The differences between cruisers from different countries

I always SMH when I see someone eating pizza with a knife and fork. (no matter what the nationality)

It is a rare day that my DW will use fingers to eat pizza or other "finger foods". She says it is a "tactile thing".

I've noticed the Americans are usually the large ones with the white shoes.

Oh, okay.....Do you see where I am from? I work in the city 3X week and have NEVER seen anyone eat pizza with a knife and fork. I guess the millions of people in the city have NO idea what pizza is. Geezzzzz

Which city? :p ;)

How did you miss NYC's own Cadet Bone Spur and Sarah Palin sharing their pizza while using knives and forks?

I've noticed the Americans are usually the large ones with the white shoes.

Many Europeans and South Americans wear long, very pointy, shoes. Also, their sneakers look like what I see American bowlers wearing.

Which city? :p ;)

 

How did you miss NYC's own Cadet Bone Spur and Sarah Palin sharing their pizza while using knives and forks?

Hahahahaha ;p

Hahahahaha ;p

Ditto for me![emoji1][emoji1][emoji1]

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As we in the US would be insulted as well.

I just recently returned from a cruise on NCL out of Barcelona to Canary Islands...overheard someone asking a couple if they were from US they replied “no, Canada”...the person then replied “ah, same thing”...um no actually not at all and my geography says two different countries! I wanted to chime in but the Canadians stood up quite nice for themselves [emoji23]I found these overall observations interesting! I personally love the European cruises and hearing the quirkiness of different travelers...especially the Brits! #wishIwasstillonholiday

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I just recently returned from a cruise on NCL out of Barcelona to Canary Islands...overheard someone asking a couple if they were from US they replied “no, Canada”...the person then replied “ah, same thing”...um no actually not at all and my geography says two different countries! I wanted to chime in but the Canadians stood up quite nice for themselves [emoji23]I found these overall observations interesting! I personally love the European cruises and hearing the quirkiness of different travelers...especially the Brits! #wishIwasstillonholiday

 

 

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I have found that you can discuss hickey with cruisers from Canada.

I have found that you can discuss hickey with cruisers from Canada.

Or even hockey. :D

If bacon doesn't crumble' date=' it isn't cooked enough. Ditto fries (or chips) - if I can eat then with a fork, they aren't crisp enough for my liking. Pizza is total hand food -- fold it and eat, especially when at a ball game or concert.

 

Having said that, when out and about I do use my utensils instead of my hands if it is at all practical.[/quote']

 

Like most things, cooking bacon properly takes a bit of care. My children were harsh judges: it should never be

"squishy" (under-cooked and rubbery) or "crumbly" (so overdone that it shatters upon being touched).

Neither extreme is acceptable - and just as there is a "moment of truth" in bull fighting, there is that instant when a rasher should be removed from the skillet.

Sadly, a skillet is the wrong tool for properly cooked bacon. A pan with parchment in a convection oven yield far superior results.

I just recently returned from a cruise on NCL out of Barcelona to Canary Islands...overheard someone asking a couple if they were from US they replied “no, Canada”...the person then replied “ah, same thing”...um no actually not at all and my geography says two different countries! I wanted to chime in but the Canadians stood up quite nice for themselves [emoji23]I found these overall observations interesting! I personally love the European cruises and hearing the quirkiness of different travelers...especially the Brits! #wishIwasstillonholiday

Saying a Canadian is the "same thing" as an American is like saying a Scot or an Irishman is the "same thing" as an Englishman. Don't be surprised if offense is taken.

Saying a Canadian is the "same thing" as an American is like saying a Scot or an Irishman is the "same thing" as an Englishman. Don't be surprised if offense is taken.

On a different board (still primarily US based) I used to be part of there was a poster who was Scottish but identified himself as British in his signature. In my limited exposure it seems like those from the UK identify as both British and the specific part of Britain they are from.

In the US (primarily) we identify as American and only give our state as a geographic reference. I thought you were Canadian - is there provincial pride, or do most identify just as Canadian?

I'm American. I use my Indoor voice, and I don't know who Rick Steves is. I will 'fess up to being in the very casually dressed group, but my clothes are always clean (I launder everything after just one wearing) with no holes, missing buttons, etc. And I always coordinate tops to bottoms, and help DH do the same.

 

Generalizations, generally, don't pertain to everybody, and I tend to judge (I actually don't care for that word) individuals by their own actions, rather than lump them into a group judgement. Must be an American thing.

Hear, hear! [emoji16] I agree wholeheartedly.

