Tennessee meets Europe

I’m in my late forties and it was about time I saw some of the rest of the world.  I have traveled to many of the states in the US and I have traveled to Canada and Mexico but no other countries.  My heart belongs to East Tennessee and I live in Middle Tennessee.  My whole family is close by and I’ve never thought of leaving this beautiful state but a trip further east was only temporary and would do much to get me out of my comfort zone and since I love traveling east, I would just take it a bit further until I hit Europe.  Yep, Tennessee met Europe and if you ever plan to go, you might benefit from my observations and notes.  Before I left, I poured over blogs and travel articles to help me prepare; what to pack, how to get there, what to see, etc., and I found something useful in each thing I read.  You will find the information helpful too but this post is more about the simple details you will encounter once you get past the hurdle of getting there.

Top 6 observations (in no particular order):

1. There are no billboards on the freeways.

At least in the area I was, which was about a hundred miles from Amsterdam, there were no advertisements or bill boards on the interstates.  I found this to be a very peaceful experience as I was able to keep my eyes and attention on the burden at hand; driving in a foreign country where road signs were not written in my native tongue. 

2. BICYCLES!

Bikes are the mass transit of choice here in Eindhoven.  EVERYONE rides a bike.  There are bike lanes, complete with traffic signs!  Yes, bike lanes have traffic lights and signs and you need to obey them.  Bicycles are not just for kids.  Adults ride bikes with baskets hanging on the front and children hanging off of the back and sides.  People ride in packs and they are happy, and they smile and laugh with their friends as they make their way down the lanes.  They ride bikes to work, to the grocery, to after work gatherings, to church and everywhere.  Bike racks are located all over the place and many are double decker racks.  There are few fuel stations for the few people that elect to drive a car.  The people I know here have vehicles but they rarely drive them and the cars are small.  The streets are narrow and are shared between cars, bicycles, and walkers.  Many of these streets are made of cobblestone pavers from who knows how long ago. 

3. Euros; down the crapper

Many of the places I visited only took credit cards and I was surprised that a lot of places did not accept American Express.  The lesson here is to have a couple of credit card options when you travel here.  The main lesson here is that you also need to carry a small amount of currency and I suggest coins because you will encounter the need to visit the toilet and you will pay .70 euros to fulfill that need.  Yep – toilets aint free here.  It’s a “crappy” system if you ask me but when you have to go, you will gladly dig around in the bottom of your purse for the exact change to relieve yourself.  Bathrooms are called toilets, no one calls them by the name of bathroom or restroom.  You will also discover that the Europeans like their privacy and every toilet has its own self-contained stall.  You may enter a bathroom with 3 toilets and there will be 3 separate rooms, completely enclosed.

4. Meat and meet for meals

Meals are an event.  People fellowship over dinner and be prepared for every meal to take over an hour to get service and to dine.  It’s the European way.  People actually talk to each other while they eat.  Every little village has many white tablecloth restaurants to dine at.  There’s no surprise why there is no obesity epidemic here; the food portions are normal sized and people get lots of exercise.   

Speaking of meals, my breakfast bar at the hotel was quite interesting.  There was a full breakfast salad bar with lettuce and veggies and meats, cheeses, and olives.  I just don’t think about salad and charcuterie for breakfast and it’s an idea that I was never able to adopt while there.  I reserved my salads for the evenings.  I was able to find the normal cold cereal and toast so I was able to have a normal American breakfast. 

A few other observations about food and dining….1) French fries are served at most meals and they are served with mayonnaise instead of ketchup 2) beef has a very fresh and local taste 3) lots of goats and cattle farms 4) everyone has a small plot of land with their home and the land is covered with small gardens 5) no water fountains except at the airport (Amsterdam) as people drink water from the bathroom (aka toilet sinks).

5. Sleeping single in a single bed

I am not sure what the Europeans are thinking on this one; the bed thing…2 single beds smashed together to make one big bed.  This may be a hotel thing.  I don’t know how personal beds are put together in people’s homes but the hotel beds are single beds, each made with their own linens, that are scooted together to make one large bed

6. Waste not, want not

Europeans do not generate much waste therefore there are not many waste containers randomly placed around.  Recycling is big here.  While there may not be many waste containers, you will find recycling bins and they expect you to walk to a recycling bin and to separate your trash.  In America, there is a waste can at most entrances of stores so I can toss my fast food bag before I head in to shop.  Any oh by the way – there is no fast food here!

I enjoyed my time in Europe but I was happy to get back to my beloved Tennessee.  The plane ride made me weary and was the worst part of the trip.  It was 9 ½ hours and the longest I had been on yet.  I was glad to see the old villages graced with so much charm and style and to walk on cobblestone streets that had been there for centuries.  I am forever grateful to experience the culture and appreciate the differences between us.