# Things are different around the world.... really



## Scott WRG Editor (Dec 5, 2005)

I thought it might be interesting to find out what you think is interestingly different about a country/culture not your own. Not necessarily huge differences but little quirks. For example...  On a trip to Canada last year I discovered bagged milk. I found this to be strange as we don't have bagged milk in the US. My Canadian friends thought it was strange that milk came in plastic bottles and cardboard cartons.  Anything similar happen to you?


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## clarinetJWD (Dec 5, 2005)

Bagged milk?  That is odd... How does it stand up in the fridge?


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## Big Mike (Dec 5, 2005)

I don't see much bagged milk around here...although it is good for the environment (less packaging)...I've seen people just put the bag into a juice jug and slit the top.

One thing I found really weird is the Iced Tea, in many places in the US.  It's just cold, unsweetened tea...that's not tasty at all.  They have to give you sugar to put into it yourself.

Up here, Iced tea (for the most part) is just another soft drink (or soda pop).  It's just as sweet as Coke or Sprite.  


Another thing that has always confused me...how come English speaking people seem to sing without an accent?  (to my ears anyway)  Take the Beatles for example...they all spoke with British accents but you can't really tell when they sing.  Same deal with Australian singers.

When someone who speaks a different language...sings in english...I can tell the accent...but not for the different versions of the English language.

Maybe it's just me...


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## Rob (Dec 5, 2005)

The heating controlled by the state in Moscow...

Schoolchildren who wait for everyone else to board the (public) bus before getting on, and then remaining in silence for the whole journey in Bermuda...

The food in Wales...

The telephone connectors in Italy...


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## santino (Dec 5, 2005)

> The telephone connectors in Italy...



I second that


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## Artemis (Dec 5, 2005)

Big Mike said:
			
		

> I don't see much bagged milk around here...although it is good for the environment (less packaging)...I've seen people just put the bag into a juice jug and slit the top.
> 
> One thing I found really weird is the Iced Tea, in many places in the US. It's just cold, unsweetened tea...that's not tasty at all. They have to give you sugar to put into it yourself.
> 
> ...



Want me to record myself singing?


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## yummifruitbat (Dec 5, 2005)

Rob said:
			
		

> The food in Wales...


 
What's odd about that?


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## PlasticSpanner (Dec 5, 2005)

Rob said:
			
		

> The food in Wales...


 
The people in Wales!:lmao:  (JK)

Scandinavian breakfast!  A selection of cold meats, cheese (Ghost! pronounced Gost,  Mmmmmm!), bread and preserved fish.

And why don't the hotels in Norway have coffee and tea making facilities in the rooms?


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## Rob (Dec 5, 2005)

yummifruitbat said:
			
		

> What's odd about that?



It was all fried, which admittedly isn't odd, it's just that it was impossible to eat healthily in the pubs we stayed at in Tenby (sp?).


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## photogoddess (Dec 5, 2005)

Scott WRG Editor said:
			
		

> On a trip to Canada last year I discovered bagged milk. I found this to be strange as we don't have bagged milk in the US. My Canadian friends thought it was strange that milk came in plastic bottles and cardboard cartons.



Actually, they have bagged milk in Wisconsin. First time I saw it, I laughed. They give you small plastic pitchers with it and a cutter when you buy milk. You put the bag in the pitcher and use the cutter to clip the corner of the bag. The hole kind of acts as a pour spout. Weird (by California standards) but effective.


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## Rob (Dec 5, 2005)

Proof:


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## yummifruitbat (Dec 5, 2005)

Rob said:
			
		

> Tenby (sp?)


 :thumbup: 

LOL! That's not 'the food in Wales' - that's what you get for staying in a pub! I think the idea is the more fried food you eat, the thirstier you'll be and the more drinks you'll buy


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## PlasticSpanner (Dec 5, 2005)

Why don't they have Steak & Kidney Puddings darn sarf?


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## Rob (Dec 5, 2005)

They do have all kinds of pies, especially steak and kidney - admittedly not in a rotisserie on the bar like you northerners though! They don't however, have chips 'n' gravy. Or chips and curry sauce.

mmmm.. chips. no stop, it'll make me a fattie.

up north:





Rob


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## PlasticSpanner (Dec 5, 2005)

When I was working in Glasgow a workmate asked for a couple o' baps in a chippie to go with his chips & the girl serving him was quite offended!


