tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9501938.post8867887606651646886..comments2023-11-05T08:01:10.010+00:00Comments on Think of England: FrogsBrithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00390560583798960760noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9501938.post-37731888399557215022010-02-09T18:35:56.200+00:002010-02-09T18:35:56.200+00:00Hmmn, when it comes to rudeness I don't think ...Hmmn, when it comes to rudeness I don't think anything beats the Greek captain of a cruise ship who, when his vessel started sinking at sea, abandoned ship - leaving all the passengers still on board. Compared to that, being left behind by a taxi is peanuts.Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06074816573442173758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9501938.post-23305525565642793102010-02-09T17:34:04.967+00:002010-02-09T17:34:04.967+00:00I'm just back from a weekend in Rome, where I ...I'm just back from a weekend in Rome, where I did spot a (or is it 'the') McDonald's. Never mind, the slow food is still exceptionally tasty and Italian... and the service is surprisingly friendly and fast - at least compared to Paris (a beautiful looking city, but <a href="http://shopcurious.blogspot.com/2010/02/love-iscuriously-french.html" rel="nofollow">not one I'm in loveSusanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00179895758709928467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9501938.post-71601533791501428342010-02-09T13:56:45.959+00:002010-02-09T13:56:45.959+00:00Brit:
Slightly OT, you know that anti-globalizati...Brit:<br /><br />Slightly OT, you know that anti-globalization, anti-cultural homogenization battle the left has been waging with futility for years now? Guess who is finally doing something concrete to <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35301534/ns/business-world_business/?gt1=43001" rel="nofollow">reverse</a> the trend.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9501938.post-73117601166134150722010-02-09T13:52:54.186+00:002010-02-09T13:52:54.186+00:00Never found the frogs to be more or less rude in p...Never found the frogs to be more or less rude in person than a brit. Although I agree with Brit, you do get the occasional one that is so off the scale that you can't quite believe what you are seeing! Have met plenty of seriously rude Germans though, as they are more russian in their approach (ie. too much politeness is a sign of weakness to be exploited)wormhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02802335627720182532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9501938.post-35251856252547327942010-02-09T11:23:06.225+00:002010-02-09T11:23:06.225+00:00I rather prefer waiters to be dignified and even s...I rather prefer waiters to be dignified and even supercilious if the restaurant deserves it (not that I ever go in such restaurants, but I can dream...) Yes, for up-its-arseness it's Paris every time, though the French can otherwise be splendid.Gadjo Dilohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08998278830936531990noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9501938.post-26124360660404386452010-02-09T11:03:39.134+00:002010-02-09T11:03:39.134+00:00Even the French find the Parisians odd, although i...Even the French find the Parisians odd, although it must be said that the average Briton finds Londoners somewhat strange, the Savoyards don't much like the French, the Norgies say that the Swedes are thieves, Geordies think everyone south of the Tees is gay.<br /><br />Hey! we have the makings of WW3 here, lets assassinate an Archduke.maltyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02936465848907794425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9501938.post-40322427697706439942010-02-09T10:34:46.342+00:002010-02-09T10:34:46.342+00:00Heh heh - yes Peter. I remember some Russian corre...Heh heh - yes Peter. I remember some Russian correspondent on Radio 4 explaining that in the same way we Britons cringe at US 'Have a Nice Day' over-friendliness, the Russians cringe at our pleases and thank yous. Basically, anything more than pointing and grunting is considered insufferably obsequious.Brithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00390560583798960760noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9501938.post-61299957722504129942010-02-09T10:30:45.703+00:002010-02-09T10:30:45.703+00:00The French are servile compared to the Russians. ...The French are servile compared to the Russians. I remember reading that when MacDonald's opened in Moscow, the staff needed a few toughs to protect them because so many customers thought they were being made fun of when they were wished a good day.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9501938.post-33113775168918359012010-02-09T10:03:14.857+00:002010-02-09T10:03:14.857+00:00The average level of rudeness probably isn't t...The average level of rudeness probably isn't that different, but you do now and again find in France a kind of spectacular "you are subhuman" level of rudeness which is impossible to find elsewhere. <br /><br />The Have a Nice Day culture obviously doesn't exist in France, and where it occurs here we complain about that, too.Brithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00390560583798960760noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9501938.post-27170787788347746162010-02-09T09:57:43.808+00:002010-02-09T09:57:43.808+00:00My missus informs me that the assistants in French...My missus informs me that the assistants in French clothes shops are much more helpful and professional than their British counterparts, even in Paris.<br /><br />I must say, having spent quite a while in France, I've very rarely encountered the sort of rudeness described here. I certainly don't feel Paris is any more ill-mannered than London. London cabbies refuse to pick you up Gareth Williamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05058241057385364459noreply@blogger.com