, especially if you are eating with a friend who thinks they are gross: you can take full advantage of relishing each slimy morsel, making them wonder just what is it they are missing in a garden arthropod.
Watching an irate French person is one of the most frequent sights in France; they are less inhibited than Americans which makes a traffic accident license to leap out of the car with a flourish and pound on the windows of the perpetrator. This summer while I was there, one traffic violator was sitting in her car surrounded by four police officers, and she was yelling at them1x I would have thought four police officers is enough to make anyone meek, but not this French woman.
For bratwurst, I have not found any that rivals those found in
. As a child there, I remember ordering those juicy and meaty sausages at outdoor bazaars and restaurants alike because they were equally succulent. My first experience of a bratwurst in this country was quite a shock as it was sweet1x It totally lacked the heartiness and flavor of a German brat, and to this day, I haven't had a sausage as good as those in Germany.
Driving. . .why do it anywhere?
In the US, the cars are enormous and almost all automatic transmission; since they are as easy to drive as remote control cars, drivers range in skill from sixteen-year old daredevils to ninety-seven year old biddies with one eye. People don't regard lane usage at all for passing and speeding, and the signal might as well be left off the driving examination since nobody uses it. What about parallel parking? There's a reason that a small and amused crowd gathers around any car in New York City that is
in death-defying maneuvers. Europeans may think they drive well, but their driving style is not for the faint of heart1x
Everything is big in the US . . .
Automobiles are like living rooms. Minivans? They are a dream, especially the ones with the big consoles with drink holders, large captain's chairs, and ample legroom. They have made it over to Europe now as a comfortable American fad.
Restaurant portions are huge. Having enough food on my plate to feed eleven football players just isn't appetizing.
Shopping is amazing. Prices are much lower than in Europe, and the choice is enormous. Friends who have visited over the years have come with empty suitcases just so that they can fill them with jeans, shoes, skirts, and scarves.
Supermarkets are superb. I could spend three hours in one and be as happy as a cat on a fish farm. Just picking a toothbrush is a joy because there are so many brands, sizes, textures (microbristles?), colors and handles. Did someone say Cocoa Krispies? Don't even get me started on the cereal aisle. Bliss.
Despite many differences, there are an increasing number of similarities. A teenager in Boston can read the same Web pages as a teenager in Berlin. People all over the US and Europe watch Friends and ER. Silly though this sounds, it makes a difference. A common culture is emerging, one which disregards the difference in sausages and supermarkets, which can be seen either as a detriment to the cultural identity of each nation, or as a valuable step towards greater world unity, a culture centered around common access to movies, television, and the worldwide web.