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## santino (Dec 5, 2005)

I saw strange stuff in Austria, for example:
Potato fritters and a roll (nothing to add)
Pizza with different stuff and fries
plus - vinegar is in use like water (btw. I hate vinegar) there is no salad without it, no sauce without it, just nothing eeeeehh.

now get that, a typical austrian "salad":
cold sausages (in stripes or small pieces)
cut onion
pepper
and loooootttss of vinegar.

buon appetit


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## santino (Dec 5, 2005)

that kind of sausage:







  :mrgreen:


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## LizM (Dec 5, 2005)

And here I though a box of wine was strange.  Bagged milk?  Oh, well.

Here in the Southern US iced tea is sweet also.  Anything else we consider just plain wrong!

Its not another country but a lot of us in the southern US find it strange that the Carolinas but vinegar in their BBQ sauce...What is with that?  They take a perfectly good thing and twist it into an abomination!

Oh, and I've heard that a lot of the northern US states don't put Mayo on their hamburgers.  We do down here but apparently it can be a source of problems for northern US'ers in Canada.


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## santino (Dec 5, 2005)

in germany I saw people eating french fries with mayo (for the first time) it looked kinda strange but it tastes kinda good


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## df3photo (Dec 5, 2005)

Rob said:
			
		

> The food in Wales...


 
I found (correct me if im wrong...) that while visiting wales and england I had a piece of apple pie, pretty good pie. but the wipped topping on it was nothing like here in the US. It actually sucked the flavor of the pie out of my mouth and replaced it with like and aftertast flavor, and there was still food in my mouth... what the heck. it baffeled me so much i ate half of the pie... i couldnt deal with it on the second half...
 also they just set there meat out on a shelf in stores... not refrigorated... we didnt eat much meat there... ohh and why somany kinds of beans???


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## PlasticSpanner (Dec 5, 2005)

df3photo said:
			
		

> I found (correct me if im wrong...) that while visiting wales and england I had a piece of apple pie, pretty good pie. but the wipped topping on it was nothing like here in the US. It actually sucked the flavor of the pie out of my mouth and replaced it with like and aftertast flavor, and there was still food in my mouth... what the heck. it baffeled me so much i ate half of the pie... i couldnt deal with it on the second half...


 
Sounds like squirty cream!  That has a Butane like after taste! 

Apple pie is best with either vanilla ice cream or real whipped double cream!  Mmmmmmm!


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## Alison (Dec 5, 2005)

I remember being surprised that soda is served warm in Europe.


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## Verbal (Dec 5, 2005)

On the iced tea escapade, I CANNOT TOLERATE sweetened tea.  Even my hot tea I HAVE to have unsweetened.  If I want something hot and sweet I drink hot chocolate or a caramel machiatto.  But tea for me is a mildly flavored, unsweetened drink.  And green is the best!


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## yummifruitbat (Dec 5, 2005)

Blimey, some weird experiences being had in Wales... doesn't seem how I remember it from last week  

I can't say I often see meat lying around unrefrigerated, certainly not 'on shelves' - our food hygiene standards are pretty much as high as anyone else's (won't say too much, though, E. coli outbreak just happened in a number of schools in South Wales - it made the headlines for the best part of a fortnight so it's not the norm!)...

Totally agree about squirty cream though, it tastes of tin. No idea why people serve that with real food :-|


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## clarinetJWD (Dec 5, 2005)

Oh, yeah.  And let's not forget how the British say "Petrol, Bonnet, Boot, and Garage"  when they mean to say "Gas, Hood, Trunk, and Gas Station" Silly British :greenpbl:


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## Peanuts (Dec 5, 2005)

Well.. upon landing in a quaint airport in Peru (about 40-50 passengers?), the locals burst out cheering and clapping. I wasn't aware until then that the successful landing rate was so low! 

Oh.. and the huge serving sizes of food in the US! 

Forgot to add.. Vernors in Ontario and the North-eastern states is amazing

(Funny how people find bagged milk humourous! haha)


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## Tammy (Dec 5, 2005)

We recently moved to South Carolina and were introduced to the concept of boiled peanuts (haven't tried them) and fried oreo's (my husband said he'll never try them again).


