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Eating Habits
Italy:
Breakfast for the Italians generally consists of coffee or tea and
bread or a brioche. Many of the buffet breakfasts offered in Italian
hotels - will also have fruit, yogurt, cake or various types, and
some cold cuts.
Lunch and dinner are the two large daily meals; lunch is served
at 1:00 P.M., and dinner is served between 8:00 and 9:00 P. M. If
you arrive too early, you will find the restaurant rather empty
- dinner often does not start until 8 or 9 - and lasts late into
the evening.
Trattoria provide reasonably- priced simple fare, A ristorante
more expensive offerings. Bars and cafes offer various pannini,
or sandwiches. These tend to be available throughout the day; Bottled
water (natural or carbonated) is inexpensive and good. Italians
drink bottled water in restaurants as well as at home. You will
be asked if you want 'gassata' - which means sparkling - like Pelegrino,
or 'non gassata' - which will be still water. Wine is inexpensive,
particularly if you order the vino della casa, or house wine. Fruit
juice is available in most cafés, including fresh squeezed
orange and lemon juice, but you'll pay a premium. Soft drinks like
Coke are readily available, but again, you pay more than you do
in North America.
The service charge is usually included in the bill, so you are not
obligated to leave a tip, although it is customary to give a little
extra for good service. Generally you round up the bill.
France:
Standard breakfast in France includes coffee or hot chocolate and
a croissant, pain au chocolat, or sandwich. All of these can generally
be found in a bar or café, up until about 9:30 A.M. Lunchtime
begins at 1:00 P.M. Some cafés offer a plat du jour, and
various sandwiches. You can find more variety in a restaurant, a
brasserie, or, for smaller and more expensive dishes, a salon de
tee. Dinner gets underway at about 8:00 or 9:00 P.M.
Tap water in France isn't bad, but the locals will look at you strangely
if you order it. It is usual to order bottled water , like in Italy
you will be asked if you want carbonated or still - there are various
brand names - but Perrier and Evian - are two well know options;
If ther is a group at a table - it is very usual to order a large
bottle of each to be shared by all. Wine is consumed at just about
every meal, and the table wine, vin de table, is drinkable and cheap.
Soft drinks and juices are both available in bars and cafés,
but in terms of price, you're better off buying them in a grocery
store.
Service compris or s.c. means the service charge is included. If
the menu reads service non compris, or s.n.c. or servis en sus,
then you need to add an additional 15 percent.
Great Britain
Breakfast is often toast and marmalade with tea or some combination
of eggs, bacon, sausages, tomatoes, mushrooms, and fried bread.
For lunch and dinner, pubs almost always have some kind of lunchtime
menu, and many also offer evening meals, served at the bar or in
a separate restaurant area. Restaurants of all kinds abound, and
you can find everything from traditional British fare to ethnic
cuisine.
Ten percent should be added to your bill in a restaurant if a service
charge has not already been added. Do not tip bar staff in a pub;
the offer of a drink, instead, is appreciated.
Lunch is served from 12pm to 2pm, and dinner is served between 7pm
and 9pm.
Energy and Water Consumption
In Europe, utilities cost two to three times what they cost in the
North America. Many accommodations charge heating and electricity
based on usage, or include up to at certain kw usage in the price
and anything above that is charged extra. Don't leave lights blazing
in unoccupied rooms or use heat twenty-four hours a day? Wear layers
if it is cool. Bring slippers or warm socks for stone floors - that
you will find in many Italian houses. In addition, water heaters
tend to be smaller than those found in North America, which means
that you may not have as much hot water as you are used to. Pay
attention to this - or your extra charges can really add up!
Grocery Shopping
In Europe, you'll find small refrigerators and rarely freezers so
you will likely have to shop more frequently. Most European towns
and cities have weekly open-air markets, which offer a good opportunity
to sample local produce.
Fresh bread, which is made every night, is quickly gone in the mornings,
and hard to find in the afternoons. - so buy early -
Italy
It is common to find milk in "long shelf life" packaging.
Yoghurt of all kinds is widely available and excellent - very different
from North America - you may want to try it - even if you are not
a yoghurt eater - my husband was pleasantly surprised.
In Italy - and most other European countries it is considered
very bad manners to handle or touch the produce. In the larger supermarkets
disposable plastic gloves are provided for bagging the fruits and
vegetables. Nearby will be a scale for weighing the produce from
which a price sticker will be issued. Don't forget to do this -
or when you get to the cashier she will send you back. There are
usually pictures of the produce on the stickers - so it is not difficult
to figure out.
Also in Italy, you will probably have to bag your own groceries,
and be charged for each plastic bag that you use. The bags are useful
as garbage can liners. Or you can take them back with you the next
time you shop and you won't have to buy new ones.
Driving:
Italy
Driving in Italy can look a bit daunting, but if you stay alert
and keep your cool, it really is no problem. In fact, if you enjoy
driving, chances are you will have a great time on the roads in
Italy. Have a good map - check your route before you go - if your
destination is a small place - look at the next biggest place on
the same route/road - the signs will likelyl be posted for that
(bigger) town; If you are looking for a freeway exit - it will nearly
always be for the bigger town - It is always very well marked -
as you get closed to the highway turnoff - the smaller towns between
the highway and the bigger town - will also show - chances are good
that ir will show your destination.
