Home > News & Events > Rick Steves: Blog Gone Europe 2006

It's not a doodle bag...

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Best thing to happen to me on this trip was when my son, Andy, called me and said he'd like to join me for a few days "to see how I do my work." He cut his alone time short and flew from Paris to Galway, checked out the pub scene there for a day, and then joined me and my Ireland guidebook co-author Pat for five days of research before our planned family get-together in Dublin. It was great to have him along. It reminded me of travels with my grandparents in the 1970s in Norway (even thought they would stay at the fancy hotel and I'd sleep down the street in the hostel to enjoy a livelier crowd).

Andy has had a marvelous trip--assisted on three of our new Best of Europe family tours, was in the streets of Rome the night the Italians won the World Cup, was at the finish line of the Tour de France in Paris a week later, and has a long list of new friends from all over the place. Rather than sit at his hotel desk writing a blog...he's out there wringing the fun out of Europe. When I bragged to my Irish friend what a fine traveler Andy is at age 19, "He didn't get that from the stones on the road."

As a dad, it's so fun to think of the life experience my son is enjoying.

A few random thoughts from this trip: After all my "life experience" from spending a third of my adult days romping around Europe, I sometimes lose track of what's impressive to Americans. Recently while filming in Italy, the barista made a smiley face in the foam on my cappuccino. Impressed, I asked Simon (my director) if we could film it. He said "that's no big deal--they do it all the time in the states." Later, in Austria, a pear tree was growing like ivy up the wall of a mountain chalet, attracted by the heat the white stucco held. "Wow!" I said to Simon..."let's film it." He said, "that's an espalier, I have one in my Seattle back yard."

A guide told me that if the building that was there before was still there it would be the oldest building in the town. Vienna's Ministry of War has been downsized and what was their equivalent of our Pentagon now houses Austria's ministry of social affairs. Here in Ireland, people keep asking "are you okay?" The Irish are a bit put off by the German inability to appreciate their treasured bagpipes. In German a bagpipe is called a "doodle bag."

Posted by Rick Steves on August 9, 2006

Comments

The English also ask "Are you OK?". I learned this one morning when I was in England on business and several people I met asked me if I was OK. I had been out the night before and had a few pints of ale, but felt fine. Thinking that I must look terrible, I finally asked someone, "Why do you ask?". They replied, "Oh, that is just how we great each other in the morning".

Rick - thanks for keeping the great blog - wish I were there.

Posted by: Mark - Aug 10, 2006 5:40 AM

Hey, that Simon has seen too much. I love coffee and go to the cafes in the US but I have never seen the smiley face. But hey, I guess half the people that would have seen that footage in the US would have known it was more an international flair than I and so I am probably in a small club of coffee decor ignoramuses.

Posted by: Jenny - Aug 10, 2006 8:28 AM

Hi Rick--Simon is sounding a little jaded! I think you have a similar shot of cappucino, in any case...only I think it was a heart and not a smily face. I don't remember which show...probably one of the Italy ones, since that's the DVD I own. Thanks for everything you do...and I love traveling with you via this blog.

Posted by: Stacy - Aug 10, 2006 8:55 AM

For about 5 months now, our 2 year old grand daughter always asks us: "Are you ok?" when ever we sneeze or cough! We are looking forware to our 2 week trip to Ireland in about 6 weeks, and we are enjoying your blog.

Posted by: Dan Murphy - Aug 10, 2006 9:12 AM

Hi! Love your blog, I wish I could travel as much these days as I did when I traveled London and Britain just after college a few years ago... maybe sometime soon! Until then, I live vicariously through your excellent posting, tv shows and travel guides.

My old college classmate tells me stories of his year in New Zealand. He was utterly confused when they all kept asking him "Are you alright?" until he figured out it was just an everyday greeting much like "How's it going?"

Posted by: Kris - Aug 10, 2006 9:29 AM

I agree with others' comments that Simon is perhaps too jaded. I am a cappuccino-lover and live in the SF Bay Area, where there are many many cafes and coffee shops. I order capps all the time, but have never gotten a smiley face or anything else in one. So you should have filmed it. And yes, there is a heart on top of a capp in one of your shows...I remember it too.

Posted by: John Grabowski - Aug 10, 2006 10:28 AM

My first experience with expresso art was in Vernazza where I was served a cappuccino with "Ciao" written in the foam. I have a great picture of it hanging in my kitchen. My husband was served a cappuccino with what looked like a woman's breasts drawn in the foam! We laughed about that but then really had a good laugh when we realized it was a smiley face! Thanks for this blog. Very refreshing. Ciao!

Posted by: Christe - Aug 10, 2006 10:34 AM

I think the "smiley face" is a Seattle thing -- especially at Caffe Ladro chain. I would often get one before work. They would also do hearts or other designs.

Posted by: Chris - Aug 21, 2006 5:19 AM