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## Corry (Dec 5, 2005)

FRIED Oreos????


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## LizM (Dec 5, 2005)

Tammy said:
			
		

> We recently moved to South Carolina and were introduced to the concept of boiled peanuts (haven't tried them) and fried oreo's (my husband said he'll never try them again).


 
Boiled peanuts are WONDERFUL!!!  The greener the better.  Just be SURE to be careful when opening them as they are generally eaten very hot!!!!  The juice inside the shell can burn you if you aren't careful.  Oh, and eat them in moderation until your tummy gets used to them...otherwise it could be a very painful next day.


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## LizM (Dec 5, 2005)

Verbal said:
			
		

> On the iced tea escapade, I CANNOT TOLERATE sweetened tea. Even my hot tea I HAVE to have unsweetened. If I want something hot and sweet I drink hot chocolate or a caramel machiatto. But tea for me is a mildly flavored, unsweetened drink. And green is the best!


 
See?  He's up north (about as far north as you can get before getting to Canada).


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## Alexandra (Dec 5, 2005)

Actually about the tea, I have rather the same opinion as verbal but for different reasons. I've got this childish thing deep down in my memory... I was about 3 and I used to go to my grandma's place and I remember everytime she drank tea, she would pour like 5 topped spoons of sugar into it... plus she smoke so she had rotten teeth, eeew, trauma. So I stopped putting sugar in my tea. Now I just like it strong and bitter or with a lot of lemon... and that's even healthier.

As for the main topic, well, I don't get to see much things, but somehow I feel that the U.S. are kinda going backstage (at least here in quebec). I mean, we don't hear a lot about'em, no idea what's going on, nothing new against Bush... Feels like a breakdown. GUYS what's going on down there???
And one thing that didn't change and I think never will: ( I saw someone pointed out to the heating controlled by the state in Moscow) I was in moscow this past summer (cause i was born and grew up there) and the day after I arrived, the hot water was off for 4 weeks. As long as I remember my life in moscow, this kinda thing always happened... And that's not gonna end with Putin for sure


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## df3photo (Dec 5, 2005)

I swear the meat wasnt cold... maybe slightly chilled but it looked like it sat there for awhile... kinda brown instead of red... and why are your refrigorators so small, the appartments we where in had like dorm room size coolers and we even went to a department store and couldnt find any larger ones... And whats with all the round abouts, one could be stuck in the middle of one of them for hours...


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## Xmetal (Dec 5, 2005)

Ketchup = Tomato Sauce over here...

"Would you like McFries with that?" "Their not McFries...Their F*cking *CHIPS*"

If anyone out there wants to learn more about Aussie 'quirks' I suggest you get a copy of a film called 'The Castle'.


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## clarinetJWD (Dec 5, 2005)

Verbal said:
			
		

> On the iced tea escapade, I CANNOT TOLERATE sweetened tea.  Even my hot tea I HAVE to have unsweetened.  If I want something hot and sweet I drink hot chocolate or a caramel machiatto.  But tea for me is a mildly flavored, unsweetened drink.  And green is the best!


I like my tea like I like my women.  Strong and bitter.  Wait, that's not right...
Yeah, unsweetened is the way to go!


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## Rob (Dec 5, 2005)

df3photo said:
			
		

> I swear the meat wasnt cold... maybe slightly chilled but it looked like it sat there for awhile... kinda brown instead of red... and why are your refrigorators so small, the appartments we where in had like dorm room size coolers and we even went to a department store and couldnt find any larger ones... And whats with all the round abouts, one could be stuck in the middle of one of them for hours...


Our domestic appliances are smaller for the simple reason that our doors are smaller. Why do you think our doors don't need to be as big as yours? hmm? :mrgreen: Clue: The answer is linked to the big fridges!


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## Rob (Dec 5, 2005)

clarinetJWD said:
			
		

> Oh, yeah. And let's not forget how the British say "Petrol, Bonnet, Boot, and Garage" when they mean to say "Gas, Hood, Trunk, and Gas Station" Silly British :greenpbl:



The colonies are getting uppity again. :lmao:


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## Hertz van Rental (Dec 5, 2005)

Rob said:
			
		

> The colonies are getting uppity again. :lmao:


Yes. They forget that we had pavements when they were still hanging around Southampton waiting for the tide 


(And here 'Mayflower' is a brand of matches - I think we've almost used up the last timbers from the boat...)


