As I write this, it's going on 9 o'clock
at night and it's still 85 degrees. So glad I have air conditioning!
Hard to believe that amenities we take for granted (like air-conditioning
or Western-style toilets) aren't available everywhere, so be prepared to adjust
to a new standard of living temporarily. Although we're planning a
cruise, we may spend a night or 3 at a hotel before or after the
cruise. The Europeans' idea of AC is not my idea of AC. Their
idea of cold air conditioning is what I would call cool at best, not anywhere
near cold. The last two trips we've taken have been in the spring and I
would have loved to turn on the AC because the rooms were so
warm. This year we learned at the hotel in Nice that they are not
permitted to turn the AC on until a certain date by law...or so the clerk
said. The hotel lobby always feels nice and cool, but get in your room
and it's an oven. That's why timing is so important. The last thing
you want is to be out seeing the sites in 90 degree sunshine and go back to a
warm hotel room. Ugh!
Toilets are another item that are a little
different in Europe. Maybe oddball is a better word. We've stopped
at a gas station for a potty break only to find a "hole" in the
ground. Don't wait too long.
Depending on where you are, you may have to pay to go to the bathroom.
Talk about a cheap thrill!
Many hotels do not have washcloths, so you
may want to bring your own and pitch after using. Can't get the lights to
come on? You have to put the room key card into the slot by the door to
get the lights to work in some hotels. Rooms are typically smaller than
we are used to here in the U.S. A lot smaller!
Coffee is really strong. Soft drinks
are outrageously expensive. We ended up paying about $9 at one restaurant
in Paris cafe. Unless you're a fan of seltzer water, you want no gas or
flat water. Diet Coke is known as Coke Lite. If you want bottled water or soft drinks for the road or
your room head to the local grocery store.
Hard Rock Cafes are a great place to eat –
usually good food, free refills on soft drinks and water. Portions are
huge, too. You'll find them in Barcelona, London (the original),
Helsinki, Hamburg, Berlin, Malta, Gdansk (Poland), Istanbul, Amsterdam, Paris,
Rome, Florence, Athens, Stockholm , Istanbul and Venice, among other
places. Usually in a populated area where all of the attractions
are.
Finally, there are few little laws you should know about so
we don't have to bail your butt out of jail.
Rome
It's illegal to eat and drink near landmarks
Rome
is enforcing a municipal ordinance outlawing eating and drinking in areas of
"particular historic, artistic, architectonic and cultural
value." That delicious bowl of gelato could cost you $650 if
you sit on the Spanish Steps and eat it.
Greece It's
illegal to wear stiletto heels
Did
you know that the pressure a stiletto heel exerts on the ground is greater than
that of a walking elephant? Imagine what that does to your
feet! With a few stomps in your stilettos, you can harm those
amazing Greek monuments that have been around for hundreds of years. Get
a pair of sensible-shoes so you can visit the sites. Your feet will
be happier, too!
Venice
Don't feed the pigeons
In
order to avoid getting pooped on and catching avian bacteria, feeding the
pigeons is no longer legal in Venice.
Some fun things to think about before heading to Europe!
Ciao!
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