After the room exploration, the hotel provided us with a fancy dinner. I learned from the Europeans that you don't eat the bread that is put in front of you until the main course comes out. Polite pause, y'know? Crazy European etiquette getting in the way of my bread enjoyment.
Wait, was that what got in the way? No, I think it was the fact that upon eating (read:trying to eat) the bread, I realized that it was hard as a rock- not my style, man.
The rest of the dinner was fantastic, though. all of us at the Latvian table (including one Russian, one used-to-be-Russian-gone-Latvian, and the obligatory Dutch guide) talked about differences in culture. That's where I learned that it's perfectly acceptable to steal an unlocked bike in Maastricht. We also talked about driving laws. The fact that you start driving at 14, and possibly without a parent at 15 in Kansas scared our Dutch friend. The fact that my driver's license cost me $10 dollars also shocked all the Europeans. A European driver's license costs more than a few hundred Euros and has to be renewed at full price every 2 years or so.
You are fortunate my fellow Kansans.
The drivers license thing may in part be due to the fact that it takes a higher lever of skill to drive in Europe than it does in America. I've heard more than a few stories of crazy European drivers; where a honk could mean anything from 'I'm turning' to 'Get the f**k outta the way!!' And in those situations you either get out of the way or they move you.
ReplyDeleteI think in France it's acceptable to bump the car in front of you if they aren't going.
ReplyDeleteJust a light bump. Very slow.
I don't know what the cause is, but I will blame it on bureaucracy and the fact that everything is 2 minutes away anyway. haha
No, wait!
ReplyDeleteIf it was the Russian who told you it's ok to take an unlocked bike, I would first double-check with the locals.
When I first visited the US, then came back to Mother Russia and told my friends about the concept credit card, one of my friends said, "Cool! So you can spend all this money and then not pay it back!!!"
Simple minds, those Russians are.
The story about the driver's license prices is very true. I was shocked by the US prices when I found out.
Haha, it was actually a Dutch girl who verified. I learned it first from my Spanish friends, though.
ReplyDeleteIt is the same throughout a lot of Europe, I think. If you get into a wreak even a less-than-minor in Italy you just keep going. No stopping to exchange information, no calling the police. You don't even get out the car. Unfortunately America is too uptight to ever do anything like this, I think.
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