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## clarinetJWD (Dec 5, 2005)

Rob said:
			
		

> The colonies are getting uppity again. :lmao:


And you know what happens when we get uppity!  Last time you lost a bunch of tea.  Bwahahaha!

And while we're on the subject, it's interNET!


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## Rob (Dec 5, 2005)

clarinetJWD said:
			
		

> And while we're on the subject, it's interNET!



Coming from a country with your degree of poor consonal enunciation, it's actually more like "inner-neh!" :mrgreen:


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## clarinetJWD (Dec 5, 2005)

hey, we'd at least say innernet... We don't replace ALL t's.  And "inner-neh" is still better than Interweb...


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## Rob (Dec 5, 2005)

We don't say interweb. Except on TopGear!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interweb


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## clarinetJWD (Dec 5, 2005)

really?  TopGear is my only peak into British High-culture 

well, that's good.

Speaking of Top Gear, it just happens to be the greatest TV show EVER.  I can't wait for next weeks episode: Bugatti Veyron.  mmm...

And I have officially hijacked another thread :thumbsup: (I haven't done that in a while  )


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## JonK (Dec 5, 2005)

my food faves in wales (wonderful place BTW) the scones and those little flat waffle-like things filled with caramel - yum!! chowed so many of those! Tenby is a cool spot.

Not exactly quirky but hey  How bout this one then - the road signs in Ireland that point in all directions except the right one(i'm talking the backroads here not the motorways  ) - *gah it's easy to get lost there


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## Rob (Dec 6, 2005)

Condom vending machines on the streets in France...

Any vending machine in Tokyo (especially schoolgirl panties)...


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## clarinetJWD (Dec 6, 2005)

Rob said:
			
		

> Condom vending machines on the streets in France...
> 
> Any vending machine in Tokyo (especially schoolgirl panties)...


Don't they also have beer vending machines?  If so, I'm moving.  Unless it's Asahi.  Then I'm staying.


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## LaFoto (Dec 6, 2005)

The only two times that I have been over to the States I was down south (Texas, primarily). 

And with how we know our "iced tea", ready made and bought in cartons, to be had like what you call "soda", we expected to get the same when we ordered "iced tea" in a restaurant. Whoa! All different: mostly ice-cubes (with a distinct taste of "swimming pool" :shock: ), and unsweetened tea. Our son, who had to follow a very strict diet when he was little, could not have anything other than either the "iced tea" that we knew from home, or water. Poor boy of 5 ... it was water for him then (with a distinct taste of "swimming pool").

And what Alison calls "warm soda" is actually stomach-friendly - still cold - coke or so, yet it is a FULL GLASS of just that, and not a glass FULL OF ICE CUBES with only as much coke around them as would then still fit in the glass - so when you get to finish your coke, it all tastes like water (with a distinct taste of swimming pool). I once ordered my coke "without ice, please", since it was refrigerated so the glass would turn damp the moment the coke touched it, and the lady behind the counter just glowered at me --- how dare I order the full amount, makes the amount of THREE glasses of coke, in fact! Grrr! But well...

So here we don't put ice cubes into our drinks, or if that is done, you will find yours truly and her sister and her friends and so on and on fish them out of it and put them to the side!

Beer has a froth on top! And it takes 7 minutes to draft a good Pils!

Bagged milk was an attempt in the shops here some 15 years ago, for environmental reason (less waste), but the idea could not spread. I, for my part, stopped buying it after three times in a row one bag had got punctured by whatever else I was having in my shopping bag, so I used to unpack groceries swimming in milk. Bleah! No longer. Cartons for me at any time! Please!

No one in Germany can understand how you might ever enjoy having your chips (French fries) with VINEGAR like they have it in Britain. But chips with mayonnese are ok (though too fattening!!!). 

And instant coffee is not the thing here. To make yourself a cup of coffee does not mean you spoon some instant coffee powder into your cup, pour hot water, stir and there's your coffee. No.

