European cultural traditions?

[notb665]

Following on from AdamW's post about British cultural traditions, what about European ones?

I worked with a bloke called Onno once. He was from The Netherlands. Sitting down to lunch one day, he proceeded to put mayonnaise on his chips. "OH MY GOD WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING ARE YOU SOME KIND OF PERVERT????!!" I thought.

Thing is, when I tried it, it was quite nice.

Any other funny little ways from our European friends?

 

[oilman]

They also eat smoked horse, it's delicious.

 

[AdamW]

They start drinking, then stop long before they are drunk! WHAT'S THE POINT?!?!?! If you don't want to be drunk, DON'T DRINK!!!

Cheek kissing. In most parts of France and Spain, men/women or women/women friends will great each other with a kiss on each cheek (the face cheeks!). But in some parts of France, they do two on each cheek. left-right-left-right. This even catches out those used to doing a simple left-right kiss.

Boobs <rude one following>: in Spain, it is seen as a little kinky if you put your female lover's breast in your mouth. Not like "Eurgh, what the hell are you doing?!", but more like "Hey, that's naughty!"... or so I am told...

In the UK, if you go to someone's house and they offer you wine, they will pour quite a bit into the glass. Not necessarily brimming it, but they will certainly pour past the halfway point. according to one anthropologist I read, this is because we abhor stinginess and therefore don't want the guest to think we are being tight with the wine. But, my experience has taught me that on the continent they pour a relatively small amount into the glass, then top you up as you go... so don't drive to a Frenchman's house!!!

Tea and coffee are incompatible beverages. Many Brits seem to think coffee should be served scalding hot, and many Europeans seem to think tea should be served luke warm and stewed. NO! Properly-made coffee is at such a temperature you can comfortably take a big swig the moment it is placed in front of you, and properly-made tea involves rapidly-boiling water (something they don't have the hang of on the continent!). Don't get me wrong, you can definitely get a very good cup of coffee in the UK, but I am yet to hear of someone saying "Oooh, we had a lovely cup of tea in Rome!"

 

[Big_Spark]

Got to agree with Adam on the Tea issue...

I remember the first time I went to Lithuania with the then Girlfriend..hadn't married the bitch at that point...anyway I ordered a cup of Tea in the Cafe/Bar/restaurant..anyway it came in a steaming hot pot..excellent I thought..but no milk!!

As I didn't speak Lithuanian at that point..I can still only understand some words..I got Ina to ask for some milk for me..The very attractive young waitress then proceeded to bring me a 1/2 ltr glass of milk!!!

And you should have seen the stares I got from all over when I poured Milk in my Tea...They are odd people!!

 

[WoodYouLike]

Best place to get a proper cup of coffee here in the UK is at my house and in our showroom We're famous for it with neighbours and suppliers etc (like my accountant, doesn't really come for our accounts, but for the coffee )
Why you make the coffee so weak? Or poor half a pint of milk in it? (Also never understood the idea of milk in tea, but there your go.
Other place in our village to have a proper coffee is a small restaurant/bistro. Could be cause that's owned by a Dutch woman

 

[Richardp]

Best place to get a proper cup of coffee here in the UK is at my house and in our showroom We're famous for it with neighbours and suppliers etc (like my accountant, doesn't really come for our accounts, but for the coffee )
Why you make the coffee so weak? Or poor half a pint of milk in it? (Also never understood the idea of milk in tea, but there your go.
Other place in our village to have a proper coffee is a small restaurant/bistro. Could be cause that's owned by a Dutch woman

Duno about the coffee but the Dutch make great ham and eggs

only Italians make good coffee

 

[WoodYouLike]

I worked with a bloke called Onno once. He was from The Netherlands. Sitting down to lunch one day, he proceeded to put mayonnaise on his chips. "OH MY GOD WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING ARE YOU SOME KIND OF PERVERT????!!" I thought.

Thins we miss here most is the wide range in snacks, like chips with mayonainse and curry-sause and onions and sate-sause and lots of other fried (bad for you I know) meat snacks.

 

[keyplayer]

I worked with a bloke called Onno once.

Are you sure that was his name, and not just what he said as you sat down for lunch?

 

[WoodYouLike]

I worked with a bloke called Onno once.

Are you sure that was his name, and not just what he said as you sat down for lunch?

Typical Dutch male name, nothing wrong with. Like Klaas, Barend, Otto, Piet en Kees.

 

[notb665]

Simple as it seems, none of us could ever pronounce it properly. Some kind of back-of-the-throat thing on the last syllable which was pronounced more like "now".

 

[Freddie]

Under arm hair on women is a very Euro thing and also facial hair on women aswell

Oh yeah NOT WASHING--- very very French tradition together with being pig ignorant!!!!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I worked with a bloke called Onno once. He was from The Netherlands. Sitting down to lunch one day, he proceeded to put mayonnaise on his chips. "OH MY GOD WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING ARE YOU SOME KIND OF PERVERT????!!" I thought.

Thing is, when I tried it, it was quite nice.

Salad cream is even nicer....

 

[Thermo]

oh yeah salad cream on chips, great, even better on mash!

wearing loud baggy silly patterend trousers. a german tradition i think!

smoking horrible smelling gut turning fags, a french one!

saying my country is the best in the world.....back home its great(so why are you living here?)
scotish, australian, irish etc!