Well, last two weeks I've been in France, Italy and Switzerland. It's been fun and enjoyable. But my trip isn't the real point of the tread.

Along the trip and the places I stayed, I noticed, especially in France and Italy, that the cups of coffee (or café) I saw/drank are small. The cup itself, through my perspective, is quite tiny and the drink inside isn't filled to the rim (althought the coffee is thick). But, despite its size, they can be pricy. Even highway reststops, these cups make there appearence. And sometimes, where ever there is café or a coffee vender, there are people who socialize over these drinks. I assume they take small sips.

I wonder. Does European cups of coffee somewhat reflect European culture and taste? There are many other things in Europe that I consider small. Many small cars, many small, narrow streets, smaller breakfast and meals (France really?), small front yards for houses, and so on. I haven't been in Europe for very long, and I haven't been everywhere, but I do notice this trend.

In America, the cups of coffee are bigger. There are more SUVs and bigger cars on the road (personally, I think this is becoming a problem). Fast food chains like to super-size meals and drinks to please customers. And so on. So I assume much of America likes big? I don't know what countries like Canada and Australia have taste in.

Thoughts?

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As the saying goes - the smaller the cup, the smaller the penis... come to Belgium for a REAL OVERSIZED XXXXL cup of GIANT TERMINATOR coffee OF DOOM.

I think what you find is that portions of food/drink generally are MUCH bigger in the states.

We have small cars because our roads aren't on a grid system, so can't deal with long wheelbases too well, and the prices of petrol are fields apart, so big gas-guzzling cars are a no-no.

/Doesn't really drink coffee

[EDIT: Rods, roads, it's all the same... ]

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If at first you don't succeed, lower your standards.

[This message has been edited by Martyn (edited July 16, 2004).]

It's socialism! The poor people need coffee toooooo, man!

America has a lot of hugeness over other nations, and a lot of european nations have quirky smallness going on with their habits and the like.

I've seen people sip tiny coffee in Turkey before... tasted quite strange but it was nice.

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Drugs & Stupidity, Tons of it.

French coffee sucks. Come to Sweden for some famous Swedish coffee.

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"The trick in life is not to find a way to make it perfect, it's to enjoy the good, strengthen your ability to deal with the bad, and keep your eyes looking forward to the good."
-Chelsea Brown

It's true, everything is big in America. Coffee comes in buckets and every car can carry 8 passengers plus a smaller car in the trunk.

As for small cars and small streets in Europe, well that's more of an historical thing. America is only a few hundred years old, European cities have been around for thousands. Modern American cities were designed with sprawling suburbs and easy transportation in mind, European cities were designed to have strong fortifications. The layout of modern European cities reflects how they were 1000 years ago, and small cars are simply an accomodation of these ancient designs.

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[This message has been edited by Spork (edited July 16, 2004).]

ye ol' land r teh small

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Spork, I love you.

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Sounds more like over-compensation for being a little less "gifted"...

Is this why Americans go everything big?

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When guitars are outlawed, only outlaws will have guitars.

Psh, who cares about small cups .. the trash cans in paris that look like condoms > all.



Or maybe I just have a sick/immature mind ..


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[1337 FRNDS_Pommy | 3.14 of 14 | » And-GTx2]
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(from when I was there new years' last year. BTW, new years in paris kicks absolute *** .)

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[1337 FRNDS_Pommy | 3.14 of 14 | » And-GTx2]
Half-Life 2 Central - your definitive source for everything HL2!

Yeah, everything is smaller here.

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On a completely unrelated note:

British police car:


German police car:


Dutch police car:


American police car:


Doesn't the American police car just look so much cooler?

[This message has been edited by Mort-Hog (edited July 16, 2004).]

No. It doesn't have luminous colours adorning the sides or back.

EDIT: Plus, the English one is real.

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Wise men say that fools rush in where angels fear to tread, so look before you leap, so to speak, because the grass is not always greener on the other side of the hill.

[This message has been edited by - Tony - (edited July 16, 2004).]

Yes, I do realise they are toys, but I couldn't find good pictures of real police cars within a few seconds on google. I assume they are actually modelled on the real thing though.

Woops...

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Roach - Caught in the war of hemispheres.
0 of 14.

They have small cup-holders.

There's a much bigger (no pun intended ) reason as to why Europe has smaller cars:

Bigger cars = lower gas milage. Compared to the US, gas is EXPENSIVE. Thus, everyone in Europe wants the car that will get them places on the least amount of gas possible.

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But we have the best police car of all...




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WAITER: Here’s your green salad, sir.
ANAKIN: What? You fool, I told you NO CROUTONS! Aaaaaaargh!

The coffee, like you said, is much much stronger usually. American coffee is usually more watered down.

Ever been to a coffee shop and ordered an Americano? It's an espresso shot with a cup full of hot water. Invented during the American occupation of Italy after WW2 because the Americans didnt like how strong Italian coffee was.

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Thank God there is the girl on the left...really. Although that has GOT to be uncomfortable. But I'm digressing..

Of course America likes things BIG. BIG Gulps, Super sizes, Texas, etc.

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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat.

And now I'm moving to Europe. Thank you, thank you ever so much.

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Forum Rules

yeah its true. Arent many females under 40 yrs old who are fat in britain.

<3 european females... and chinese

if(getThingFlags(source) & 0x8){
  do her}
elseif(getThingFlags(source) & 0x4){
  do other babe}
else{
  do a dude}

I saw that in France. But to think of them like that...O_o

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Europe is a lot like Chewbacca. It doesn't make sense.

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I figure that one day I'll either be famous, or in prison. But I guess if I'm going to prison, I should probably try to do something that would make me famous anyway.

Hey....


The Coffee in France is served smaller, because its stronger. You can actually ask for American Coffee, they sometimes have it.

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wow i didn't think anything would make me laugh tonight, but that did...

bwahahha.



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