We find American fridges HUGE. A whole piece of furniture in the kitchen. Ours are much smaller and mine is integrated in the fitted kitchen so you would not be able to tell which of the cupboard doors is the one to the fridge (if it weren't for the ventilation below it). 

We don't know any ice machines here. But then why would we need them, we, who we drink "warm soda"  ???


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## Peanuts (Dec 6, 2005)

Of course, in Germany, they also have Water stations for dogs, shade and all! 

From my travels there, I believe it says Hunde Bistro. Rather amusing . Now.. a question for LaFoto, is there a soda/pop in Germany that isn't really popular everywhere else, but kids love? That is one part about Germany I will remember... except the name of the drink!


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## LaFoto (Dec 6, 2005)

You might mean Fanta?

And one thing that has just sprung to mind: we her wash our clothes warm/hot in the washing machine. (30°C or 40°C or 60°C or even 95°C).


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## clarinetJWD (Dec 6, 2005)

Hey Corinna, just wondering (completely off-topic here, but that's OK)  WHat time is it there right now?


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## Peanuts (Dec 6, 2005)

LaFoto said:
			
		

> You might mean Fanta?


 
That would be it! thank you


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## LaFoto (Dec 6, 2005)

8:10 a.m.


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## clarinetJWD (Dec 6, 2005)

Peanuts said:
			
		

> That would be it! thank you


You don't have Fanta in Canada?  They've been advertising the heck out of it here...


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## LaFoto (Dec 6, 2005)

So yes.
Our *clocks* are different here, too!!!!


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## clarinetJWD (Dec 6, 2005)

LaFoto said:
			
		

> 8:10 a.m.


hmmm, only a 6 hour difference.  I guess I always thought it was more.  Well, good morning!  It's time for bed


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## Peanuts (Dec 6, 2005)

Apparantly not. At least not last time I had a pop option! 

Maybe they are selling Inca Cola from Peru up here now too, and I know I already mentioned this but Vernors  Yum!


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## clarinetJWD (Dec 6, 2005)

Peanuts said:
			
		

> Apparantly not. At least not last time I had a pop option!
> 
> Maybe they are selling Inca Cola from Peru up here now too, and I know I already mentioned this but Vernors  Yum!


Vernors is the greatest thing that has ever been.   I wish they sold it here on the East coast...
But back in Houston! Yum, Yum.  G'night, all!


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## JohnMF (Dec 6, 2005)

Beer in Germany is so much better than the crappy lager we get in England. My cousin lives in Dusseldorf and i visit him quite a bit. He tells me that it is not allowed to put preservatives in beer over there, unlike here.

Favourite German beers:
Maisel Weiss
Paulaner
and Fruh

Strange food combination i discovered in germany was the  Huge Sausage in a crasaunt (sp). Tastes nice though when your drunk on german beer


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## FlightShadow (Dec 6, 2005)

clarinetJWD said:
			
		

> Hey Corinna, just wondering (completely off-topic here, but that's OK) WHat time is it there right now?


Germany's +1 from London Time, +8 from Salt Lake Time (where I live), +6 from Baltimore Time, where I presume that you live, Which makes it about 9 AM in Deustchland (hope I spelled that right ) right now (8AM London, 1AM Salt Lake, 3AM Baltimore) !!

And I still haven't done my PreCalc! *GASP*


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## LaFoto (Dec 6, 2005)

You were just right when you sent your post, FlightShadow, and you got the spelling of Deutschland almost right (you only mixed up the s and the t). 

And "Früh" is not the Pils-variety of beers, "Früh" is Kölsch. That beer is different and does not need to "grow" for 7 minutes in the glass before it is served, it goes into those narrow, tall glasses straight away.

And Maisel's Weisse is a mixture of beer with fruit syrup ("Berliner Weisse"), whereas "Paulaner" is a wheat beer (not barley, which is the usual main ingedient for beers).

You are quite right: the "Deutsches Reinheitsgebot" (a Law that says beer must be "clean", i.e. from from any additives such as preservatives) prescribes that beer must *only* consist of clear water, barley (or wheat) and hop. Nothing else.

Ah well, and you come to Düsseldorf regularly and then don't drink "Alt" (dark beer)? How come. And hey, going out for a beer in Düsseldorf is great fun! When we still lived only an hour from there, we used to go there more often. Now it is 3 1/2 - 4 hours from where we are...