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On a different board (still primarily US based) I used to be part of there was a poster who was Scottish but identified himself as British in his signature. In my limited exposure it seems like those from the UK identify as both British and the specific part of Britain they are from.

 

In the US (primarily) we identify as American and only give our state as a geographic reference. I thought you were Canadian - is there provincial pride, or do most identify just as Canadian?

Some Scots might identify as British but not as English. Some Irish will identify as British if they are from the North.

With the exception of Quebec where there are linguistic, cultural and legal distinctions there is comparatively little "provincial pride" among the English-speaking provinces in Canada.

Americans and Canadians are superficially similar in outward appearance particularly to those from other countries but there are profound historical, cultural, social and political differences between the two.

Some Scots might identify as British but not as English. Some Irish will identify as British if they are from the North.

 

With the exception of Quebec where there are linguistic, cultural and legal distinctions there is comparatively little "provincial pride" among the English-speaking provinces in Canada.

 

Americans and Canadians are superficially similar in outward appearance particularly to those from other countries but there are profound historical, cultural, social and political differences between the two.

I agree. It was interesting being at the Citadel last fall and viewing history through another culture, especially after having toured Washington, DC in the summer and visiting the Smithsonian museum covering the wars. I have loved each of my visits to Canada and appreciate much of the culture, but easily recognize that I am in a different country.

It's interesting that there is often such a blur between Canada/US but not US/Mexico even though we are all North America.

Reading all these posts, it made me wonder if there are differences in approaches to these things depending on what part of the USA you are from?

I consider myself to have good table manners but have never heard of the bread and butter issue, nor the cutting of more than one bite of meat. And even though we have travelled the world, have never even noticed it. That doesn't go for the knife and fork switching. I adopted the non-switching approach a long time ago based on observing people from other countries. It just made sense to me.

Pizza? We have at least one Pizza chain here in Central Ohio that cuts pizza in squares, not slices. I suppose that is heresy in some places.

It's interesting that there is often such a blur between Canada/US but not US/Mexico even though we are all North America.

My guess would be that the general differences in physical appearance, and the different language spoken results in no blur between US citizens and Mexican citizens. [emoji846]

Obviously these folks that think Americans are the loudest have never traveled with a group from Germany.

Or, perhaps, never experienced a shipload of Spaniards where it seems as if the entire village is traveling together and want to eat at the same table.

À chacun son goût - we all have different foibles that we consider normal, but that others might find odd or disturbing.

If you can't hack it - stay home.

...With the exception of Quebec where there are linguistic, cultural and legal distinctions there is comparatively little "provincial pride" among the English-speaking provinces in Canada.

I disagree - as an expat Brit (or Scot, although depending how the whole Brexit & independence things shake out I might need to choose one or t'other before too long...) I was enough of an outsider in our time in Toronto to hear from all the non-Ontarians who had moved there that basically all the rest of Canada hates Ontario (mostly Ottawa, but also Toronto specifically - especially Montreal who lost their status as largest and richest city to Toronto well within living memory, even if they're smug that they've been much better at hockey for fifty years).

Moving out to the left coast has only confirmed that fact that Canada is just as much a country of squabbling provinces as the UK is a 'united' kingdom of squabbling countries. The current pipeline issue is really making it obvious that BC (we're all tree-hugging hippies) & Alberta (Texas North) are about as different as any two democratic entities that share a common language can be, but Ralph Klein's offer of bus tickets to Vancouver to folks objecting to his policies so they could move out of Alberta is a pretty good example of the general attitude between the provinces being historically divided.

Plus there's the 'every other province thinks Alberta is the least Canadian one, even compared to Quebec' opinion because of the whole 'cowboy yeehaw oil money screw-the-environment' thing. But even BC & Alberta are willing to join us as part of 'Western Canada' to try and balance the 'federal government is focused on Ontario first' perception.

And then there's the 'mooching Maritimers being paid for by Ontario/Alberta' opinion, and the 'those damn mainlanders stop us from fishing and clubbing seals' one in the other direction. Plus of course the not insignificant number of folks who complain about First Nations living tax-free and wonder "Can't they just get over the whole residential schools/treaty breaking stuff and move somewhere civilized instead of making us pay to get clean water and schools on the reserves?"

In short, while we have some very big similarities across the country, e.g. 'healthcare = a universal right' (though operated very differently in some provinces than others) and a consistently in-between-the-UK-and-US-sense-of-humour, Canada is just as bad as the UK and US for sub-regional attitudes of Us vs Them. In my experience there is often more commonality between a neighbouring US state and their Canadian cross-border province, or at least similarly-sized cities the other side of the border, than there is between Canadians on different sides of the country.

