things we've learned....

good morning faithful readers! as jonathan is suffering from what i like to refer to as "museum hangover" we thought we would take the morning to discuss some things we have learned while in europe. we hope that you find these amusing and that you can make your own list when you take your own whirlwind vacation someday....

1. COFFEE - coffee is better in europe than anywhere else. yes, this means that european coffee is better than starbucks. in fact, european coffee makes starbucks look like sludge. and starbucks doesn't serve their coffee in those cute little espresso cups that they use in europe. do yourself a favor and just come over for 1 cup of coffee and you will be a changed person.

2. THE EURO - one euro does not equal one dollar. even though the euro system is in similar denominations, that does not mean that is equal to one dollar. the euro, even though it may look like monopoly money, is not monopoly money. you can pretend that the euro is equal to one dollarhowever, be prepared for a shock when you check your bank statement online.

3. CROISSANTS - croissants taste better in France. we think that croissants should only be made in France because they just taste like bread everywhere else. you can order a croissant in other countries, but it will only taste like a croissant if it is made in France. we think that if the French really knew the power of their croissant they would patent it or something and make a killing on tourists coming to eat croissants.

4. EUROPEAN DRIVING - jonathan may have already touched on this, but let me reiterate that italians are bad drivers. additionally, europeans drive really small cars. believe it or not, there are cars even smaller than a smart car here - we like to refer to them as roller skates. these cars make those mini coopers look like an SUV. i wonder what europeans think when they come to the states and see the cars we drive....hmmm....think of that the next time you get into your surburban.

5. ITALIAN FOOD - there really are pizzarias on every street in Italy - yes! even in the small towns. and yes, even in spain and france. italian pizza is everywhere! pizza is an obsession here just as it is at home. italians also seem averse to international food. you are hard pressed to find a restaurant that serves something other than italian food. how can we be sick of italian food, you ask? well, if you eat pasta every lunch and dinner for about 2 weeks you will also be sick of italian food. i think jonathan is turning into a gnocci.

6. SIESTA or the 3 HOUR LUNCH - call it whatever you want, but the siesta (in Italy and Spain) and the 3 hour lunch (in France) is brilliant. towns really shut down from 12:30 until about 3:30 or whenever they feel like getting back to work. we love the siesta and we are going to start a movement to bring it to the states.

7. LANGUAGE BARRIER - speaking English with an accent will get you farther than you think! charades also go a long way - just ask jonathan to demonstrate when we get home. and when in doubt, use as many romance languages as you can at the same time. we had a delightful Latin American meal at a restaurant in Florence, Italy and i ended up speaking a combination of Spanish, English, and Italian - and it worked! and if you don't know how to say "thank you", just do as jonathan does and say the word "beautiful" instead - the nice cashier ladies will still smile and give you your change.

8. AMERICAN TV - american TV in other languages is funny. reruns of Beverly Hills 90210 in spanish are pretty hilarious. and it's creepy because Jessica Fletcher sounds kind of sexy when Murder She Wrote is dubbed into italian.