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## LizM (Dec 6, 2005)

LaFoto said:
			
		

> The only two times that I have been over to the States I was down south (Texas, primarily).
> 
> And with how we know our "iced tea", ready made and bought in cartons, to be had like what you call "soda", we expected to get the same when we ordered "iced tea" in a restaurant. Whoa! All different: mostly ice-cubes (with a distinct taste of "swimming pool" :shock: ), and unsweetened tea. Our son, who had to follow a very strict diet when he was little, could not have anything other than either the "iced tea" that we knew from home, or water. Poor boy of 5 ... it was water for him then (with a distinct taste of "swimming pool").
> 
> ...


 
Trust me, a lot of us US folks fume over the amount of ice they put in drinks at resturaunts as well.  We generally ask for "light ice" or "easy on the ice". The swimming pool taste would be chorline.  Some cities insist on putting that in their tap water (along with flouride and a number of other potentially hazardous chemicals that are supposed to be good for you).  Yet another reason I have a water filter on my refridgerator.  Nice, unchemicaled water...yum!


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## Alison (Dec 6, 2005)

LaFoto! I don't care for ice in my drinks either! The soda we had (which wasn't in Germany though!) was not chilled at all, just warm in the can. It didn't bother me, but my father likes his drinks VERY cold and he was quite cranky in Paris as a result


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## Mansi (Dec 6, 2005)

its 8.15pm in my part of the world
we mostly call it a 'cold drink' instead of a soda (and im reffering to pepsi, coke, fanta, mirinda, sprite etc) in my part of the world
we buy milk in packets as well as cartons and most of india buy its milk form the 'milkman' who goes door to door distributing milk
ummm and here we have cooks and cleaners! yahoo less work
in my part of the world... we cook cottage cheese in curry.. its delicious
around here... you see cows intermingling with traffic... prob see a few hanging around busy intersections
hardly anyone eats beef.. oh well even mcdonalds burgers are beef free

and theres a whole load of stuff... we got a mix of everything i guess


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## Corry (Dec 6, 2005)

We do have Fanta here.  And as Alison said, not everyone here likes all that ice.  I do like my soda cold, but I would like more soda than ice!  Also, at my own house, I have plastic reusable ice cubes, so it doesn't water down the drink.  Oh...and yes, there is chlorine and flouride in our water most of the time...when I stay at Erik's place out in the country, there is a big difference, as he has well water (no additives).  We probably don't notice the 'pool taste' as much as others would because unfortunately, we get used to it.


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## JonK (Dec 6, 2005)

The worse the water is from the source....the more chlorine to kill bacteria, etc. Here the water is pretty pure. When I lived in Northern canada we could almost drink it from the source with no worries.
Those watered down drinks from the fountains are the worst! You're paying for ice and some syrup.


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## Hertz van Rental (Dec 6, 2005)

JohnMF said:
			
		

> *Beer* in Germany is so much better than the crappy lager we get in England.


Beer and lager are two completely different beverages (you are confusing 'beer' and 'bier').
We British make beer par excellance - but our lager is indeed gnat's p*ss.


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## Artemis (Dec 6, 2005)

Hertz van Rental said:
			
		

> Beer and lager are two completely different beverages (you are confusing 'beer' and 'bier').
> We British make beer par excellance - but our lager is indeed gnat's p*ss.



*spits out larger* PFFFF!!! So thats why its yellow...


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## Scott WRG Editor (Dec 6, 2005)

Something I ran into when I moved to New England was a general astonishment that I put creme in iced tea and obviously don't use lemon (if its not obvious put some lemon and cream together in iced tea and see what happens  Anybody else find this weird?