Over here on the left coast for example the whole Cascadia region of BC/WA/OR is much more alike in general attitude than BCers are to Albertans or Ontarians; Vancouver, Seattle & Portland are like siblings. On the opposite side all the many Maine-iacs of my acquaintance get on like a house on fire with Nova Scotians & Newfies, but wouldn't share the time of day with someone from Massachussetts (I spewed beer all over when I first heard the term "M*******" used in conversation). Chicago and Toronto are in a major bromance.

Sweeping generalizations of course, and so many Canadians have moved between provinces to keep the 'hatred' at a much more civilized 'let us mock the strangers' level instead of 'we shall water the crops with the blood of our rivals!' type stuff.

TL;DR - for folks who are not Canadians the best way to quickly grasp our provincial pride and rivalries is to figure out whatever obscure sports channel in your area will show The Brier curling championships. If you can find a local bar popular with Canadians to watch, even better - watch the crowd rather than the game unless you're a Scot, from the far north of the US, or one of the other few dozen people from elsewhere in the world who actually know the game;-)

On the surface it's a very gentle game, and all the fans of every provincial team are very polite - but look at the crowds faces when an opposing skip misses an easy clearance or draw and you'll see the fire burning behind their eyes!

I disagree - as an expat Brit (or Scot, although depending how the whole Brexit & independence things shake out I might need to choose one or t'other before too long...) I was enough of an outsider in our time in Toronto to hear from all the non-Ontarians who had moved there that basically all the rest of Canada hates Ontario (mostly Ottawa, but also Toronto specifically - especially Montreal who lost their status as largest and richest city to Toronto well within living memory, even if they're smug that they've been much better at hockey for fifty years).

 

Moving out to the left coast has only confirmed that fact that Canada is just as much a country of squabbling provinces as the UK is a 'united' kingdom of squabbling countries. The current pipeline issue is really making it obvious that BC (we're all tree-hugging hippies) & Alberta (Texas North) are about as different as any two democratic entities that share a common language can be, but Ralph Klein's offer of bus tickets to Vancouver to folks objecting to his policies so they could move out of Alberta is a pretty good example of the general attitude between the provinces being historically divided.

 

Plus there's the 'every other province thinks Alberta is the least Canadian one, even compared to Quebec' opinion because of the whole 'cowboy yeehaw oil money screw-the-environment' thing. But even BC & Alberta are willing to join us as part of 'Western Canada' to try and balance the 'federal government is focused on Ontario first' perception.

 

And then there's the 'mooching Maritimers being paid for by Ontario/Alberta' opinion, and the 'those damn mainlanders stop us from fishing and clubbing seals' one in the other direction. Plus of course the not insignificant number of folks who complain about First Nations living tax-free and wonder "Can't they just get over the whole residential schools/treaty breaking stuff and move somewhere civilized instead of making us pay to get clean water and schools on the reserves?"

 

In short, while we have some very big similarities across the country, e.g. 'healthcare = a universal right' (though operated very differently in some provinces than others) and a consistently in-between-the-UK-and-US-sense-of-humour, Canada is just as bad as the UK and US for sub-regional attitudes of Us vs Them. In my experience there is often more commonality between a neighbouring US state and their Canadian cross-border province, or at least similarly-sized cities the other side of the border, than there is between Canadians on different sides of the country.

 

Over here on the left coast for example the whole Cascadia region of BC/WA/OR is much more alike in general attitude than BCers are to Albertans or Ontarians; Vancouver, Seattle & Portland are like siblings. On the opposite side all the many Maine-iacs of my acquaintance get on like a house on fire with Nova Scotians & Newfies, but wouldn't share the time of day with someone from Massachussetts (I spewed beer all over when I first heard the term "M*******" used in conversation). Chicago and Toronto are in a major bromance.

 

Sweeping generalizations of course, and so many Canadians have moved between provinces to keep the 'hatred' at a much more civilized 'let us mock the strangers' level instead of 'we shall water the crops with the blood of our rivals!' type stuff.

 

TL;DR - for folks who are not Canadians the best way to quickly grasp our provincial pride and rivalries is to figure out whatever obscure sports channel in your area will show The Brier curling championships. If you can find a local bar popular with Canadians to watch, even better - watch the crowd rather than the game unless you're a Scot, from the far north of the US, or one of the other few dozen people from elsewhere in the world who actually know the game;-)

 

On the surface it's a very gentle game, and all the fans of every provincial team are very polite - but look at the crowds faces when an opposing skip misses an easy clearance or draw and you'll see the fire burning behind their eyes!

