe you're used to taking baths every night before your Mom tucks you in at night, but some of us grown up travelers prefer showers, and I wondered why Europeans didn't simply put up shower curtains to avoid wiping up the floor after every shower. <BR><BR>Either offer something useful, informative, anecdotal or just get lost.

Shoot,,,you want body odor..go to a Southern revival meeting in August. we could teach those guys a thing or two

Once in a great while here in the US I will notice someone with extreme body odor. I'm not talking about standing next to a roofer who has been working all day and is picking up something at a 7-11, but rather average middle class people at a nice restaurant or in an airport or in a supermarket. Yet in France and Italy in particular it is nearly a daily occurrence. I have had to ask to be moved fairly frequently at really nice restaurants because the well dressed locals next to me really stunk. I have sat next to a well dressed Parisian businessman in the Metro, and immediately had to move because he reeked with body odor. It happens often!!!<BR>Sorry if this sounds like some sort of bigoted comment, but it is simply the truth. Anyone who says that bad body odor is not a common European issue, just plain hasn't spent much time in Europe or has a total immunity to bad smells.

Where I live there are always shower curtains or a glasstile wall between the shower and the rest of the bathroom if the shower is not in a booth. So, don´t generalize, Europe is more than one country. <BR><BR>Plus people don´t smell, they even sweat "the deeper filth" away at least once a week in a sauna. So, don´t generalize, Europe is more than one country. <BR><BR>I have had that "shower curtain problem" only in Greece when I have stayed in very modest hotels. And I have had the "body odour problem" only in Turkey when the temperature has hit +45C (I believe that is over 100 in Fahrenheit) and I have sat in a dolmus with a Turkish man standing on the aisle holding to this loop in the cealing. His armpit was 15 centimetres from my nose.

In my experience - which is staying with friends in Switzerland - yes they do bath less often than Americans. Therefore sometimes "body odor". They think it's cute/funny that I need/want a shower every single morning, but because they are such gracious hosts, they indulge me and don't make fun of me too much!

My German friends tell me that one reason is that they do not regularly use deodorant.<BR><BR>They use a bath gel and dress, thinking that this will do it.<BR><BR>BTW, is it any wonder that a number of European women smell since their sweat clings to the underarms they fail to shave.<BR><BR>US

I spent two years in Germany in the late 60's and traveled by bus everyday to my base and let me tell you some days were not very pleasant. Return twice a year for the last 6 years and have not found it to be a major problem now. Although we travel in the late winter and early fall. Anyway, what's the big deal. As for the shower curtain or glass door I must confess after 13 countries I haven't been in a hotel without one. We don't stay in expensive hotel either.

Two of my hotels in Italy had tubs with no doors or curtains. These were 180E/night places.

I have been to Europe four times and have only twice encountered a shower with no curtain. In one case they had only given us two piddly little towels and no bath mat, which was a pain. Our latest trip we took one of those lightweight camping towels just in case.<BR><BR>I have, however, a problem with shower curtains that are too small and water gets out anyways, or shower stalls that are so small that the shower curtain sticks to you! In the instance of the former, it happens in hotels in North American also.