High Mileage

Believe it or not, Rome has a subway/metro.  Many tourists visiting the city never realize it exists, and just how useful it can be.  For only 1 Euro you can buy a ticket good for 75 minutes of travel.  And for 4 Euro you can get a 1-day pass.  Considering what a taxi would cost this is a bargain.  And no traffic to worry about, which in Rome can be a real log jamb.
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Is the term “Ugly American” still relevant?  Are you one?  Why do you travel anyway?

I often wonder why people travel to Europe, and expect to be greeted in English and never try to understand or assimilate into the local culture.  If your goal is to simply see sites, visit museums, and take tons of pictures, maybe traveling the great old USA would be better.  When I go to another country my main reason is to see how other folks live, eat, work, and play.  Their culture is what interests me, and how it’s different from ours.
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The train is a great way to explore Europe in a relaxed manner. There are many reasons to prefer trains over planes, cars and buses for travel in Europe.  Nearly every city has one or more stations which are served by trains many times each day. There are no time-consuming check-ins and often you arrive in the heart of your destination.  While traveling you can admire the view, talk to fellow passengers, go for a stroll or read a good book.  Plus you can eat any time you want without the hasstle of finding a good place.  And you can meet interesting people that always seem willing to share travel tips and ideas.
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A little knowledge goes a long way.  And can gain you instant respect from waiters and locals in Europe.  Take for example a simple item like water.  Here in the USA we drink tap water regularly and now a lot of us are into bottled water (one of my pet peeves for people driving - please stop).  The concept of bottled water actually started in Europe out of necessity since tap water in a lot of places was, frankly, awful and sometimes unhealthy.  Each locality had it’s own brand or favorite.  And now it’s commonly a source of pride and in most upper scale restaurants a measuring stick for diners.  If you want instant respect you gotta know the right water to order!
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People tend to take vacations and visit the wine areas of the world in summer & fall. We decided to tour the Tuscan countryside during the Christmas and New Years holiday season.  Our goal, besides gathering comments and opinions on the recent harvest, was to experience the holiday focus in Italy.  If you never considered a winter trip to Tuscany, you miss the chance of a much more up-close and truly personal visit. A winter trip versus a summer one offers several trade-offs.  On the plus side, the off-season has no crowds so driving the countryside is great.  In fact its possible to stop almost anywhere to capture that special photographic moment.  Local people are much more approachable and have time to chat, giving you the opportunity to really learn about local culture and customs.  Even waiters, cooks, and property owners seem more friendly and willing to spend extra time with you.  And that amazing villa you’ve dreamed of renting is truly affordable.

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When you travel to a European country do you learn a few words of their language? Why not? If someone from France comes to California (probably to visit wine country, not Disney) do they expect us to greet them in French? Or even expect us to understand what they are asking for unless they speak English? So then why do most American travelers view people in France as rude and unfriendly because they refuse to communicate with us?  Hence the term “ugly American”.
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In my opinion, most all American drivers have no clue how to really drive.  Very few understand the basic rules of the road and show absolutely no courtesy.  It seems the style here is poke along making use of every distracting toy we all possess, with almost no attention paid to actually driving.  Food, water, drinks, cell phones, music players, and personal hygiene activities occupy most of the time behind the wheel.  And all traffic lanes are fair game at any speed. So are American drivers prepared to drive in countries where a more aggressive style is prevalent?
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