As a Washingtonian turned British Columbian turned Albertan, I’d say you just nailed this! I’ve been in Alberta 11 years (DH born & raised here) and I still don’t feel like I am an Albertan. I definitely feel like a west-coaster.

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I disagree - as an expat Brit (or Scot, although depending how the whole Brexit & independence things shake out I might need to choose one or t'other before too long...) I was enough of an outsider in our time in Toronto to hear from all the non-Ontarians who had moved there that basically all the rest of Canada hates Ontario (mostly Ottawa, but also Toronto specifically - especially Montreal who lost their status as largest and richest city to Toronto well within living memory, even if they're smug that they've been much better at hockey for fifty years).

 

Moving out to the left coast has only confirmed that fact that Canada is just as much a country of squabbling provinces as the UK is a 'united' kingdom of squabbling countries. The current pipeline issue is really making it obvious that BC (we're all tree-hugging hippies) & Alberta (Texas North) are about as different as any two democratic entities that share a common language can be, but Ralph Klein's offer of bus tickets to Vancouver to folks objecting to his policies so they could move out of Alberta is a pretty good example of the general attitude between the provinces being historically divided.

 

Plus there's the 'every other province thinks Alberta is the least Canadian one, even compared to Quebec' opinion because of the whole 'cowboy yeehaw oil money screw-the-environment' thing. But even BC & Alberta are willing to join us as part of 'Western Canada' to try and balance the 'federal government is focused on Ontario first' perception.

 

And then there's the 'mooching Maritimers being paid for by Ontario/Alberta' opinion, and the 'those damn mainlanders stop us from fishing and clubbing seals' one in the other direction. Plus of course the not insignificant number of folks who complain about First Nations living tax-free and wonder "Can't they just get over the whole residential schools/treaty breaking stuff and move somewhere civilized instead of making us pay to get clean water and schools on the reserves?"

 

In short, while we have some very big similarities across the country, e.g. 'healthcare = a universal right' (though operated very differently in some provinces than others) and a consistently in-between-the-UK-and-US-sense-of-humour, Canada is just as bad as the UK and US for sub-regional attitudes of Us vs Them. In my experience there is often more commonality between a neighbouring US state and their Canadian cross-border province, or at least similarly-sized cities the other side of the border, than there is between Canadians on different sides of the country.

 

Over here on the left coast for example the whole Cascadia region of BC/WA/OR is much more alike in general attitude than BCers are to Albertans or Ontarians; Vancouver, Seattle & Portland are like siblings. On the opposite side all the many Maine-iacs of my acquaintance get on like a house on fire with Nova Scotians & Newfies, but wouldn't share the time of day with someone from Massachussetts (I spewed beer all over when I first heard the term "M*******" used in conversation). Chicago and Toronto are in a major bromance.

 

Sweeping generalizations of course, and so many Canadians have moved between provinces to keep the 'hatred' at a much more civilized 'let us mock the strangers' level instead of 'we shall water the crops with the blood of our rivals!' type stuff.

 

TL;DR - for folks who are not Canadians the best way to quickly grasp our provincial pride and rivalries is to figure out whatever obscure sports channel in your area will show The Brier curling championships. If you can find a local bar popular with Canadians to watch, even better - watch the crowd rather than the game unless you're a Scot, from the far north of the US, or one of the other few dozen people from elsewhere in the world who actually know the game;-)

 

On the surface it's a very gentle game, and all the fans of every provincial team are very polite - but look at the crowds faces when an opposing skip misses an easy clearance or draw and you'll see the fire burning behind their eyes!

One of the most enjoyable posts I’ve read in years!

And Canada is becoming more homogenized...poutine has made it to BC.

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...poutine has made it to BC.

 

 

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It's also made it to the UK. Commonly found in large city hipster bars. :)

Delish.

If only we had what Canada has...

If you promise to keep him I'm sure we can arrange a one way ticket for Justin.

Or, perhaps, never experienced a shipload of Spaniards where it seems as if the entire village is traveling together and want to eat at the same table.

 

À chacun son goût - we all have different foibles that we consider normal, but that others might find odd or disturbing.

If you can't hack it - stay home.

The fun for me is traveling to met others from different countries and I could give a rat's behind if they wear sneakers, wear smelly sandals, wear shirts with their country on them, wear Hawaiian shirts, are loud, take up a lot of the tables, etc., because none of that is as important as learning about other's and their countries and enjoying a trip. Before folks start critizing others on how they act or what they wear, maybe it is time to look in the mirror at yourself and see what other's see.