Deodorant
This is not as commonly used over there as it is here, or maybe it used to not be and that smell is just lingering, kind of like it does in that one shirt you wore that one day you forgot to put on deodorant. It wasn't horrible or unmanageable, just something I noticed.
Tipping
So, in the US we tip...pretty much no matter what. We tip for good service, we tip to compensate for the fact that wait staff don't make enough money, we tip for everything. You tip in Europe for Superior service (which in my opinion is how it should be). There is no expectation and they are grateful for it. This was my experience anyway. Loved it and wish there was a way to change the system here. I hate tipping as a matter of requirement and not because someone actually stepped up and did something above average. I don't get a tip for meeting a deadline and or completely my daily tasks. Luckily I have friends that work in the service industry and understand how important tipping is, I just wish it worked differently here.
Oh...you are an American?
I loved that you could walk about and no one knew you were a tourist (well...except for maybe Italy). It wasn't until we opened our mouths that people would figure it out. Being someone that mostly vacations in exotic places where we stand out like a sore thumb, this was a nice change. It is nice to be submerged in a culture and no one notice you or try to ask you to buy something because they know you are tourists.
Boots My boots got me through this trip. It took me a bit to find them but for walking your way through Europe, I would say they are the best! I got them from Nordstrom and lived in them during the trip and for a good part of the time after I got back. I could walk for days in these. They were great because you could dress them up or down. Nicely done Keen (Bern Baby Boot).
English?
I was a little nervous with potential language barriers when we were planning the trip, I hate being that person that assumes that everyone knows English although without some serious investment in Rosetta Stone, I didn't think I was going to be able to learn Italian, Dutch and Irish Gaelic by the time we left. So armed with my laptop, phone and the Internet I crossed the world. To my surprise, almost everyone speaks English (Italy being the exception). We tried to learn words and not be those people, but people were pretty awesome.
European Airlines
We elected to fly around on Ryanair and Easy-Jet. Some things to note. They are STRICT on their weight limits for checked luggage and carry-on sizes. Be sure to check these as the limits are much lower than in the States and the fees are significantly higher.
Multiple AirportsSo...this might be common knowledge to others, but I was not aware that Rome had multiple airports. I would assume that this might be the case at other cities. We found this out the hard way. We headed to one airport (the one we arrived at) and upon arrival realized that we were at the wrong airport. The other airport is on the other side of town. After a 60 euro trip, we just made it for our flight.
Time Change
I was never able to get used to it, we were in Europe for only 11 days and maybe that was why, but I just never was able to fully get used to it. So if you head over, take that in mind when planning activities, getting up in the morning was a slow process and the black out curtains didn't help me move any faster.
AmsterdamThis was my favorite city and I would love to go there in the summer/spring to really enjoy it. The Netherlands in general was the best part of the trip. The people there were so friendly and the charm of the cities. We spent a lot of time wandering the streets and poking into a few spots. The weather was pretty rainy when we are there, but it was still beautiful.
If you have never been to Europe, I can't even begin to explain how amazing it was. The only problem with going is that you will just want to go back.
Does anyone else have any comments? Tips?
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