Europe

crabcake

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Penn said:
I can tell you this much vrai; you will learn to appreciate what freedoms, accessabilities, and availabilities(sp)? we have here in our country.

:yeahthat: my first time copping a squat in a public restroom at the train station in venice made me appreciate the gas station and fast food establishment bathrooms immensely! :lol:
 

Penn

Dancing Up A Storm
crabcake said:
:yeahthat: my first time copping a squat in a public restroom at the train station in venice made me appreciate the gas station and fast food establishment bathrooms immensely! :lol:
I believe it was in Paris, France where they had these narrow kiosks that were semi-circular, were open at the top and at the bottom, had two steel footprints that you'd turn around, drop your drawers and do your thing at.

Traffic going by, as well as people; see, they look at things a bit different than we do here.

Hey! It's a Public Restroom! Whatya expect??
 

SmallTown

Football season!
Penn said:
I believe it was in Paris, France where they had these narrow kiosks that were semi-circular, were open at the top and at the bottom, had two steel footprints that you'd turn around, drop your drawers and do your thing at.
ceo_pte said those were the hotdog stands! :yikes:
 

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
Patron
Penn said:
Traffic going by, as well as people; see, they look at things a bit different than we do here.
My daughter just read your post and I think you've successfully talked her out of Paris. :lmao:
 

crabcake

But wait, there's more...
vraiblonde said:
My daughter just read your post and I think you've successfully talked her out of Paris. :lmao:

The one I had to use in Venice was a stall in a typical public restroom sized facility, and it was basically like a one-person shower floor (place for the feet, hole in the middle ... thus "cop a squat"). :lol:

Not all the facilities are like that though. That was the only one I came across. DO be prepared though to pay to use a bathroom someplace if you are NOT buying something there. We got chased out of a coffee shop for using the potty but not buying anything. :yikes:
 

Penn

Dancing Up A Storm
vraiblonde said:
My daughter just read your post and I think you've successfully talked her out of Paris. :lmao:
Oh non, non, madamoiselle! You must experience the Phrenchh way of doing things! You can only find them in Paree!

On the serious side, the smells of fresh backed bread, pasteries, candies, heck, all sorts of open-air cooking stands will drive you to eat, literally.

The sidewalk cafes with their umbrellas(where do you think we got 'em from?) are a treat: just sit there, eat drink, and watch the world go by.

It's cool!
 

oldman

Lobster Land
Having seen an awful lot of the world I have to admit I don't have a favorite. All are unique in their own way.
 
F

fishn guy

Guest
Did A med. cruise in the navy and went all over Europe.
Have to say my favorite was either Greece or Bulgaria. Greece has lots to offer for your whole family, Italy was pretty but it was dirty and the people dont like us as much as some people believe. You WILL get ripped off.
 

Penn

Dancing Up A Storm
fishn guy said:
Did A med. cruise in the navy and went all over Europe.
Have to say my favorite was either Greece or Bulgaria. Greece has lots to offer for your whole family, Italy was pretty but it was dirty and the people dont like us as much as some people believe. You WILL get ripped off.
I never did get to Italy; no leave built up, or low on financial resources, were the key problems. However, Paris is much like what you say, in that outside of the main streets/boulevards - the Champs-Elysee(sp?), the Rue-de-la-Paix, you only had to go off on a sidestreet, maybe 2 blocks, and you'd be amazed at the filth, the smell of rotting garbage/waste in the side alleys.

Totally different scene! Uh, we did not linger for very long thereabouts!

We had a thread, a few weeks ago, discussing Germany. My experience in all the major cities we toured, was that the same didn't hold true for the Krauts.

Very clean, even outside of the main thoroughfares. Like they take great pride in the way their cities, towns and little burgs look.
 

Vince

......
I think the only European countries I've been to are England, Germany, Spain, Scotland, and Portugal. The best by far, I thought, was Scotland. Went to an RAF base that looked like something out of WWII. The curled barbwire fence, old style buildings, etc. Had to ride to town by train. The people were great. Also had a fun time in the Canary Islands. Think the name was Las Palmas. Nude beaches. :banana: :cheers: Vacation spot for Europeans. But then I've been to some real holes too. Loved New Zealand. The women were very friendly. :biggrin:
 
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alex

Member
We took 5 teenage boys to London this summer and they had a blast. We based ourselves in London and did some day trips from there. Rent an apartment if you can - it is the way to go if you have more than 2 people going.
Most places sleep 4-6 people and you can do breakfast in, eat out lunch and switch between eating in dinner or eating out. Saves $$ in the long run.

I've done Italy as well, Rome, Tuscany and Florence. The kids would love Rome and maybe Florence. I don't know about Tuscany.

I don't usually go with package deals. I like to control my time and have the ability to be flexible about what I do and see.

I think that most anyplace you take them in Europe will be a great trip provided they don't expect things to be like they are at home. Nothing is worse they traveling with people who keep expecting things to be like it is in the States. I mean isn't that the whole purpose of going on trip to another country - to experience another culture?
 

RoseRed

American Beauty
PREMO Member
My dad purchased a car while stateside and we picked it up in Frankfurt where we flew in. He had it shipped back to the states from London afterwards.
 

Penn

Dancing Up A Storm
RoseRed said:
My dad purchased a car while stateside and we picked it up in Frankfurt where we flew in. He had it shipped back to the states from London afterwards.
:confused: Daddy Warbucks? :lmao:
 

alex

Member
Vrai - I rented a car over the internet and picked it up in Italy. I got a really good deal with Alamo or Thrifty, sorry can't remember which one now. I really loved that car it was a Lancia Estate Wagon. Held 4 adults and our luggage without any problem, plenty of room for all even in the back and great on gas!. Of course you have to remember that they sell gas by the liter not the gallon. My brother thought it was the gallon and couldn't understand why 20 euros hardly filled the tank.

The only problem with Italy is you really need to buy the insurance for rental cars. Get all you can. Also, make sure you totally inspect the car BEFORE when you first pick it up and that ALL dings, etc are noted on the paperwork. They WILL inspect it when you return it for any damage.

In London we did the Tube (subway), buses or trains.
 

PrepH4U

New Member
vraiblonde said:
Larry and I don't even want to go. I like it right here in the good ol' USofA.

This is the middle daughter's idea. Every year she gets one of these People to People Student Ambassador things and this is the first year we felt she was mature enough to go. Her trip is Switzerland, France, Austria and Italy. But she's balking a bit because she "says" she wants her first trip to Europe to be with her family, not a bunch of strangers. I think she's just feeling pre-bashful.

But anyway, it got me thinking that we could all go to Europe somewhere. :shrug: I just don't know anything about foreign travel and am looking for suggestions.

Go for it, it's a great experience! We lived in Holland for 3 years and took weekend trips to Germany every other month. You can base yourself either in Germany, Holland or Belguim, drive around and see Austria, Liechenstien (1/2 day for whole country) & Switzerland. You can also rent apartments for a week in any country also. We did in Austria, Switzerland and Denmark. So much history to visit. The language is not a barrier in most of Europe, its where my kids learned a lesson in the proper usage of bidets! The only minor adjustment I had traveling over there was even in 5 star hotels they usually did not provide washcloths. That was a simple fix, I just learned to pack them.
 
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