Neopolitan

I think I'll start a new thread:

"Why do so many Europeans complain about Americans complaining?"

burqagirl

I don't think you were whining or being cranky, as someone else presumed.

I think Americans in general are disliked overseas because they're incrediby spoiled with too-high expectations. Honestly, if it were possible, I think they would sue ("how dare they ruin my trip!&quot for such things as lack of AC, not enough ice in their drinks, not enough people who speak English, why doesn't anyone smile at me/kiss my ass/jump through hoops for me, why can't I wear whatever I want in churches, why can't I have the (cheaper) lunch special for dinner, why can't they bend the rules for me so I can be comfortable...? Even in non-tourist situations, Europeans and others point out that Americans need to be coddled a lot and have everything explained to them.

seetheworld

If Europeans are so sick and tired of Americans complaining, why do they decide to move to the US?

This is nonsense, give me a break.

BTilke

Challicewell has written a few of these hit and run insult posts. Frankly, I think this is Challicewell's reaction to the heatwave in London and England's southeast. But instead of simply complaining about the heat (as all my British neighbors have done for the past few days), he or she has opted to make snide comments about Fodorites in general and Americans in particular instead. Perhaps Challicewell's attitude will improve when the weather cools.

ejohnsoz

I think it's vacationers v. non-vacationers. Natives are just going to work, home, maybe going out to grab a bite or drink. Vacationers are slogging all over their chosen city, often in a hurry, so the heat is a LOT more noticeable.

nytraveler

I don;t see any "whinging". Why suffer from the heat when there's a simple method to relieve it?

Is it "whinging" to turn on the heat in the winter rather than wearing 14 layers of clothes and huddling over a fire of old newspapers?

What, exactly, is the difference?

Excessive heat/humidity an be just as dangerous as cold - do you think it's macho to show how much you can suffer without complaining? To me it's just silly.

TexasAggie

I must be an oxymoron... I complain about the AC rather than the heat as I am one of those people who is ALWAYS cold. Poor DH has a fan blowing on his side of the bed all night while I burrow under piles of down comforters. We do have low energy bills though!

sera

It's not the heat...it's the stupidity.

SeaUrchin

Oh, challicewell, if you read here long enough you will find whinging by people of many nations about many things. As for myself, I am going to whinge at least twice today just for good measure.

PalQ

The OP makes a mistake of judging all Americans on the basis of Americans traveling in Europe - these, the richest of us of course may be more demanding, etc. than the average Yank - at least that's my impression after seeing some very boorish behavior there from some of us.

hypatia

How dare anyone try to curtail our whine-ing or whinge-ing rights... let's have a few more posts and get some excitment going as we are now in the travel doldrums..

It is a topic of importance to those with health problem and those who do not want their beloved vacation to be a torturous experience..
but in the end we cannot change the current weather ...

one could go to Califoria where I hear the weather is perfection......(facitious for you slower ones)or God forbid stay home in your climated controlled environment

suze

i am from the U.S., love the heat, never complain about the weather in europe. i don't know from who or where you made this sweeping "recent observation"...

JAGIRL

Challicewell dear,everybody whinges about the weather, but nobody does anything about it.


Whinging btw : the practice of complaining without doing anything about it.

smueller

One of the primary accomplishments of human evolution was the ability to manipulate our immediate environment. The more air conditioners - the more evolved on the evolutionary scale. It's simple.

fritzrl

So, only one question:

Does "whinge" rhyme with "fringe" or "fling", or "dinghy"?

Inquiring minds...

burqagirl

That's right, smueller, look how much we've "manipulated" the Amazon and all the nearly-extinct species of animals. And why is it that avg temperatures are soaring every yr again? It must be because we're so advanced, esp Americans!

amaclise

<<I think Americans in general are disliked overseas because they're incrediby spoiled with too-high expectations. Honestly, if it were possible, I think they would sue ("how dare they ruin my trip!&quot for such things as lack of AC, not enough ice in their drinks, not enough people who speak English, why doesn't anyone smile at me/kiss my ass/jump through hoops for me, why can't I wear whatever I want in churches, why can't I have the (cheaper) lunch special for dinner, why can't they bend the rules for me so I can be comfortable...? Even in non-tourist situations, Europeans and others point out that Americans need to be coddled a lot and have everything explained to them.>>

burqagirl - if you are serious about your post, you seem to be a very unpleasant, unhappy person. You should go to England and visit Challicewell.

Nikki

While my current trip report is indeed titled, "Is it hot or is it me?" I have to say that any whining I was doing about the heat was matched by everybody I talked to in Spain and Portugal last week from the hotel clerks to the doctors. A Portuguese friend said he was sorry he didn't put air conditioning in his apartment when he moved in. A taxi driver talked about how hard it was to drive around all day in his un-air-conditioned cab.

And now that I'm home in Massachusetts I'm still not happy with the heat. It's one reason I live in Massachusetts and not in Texas.

But none of this stopped me from having a wonderful trip.

BabsB

I am going to whinge and I'm not in Europe. I am in Sacramento California and we are on day 12 of over 100 degree weather. We are trying to conserve energy so we don't end up with rolling black outs. Unfortunately, people and livestock are dying. Just thought I would toss this out as a reality check.

namaka

another from Sacramento to second that
reality check!