Touristy

We've experienced a not-so-nice American tourist from time to time, but I think it may be because we can understand what they're saying as opposed to say, a rude Beijingite. Maybe I've even been a not-so-nice American tourist, but I try to refrain from doing this . . .

Once when we were in the hellhole known as Delft, Netherlands (inside joke). Actually Delft is a really nice, quaint, city with canals and bagels. Win, win.

We were at this cafe' and could overhear an American woman trying her best not to be pretentious and doing a very good job of just the opposite when "asking" the waiter about the coffee she was drinking, but was clearly dissatisfied with.

In her best "I'm-really-not-pompous" voice she asked the waiter (who, by the way, spoke perfect English - and probably perfect Dutch, French and German) . . . if, in the future, she wanted to order a cup of "American" coffee, what exactly should she order? She had obviously ordered something short of her expectations when it came to a cup of coffee.

I feel her pain. I drank cup after cup of something short of my expectations in Rome. So I did the logical thing - quit ordering coffee and ordered wine instead. Win, win.

I'm sure he (the Delft waiter) wanted to say something like "Perhaps you should order American coffee in America." or "Did you know espresso doesn't have an 'x' in it?", but instead he graciously tried to appease her, gave her a quick Starbucks lesson on every kind of coffee ending in a vowel and offered to give her something else.

My first thought was a quote by James A. Michener I found a long time ago that all travelers - even us Americans - should probably consider:

If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay at home.

Turns out, according to a recent survey by Living Social and Mandala Research of 5,600 people in 5 countries, Americans are considered the worst tourists - and this is coming from their own countrymen! Americans think Americans are the worst tourists. Well, and Australians and Canadians also voted Americans the worst tourists.

Oh, and 4,000 (70%) of those polled were American.

The survey was a bit limited since the 5 countries were the U.S., the U.K., Ireland, Australia, and Canada. I wouldn't expect to see Belgium in the list, but since Paris and Rome are two of the top destinations for tourists, especially Americans, perhaps France and Italy should have made the short list.

I don't know what the Italianos would say, but I'm pretty sure the French might have a similar response as the Canuck and the Aussie.

I probably should add the Netherlands, specifically Delft, to that last response too.