Also, I grew up with scramble eggs with tuna fish. some people find that weird and yet when I lived in Virginia scrambled pigs brains were common... uke:


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## Artemis (Dec 6, 2005)

Ive fallin in love with Panini's, Ham and melted cheese


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## JohnMF (Dec 6, 2005)

yes LaFoto i've enjoyed the odd Alt too! very nice


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## panzershreck (Dec 6, 2005)

crazy people (literally) in parks in Austria, screaming at people in nice clothing 

lukewarm unsweetened tea in Czech Republic, a week of drinking this by itself, and you'll finally start liking it

the big square light switches in every single room in every building in germany


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## clarinetJWD (Dec 7, 2005)

JohnMF said:
			
		

> yes LaFoto i've enjoyed the odd Alt too! very nice


Doesn't take long for the conversation to turn to beer, does it.  Anyways, Corinna, being German, and therefore knowing what you're talking about as far as beer is concerned...Recommendations! I just found a store with an entire aisle of German imports, so get to it


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## panzershreck (Dec 7, 2005)

clarinetJWD said:
			
		

> Doesn't take long for the conversation to turn to beer, does it. Anyways, Corinna, being German, and therefore knowing what you're talking about as far as beer is concerned...Recommendations! I just found a store with an entire aisle of German imports, so get to it



i had two liters of beer within a few hours after flying into Munich for the first time  best way to start a vacation, there were surfers in munich too, surfing under a bridge


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## JonK (Dec 7, 2005)

clarinetJWD said:
			
		

> You don't have Fanta in Canada?  They've been advertising the heck out of it here...


They used to sell it in Canada...no longer around I don't think. I remember having it as a kid.


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## LaFoto (Dec 7, 2005)

Oh... if only I knew so many different German beers... if you like a really stong taste, go for Jever Pils. If you like to plop open your bottle with a funny noise (and ejnoy the beer that it is inside, for you can!), try Flensburger. If you like your beer softer in taste, there are all the new "Gold" varieties on the market. Like we usually have "Beck's Gold" here (and it is brewed in Bremen, my husband's home town, so go figure ). 

At times I also like the quite strong "Bock" varieties, such as "Einbeck Urbock" or so... and I used to like the wheat beers but they give me headaches on the following day, so I have refrained from having them.


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## hobbes28 (Dec 7, 2005)

Speaking of drinks... one thing that got me by surprise in Germany is that most restaurants don't give free refills on soda.  You learn very quickly how to make that .30l glass last the whole meal.


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## LaFoto (Dec 7, 2005)

Constant problem with my kids!
And constant cause for pleas with their daddy for "PLEASE!" can they have a second glass?
You're right. 
No refills.

*REFILLS* :shock: !?!?!?!?!? Never heard of it :scratch:


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## LittleMan (Dec 7, 2005)

It really sucks not having free refills... Also, in Germany the food takes so long to get to you... you finish the drink before the food gets there.. 
Also, having coldcuts and bread in the morning(with sparkle water) really gets old after a few weeks.. :lmao:


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## Corry (Dec 7, 2005)

hobbes28 said:
			
		

> Speaking of drinks... one thing that got me by surprise in Germany is that most restaurants don't give free refills on soda.  You learn very quickly how to make that .30l glass last the whole meal.



Recently for our anniversary my boyfriend took me to one of the nicer restaraunts in the area...the glasses were SO small, and they didn't offer free refills either!!!!  They charged you for everyone!  I bet one glass was only half a can of soda, and they charged more than a dollar each.


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## LaFoto (Dec 7, 2005)

Well, you are supposed to have the coldcuts and bread with COFFEE in the morning! Hmph!
By the way, I don't like coldcuts in the morning AT ALL. 
Bread and jam or honey or sometimes (special treat for me) Nutella, yes. Over and again. But not coldcuts. 

And definitely NOT with sparkling water! Whoa, shiver!  :mrgreen:


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## Rob (Dec 7, 2005)

Isn't the US the only country to offer coffee/soft drink refills? They don't have them here, except in US restaurants!

Rob


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## JonK (Dec 7, 2005)

You get coffee refills here in some places...not usually soda tho. Jus depends on the place.
And that's only places that serve the cheapo percolated coffe....usually stale and watery....yuck!


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## LaFoto (Dec 7, 2005)

Here in Germany you usually buy either just a CUP of coffee (and get only that one cup for the price) or a "Kännchen", a little pot that contains about two cups. No refills on that, either. It is a fixed price. Restaurant coffee is usually much stronger than I have it at home, and I have mine strong, compared to what my dad brews...

In the States I was surprised that you order "coffee" (instead of "a cup of coffee" or "a 'Kännchen'") and that word then is as infinite as it sounds... But I thought that was not bad.

