In America, when you make a purchase, the clerk hands you back the receipt and your change (coins and bills) all at once. It’s an annoyance to one-handedly pick out the receipt to put it away, and then the coins, which go in my pocket, and finally fold the paper money to go in my wallet. In Europe, all the merchants have a little tray on the counter where they put your change and receipt. You get to pick things up and put them away yourself. I like the European way better.
Having more transition time between flights, or trains, is far, far better than “just enough” time. Our flight connection in Atlanta on our way to Zürich, was “just enough” time. Which meant that the delay parking at the gate, and the further delay getting off the back of the plane made us nearly miss our connection. At least one of our train connections was very tight – we had to run around the head of our incoming train to reach the track with our outgoing train.
Merchants in Europe, at least in Germany and Italy, close for midday, usually around 12:30. They reopen in the afternoon, around 2:30 or 3:00. Very few places are open past 5:30 or 6:00 in the evening. In Germany stores are closed on Sunday. Coming from the US, where everything all the time, it takes some planning to adapt to the different schedule.
The roads, particularly in the older towns, or the older parts of towns, are narrow. There are very few small SUVs, no large SUVs, and no Pickup trucks. There are city busses, and micro busses, and construction vehicles, which are larger. The drivers of these bigger vehicles all manage to navigate incredible tight corners and narrow openings. Drivers, as a general rule, are more cavalier about lanes and lane usage, but very tolerant of people needing to change lanes or cut across the flow of traffic. I don’t think I heard a single horn sound the entire time we were gone. Traffic is very heavy in places, and no one gets upset or aggressive.
In the city of Bressanone, where we spent a week, there is a Millennium Pole, celebrating that cities 1000 year anniversary. It was erected in 1906, one-hundred-and-two years ago.
Restaurants, particularly the ethnic ones, present you with a small, complimentary, glass of liquor or wine either as you sit down, or after you complete your meal. The breads served with meals is outstanding, and portions are reasonably sized. You won’t find any “super sized” meals, nor are you expected to take home leftovers. In fact, not finishing the portion you are presented usually generates a question about whether or not you liked the food.
Bicycles, walking, and public transportation rule in Europe. The inner cities, particularly the market areas, are pedestrian only (with exceptions allowed for merchant delivery vehicles and busses), so you see hundreds of bicycles everywhere. In addition to a huge variety of small cars, you see lots of motorcycles and scooters. Gas was roughly $8.50 a gallon (1.45 € per liter), so fuel economy is a prime concern. the United States would have to undergo a significant culture change to make the mass transportation employed in Europe work here. As Americans, we are too married to our cars to be willing to use trains and busses. Of course, when our gas prices catch up to theirs, that may change.