Parking - as in most European towns - many parking areas
are on the honour sytem - you must have a 'horario' - check your
rental car before you leave the office - many have them, but many
don't and ask for one - otherwise you can buy them very cheaply
at gas stations and newsstands. - You will have to mark your arrival
time on this and put it onto your dashboard when you arrive - the
posted signs will show how much time you are allowed to park. Other
parking areas - will be metered - you may have to buy a ticket from
a central meter somewhere in the vicinity of where you have just
parked - you may have to look around - but don't neglect to buy
a ticket.
France
Similar rules apply as in Italy. However, be aware of the roundabouts,
which are abundant and a little daunting until you get used to them.
Pay attention to the signs that say, "Cedez le Passage!"
(Give right-of-way to oncoming traffic). Also some areas of France
still have what I call 'suicide lanes' - which means there are 3
lanes of road - the two outside ones for driving the middle one
for passing - for traffic going both ways! So watch out here - you
can suddenly have someone coming straight at you - their nerves
are better than yours - as they are used to it - move over! And
let them pass.
Great Britain
Driving is on the left side of the road. You must yield to traffic
approaching from your right in roundabouts. Rush hour in large towns
and cities should be avoided, as traffic can be bad. On this same
note, parking in city centers can also be tricky; "Park &
Ride" centers have been established, allowing you to park your
car outside the centers and take a shuttle into the center.
Public Bathrooms
Public bathrooms are not as widely found as in North America. It
often takes a little ingenuity and patience to locate them. The
following places are likely locations when in need: restaurants,
large cafes and bars, museums, some gas stations, and train stations.
There is a real variety of toilet facilities to be found, from
first-class American Standard toilets to porcelain holes in the
floor, so prepare yourself! Always carry tissues with you for the
times (frequent) when there is no toilet paper to be found.
Be forewarned: it is not unusual for the public bathrooms to be
unisex, so don't be shocked by what appears to be a lack of modesty.
Many places still require you to pay a small fee for using the washrooms,
for example at the train station in Rome - you will be required
to pay to go in and you will be given your toilet paper - however
- you will find that these facilities are usually very clean.
Telephones
Cellular
Cellular phones are very prevalent in Europe and use the Global
System for Mobiles (GSM), which is different from the U.S. system.
While you can rent such a phone in Europe, it is more convenient
to rent it from a company in the U.S. that can deliver the phone
to you the day prior to your departure. For info on our cell phone
services, click here.
Public
Italy
Pre-paid calling cards in amounts of Lit. 1,000, 5,000, 10,000,
and 50,000 have become the norm for public telephones. Ask for a
'scheda telefonica' - and tell them the denomination. The cards
can be purchased in train stations, airports, post offices, newsstands
and bars. The telephone automatically deducts the amount of the
call from your card. You can use the card again, as long as you
haven't used up the credit. The best way to call internationally
is to use this to call your North American operator -
AT&T - dial 172-1011 - you will get an American operator - you
can then make a call just as you would at home - at lower rates
than using your card directly.
Sprint - 172 -1877; MCI - 172-1022; for Canada - call 172- 1001;
Click
here for Canada Direct - to get your personalized calling card
numbers for all each European country you will visit.
France
Coin-operated public phones are being replaced by card-operated
cabines so it's essential to have a telecarte, phone card, of either
50 or 120 units. Phone cards are available from tabacs, newspaper
stands, and post offices. Credit cards can also be used. Post offices
have phone booths; once you've been assigned a number by the counterperson,
you can dial.
For At&T MCI Sprint
For Canada - 0-800-99-00-16 or 0-800-99-02-16
.
Great Britain
The old scarlet phone booths still exist all over Great Britain;
these are coin-operated, and take 10p, 20p, 50p and 1 pound coins.
Many phones are now also equipped for phone cards. Cards can be
purchased at post offices and stores displaying a green sign.
0-800-89-0016 or 0-500-89-1016
Credit Cards
Most restaurants and hotels take major credit cards, as do many
large grocery stores, supermarkets, and gas stations. It is not
as easy to get cash advances
Debit Cards - you can use debit cards - at most bank machines. Look
for a BancoMat.
You will need a 4 digit pin number - longer numbers don't work -
so make sure you get yours from your local bank.
Vandalism & Theft
When walking the streets of any city it is always a good idea to
guard your pockets, purse, and camera. The cities of Europe are
no exception. Pay particularly close attention in crowded places
where quiet hands might remove your camera or purse contents or
make a quick snatch as you are exiting a taxi. Don't wear valuables
or carry items that might make you a target of opportunity. Use
a money belt or pouch - hidden from view.
Backpacks can be slit from behind.
If you have a rental car, never leave items in the body of the
car that would identify you as tourists (maps, guidebooks, cameras,
suitcases, etc.). You might consider it cheap insurance to purchase
a European newspaper to be left clearly visible.
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