What I LOVE about British guesthouses etc. is the tea and coffee making facilitities in the room included in the price. I LOVE that!!!! Some even have some bisquits there with the coffee... hmmmm! Very nice.


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## puzzle (Dec 7, 2005)

Pizza hut does free pepsi refills - but only if you order the huge glass to start with. It's like a pint of pepsi and then you can have some more


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## Oscar Mueller (Dec 7, 2005)

The only bagged milk I've seen in Wisconsin was on a cow.


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## danalec99 (Dec 7, 2005)

In London, ppl *mind*!









Here, we *watch*!


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## photogoddess (Dec 7, 2005)

Oscar Mueller said:
			
		

> The only bagged milk I've seen in Wisconsin was on a cow.



Hahahahaha - then find yourself a Qwik Trip in Shawano and you'll see the bagged milk that I saw.


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## clarinetJWD (Dec 7, 2005)

I just don't understand the no refills... It costs about $.08 to $.12 per glass (big glasses, mind you) to fill em up.  If they charge $1.50, you'd have to be really thirsty to hurt the restaurant.  There's nothing worse than having stuff left to eat, and nothing to drink along-side...


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## Big Mike (Dec 7, 2005)

Most restaurants around here have "Non-Stop Pop"...same with Coffee.  The exception is that some places (fast food) don't offer free refills because either people hang out all day and only buy one coffee (seinors)...or a group of people buy on or two drinks (teenagers).

If you pay $4.00 for a Starbucks coffee....you sure ain't getting a refill.  I'd rather sit in a diner and pay $1.29 for as much as I want.


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## clarinetJWD (Dec 7, 2005)

speaking of "pop"... what do you call it around your parts, everyone?

Here in Baltimore it seems to be plain ol' 'soda', but in Houston, everything is "coke"
Ex:
"May I help you"
"Yeah, I'd like a Coke."
"What kind?"
"Pepsi."
"Would you like to super-size it?" (They never miss in Houston...)
"Of course!  Make mine a bucket!"


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## LizM (Dec 7, 2005)

We call all soda "Coke" here in AL too.  Even though Coke has resorted to sending secret shoppers to various fast food places, etc and has them order "Coke".  If they are served a Pepsi or other soda without clarification they hit them with a trademark infringement lawsuit.  If "Coke" becomes completely accepted slang then Pepsi or anyone else can go to court and have the trademark ruled null and void.


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## woodsac (Dec 7, 2005)

What about "drive-thru's"?

Drive-thru coffee shops are popping up everywhere. When I lived in Phoenix, there were drive-thru liquor stores! But don't get caught drinking and driving!

I know here in CA, we have a lot of drive-thru dairys. But not just to get milk. Anything...bread, soda, milk, eggs, cigarrettes, whatever! It's just like a convenient store or gas station, but you don't have to get our of your car :thumbup:


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## JonK (Dec 7, 2005)

We call soda,pop, etc.  'soft drinks' in this part of canada. don't ask me why.  as opposed to hard alcohol I suppose (which we can't buy at drive-thrus; alcohol sales are strictly controlled here; can only buy it at gov't outlets, not at grocery stores, etc.)


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## Karalee (Dec 7, 2005)

The thing I thought was really weird when I first moved to the states was drive through EVERYTHING - like drive through ice cream, like dairy queen ....  and then there were the drive through banks  oh and another one that struck me as odd was drive through smoke shops, so on your lunchbreak you can get money out the bank to get an ice cream cone and a pack of smokes all without getting out the car.

The other thing that comes to mind is scones. And not "scoooooooooowns" like you yanks call them either! Scones here have icing on them  ICING!! You heathens  gimme some whipped cream and jam anyday!


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## darin3200 (Dec 7, 2005)

JonK said:
			
		

> We call soda,pop, etc.  'soft drinks' in this part of canada. don't ask me why.  as opposed to hard alcohol I suppose (which we can't buy at drive-thrus; alcohol sales are strictly controlled here; can only buy it at gov't outlets, not at grocery stores, etc.)


In the US we have soda, pop and in the certain parts of the US people collectively refer to all the brands as "coke".


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## darin3200 (Dec 7, 2005)

KaraLee: You forgot drive-thru Starbucks


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