NewBe : snipping at a gadfly? No, just chasing it away ! :-)

The queen of endless correction even when things are not incorrect has spoken.

All that matters is that she gets the last word.

This hurts. I have drawn a couple of black flowers on my new white sneaks.

dsevig,

There are cultural differences from one country to another in Europe. This tip thing might be one.

I allways tip.

Coronation street is certainly not an exemplar for UK spending habits, even P must understand that it is "fiction" ;-)

The habit has been introduced by contaminated by the Amercanisation of London. I think Monty Python had a good sketch on this.

I have only once in my life tipped in a pub (where they sorted out a fight/vomit event).

fight/vomit event - shudder!

whathello, thank you so much for the bottle of DEUS. We have opened it in honor of this thread. It's quite delicious. A bientôt!

What I have learned today on Fodor's:

When you are insulting someone in French, always use the formal "vous".

Unfortunately, my French is probably not good enough to put this into practice. I can do the vous part all right, but I need to learn more about the insults. Of course if this keeps up, I might be able to learn as much as I need right here.

Actually, when you want to be very nasty and scornful of the other person, you use "tu." That would indicate that we have one polite person here and one who is not polite, at least on the subject in question.

Never change, Fodorgarchs.

bil: >>vincenzo ;-)
tell you what, guess!<<

Well, besmirching another's continent with my cargo cult practices is one of the main reasons I travel. I thought it was expected. I think I read that in a Rick Steves book.

(With any luck, that last comment will set someone off about Rick Steves.)

I'm off to have breakfast in a restaurant. I so enjoy having the waitstaff grovel like feudal serfs for the few coins I toss at them.

vinc, vai bene! :-)

Et tu kerouac!

<i>When you are insulting someone in French, always use the formal "vous". </i>

Calling someone <i>Miss Pisse-Vinaigre</i> is not insulting as long as you use the formal "vous".

Another piece for my "funniest-threads-ever"-collection!

Threads about tipping always go like this. And threads about "what-to-wear".

When it comes to tipping, listen to the locals offering advice.

In Switzerland: just round up the bill. If it's 48.50, then round it up to 49 or 50, depending on how satisfied you were with the service.

Service staff are not highly paid and appreciate getting a bit extra. However, tipping is not mandatory so if you don't tip, you may be seen as a cheapskate but just for a one fleeting moment.