1. I wiped my little boys face with my spit finger--yes it is gross and you all do it. A French man, on the train, kindly offered a baby wipe. (What kind of mother wipes a kid's face with her spit?!! Sacre Bleu! What an American Faux Pas.)
2. While in Italy, we wore our enormous REI sun hats. Yes, we looked ridiculous-but I like my skin the way it is. A Russian staying in our B&B smiled and replied, "love your sombreros."
3. Our youngest, chubby, blonde toddler became a sort of phenomenon. Indian tourists took pictures of him instead of the site. While on the train, a family moved closer and proceeded to pinch his cheeks (gently) and rub his hair and face. Good luck?
4. While in Italy, I did as the Romans do, I used a bidet...which they probably didn't do. After a hot day of wandering, a bidet is the thing to do.
5. My intense little four-year-old, who gets overwhelmed by change and new experiences blocked the entire escalator by spreading her arms/legs out while standing at the top. She wouldn't go a step farther. She had enough. I'm sure all the people waiting to get through customs didn't mind at all.
6. Other cultures do things differently. Or maybe I should say, tourists can get a little pushy. I normally like to keep my distance. But, more than once I realized we all didn't line up like proper Anglo-Saxons (ha). I finally had to push my bum out a bit and push forward.
7. After a while, it became de rigueur to yell "O-lee-ve-air (Oliver) or Gabrrrreeelll (Gabrielle), it was too hard not to while in Paris.
8. Paul lamented the fact we never said "Do as the Romans do while in Rome." I said we were more cultured than that. It did not soothe him.
9. Many things were push where I was used to pull or vice-a-versa. This happened in trains, bathrooms, stores etc. When we returned home, late at night, I couldn't open my own bedroom door for quite a while because I was now switched.
10. Oh and yes Americans still yell in English and Paul couldn't find sexy Italian shoes because his feet are too big.
2 comments:
Love this list. And love YOU! Makes me miss all those lists we would write to each other in those long ponderous letters of our youth.
It sounds like a great trip! My hat off to you for doing it with the whole family!
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