Kalleh's question in another thread "why can't there be one style manual for English" jut reminded me (without there being any obvious connection) of something I saw in a bar and restaurant some years ago when I was visiting the Philippines.

Breakfast

European Breakfast
Croissant, butter, cheese, coffee

English Breakfast
Sausage, egg, bacon, tomatoes, toast, marmelade, tea

American Breakfast
Eggs, ham, pancakes, syrup, coffee

Australian Breakfast
Sausage, Bacon, Burger, Eggs, Tomatoes, Beans, Mushrooms, Fish, Chips, Toast, Jam, Beer

I think the last one might have been intended to be tongue in cheek though.

Purgamentum init, exit purgamentum

Read all about my travels around the world here.

Another source of confusion is the names given to hotel boarrd terms:

American Plan = full board = room plus all meals
Modified American Plan = half board = room plus breakfast and one main meal (usually dinner)
Bermuda Plan = B & B = room plus breakfast
European Plan = RO = room only

In fact, the eccentricities of eating often amuse me. Why, for example, do many Americans have the savoury components on the same plate as their pancakes and syrup? Or why is it that many continentals eat cheese for breakfast while the British want it with dinner?

And as for the heathen habit of eating jam (instead of marmalade) on the breakfast toast - words (almost) fail me!

Richard English

Another confusing item with travel, is all the different types of accomodations available. From the AAA book:

• Hotel - full service
  
• Motel - limited service
  
• Country Inn - moderate service
  
• Resort - full service
  
• Bed & Breakfast - limited service
  
• Condominium - limited service
  
• Motor Inn - moderate service
  
• Complex - service varies
  
• Lodge - moderate service
  
• Apartment - limited service
  
• Cottage - limited service
  
• Ranch - moderate service

And there are complete descriptions of what is high-rise, low-rise, etc. Whewwwwww!

quote:

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And as for the heathen habit of eating jam (instead of marmalade) on the breakfast toast - words (almost) fail me!

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Richard, that reminds me of one of my kids' favorite characters...Paddington Bear

Yes, it is interesting to see the diffences in eating habits. I am told, for example, that the French eat their salads after dinner, rather than before. I also hear that all of Europe is much freer about allowing children wine for dinner. There was a teacher from the Chicago suburbs who got fired because her middle-school kids were visiting families in France, and one family gave one of the children wine for dinner. Nothing happened--just a glass of wine at dinner with the family. Upon her return to the states, when the school board found out, that teacher was fired.

[This message was edited by Kalleh on Fri Jan 10th, 2003 at 10:47.]

I suppose we should not be surprised about the somewhat puritanical attitude of some Americans when we think back to the religious beliefs of some of the earlier settlers.

In the UK it is illegal for children to drink alcohol (even at home) until they reach a certain age (although I can't recall what that it).

In France and some other European countries the laws are more relaxed and I remember well my first glass of wine. It was in Dinard (France) in 1947 (I was five) and the whole trip was a revelation since we were subject to very heavy rationing in England. For the first time I tried wine, melon and olives and believe that this was one of the things that set me on the path towards being a "bon vivieur".

Many expeiments have found, many times, that restrictions on drinking alcohol have little effect on its consumption - as the USA's own experiment in the 1920s surely proved!

Richard English