Sad but true. The number of irritating Americans is currently swamped by beered-up, lairy Brits “on tour” in any country with more sunlight than Torquay.
If I may venture my own private and as yet completely unproven theory (aka WAG): could it have to do something with facial expression? When looking at American shows (are there any other?) I sometimes find myself thinking that a face looks similar to a face of an acquaintance, but that there is some kind of Americanization to it, so to speak. This is completely serious and not meant to be disrespectful. Please bear with me.
What my impression is, is that Americans in general speak and laugh a bit different than Europeans in general do: the laugh is wider and speech more vocal. This may leave its mark on the facial features, which in that way differ from European faces. I’ve noticed this in particular on Tell & Sell (or however you call those 'Dial *** for our limited offer Tuxedo-paintroller). This obviously doesn’t work for all people in all cases, but a subconscious equalizing of certain facial features with being American might explain part of the reaction, apart from the clothing.
That, and the incessant leafing in Lonely Planet’s Guide to Europe.
Is this just my private madness or is there more to it? Do tell and help me regain my sanity! 
JJM: Not defensive, not being 'Merkun and all. Possibly bitter.
It is very embarassing living in the States being exposed to Europeans foisting their general ignorance off as Americans somehow being too naive and uncouth to understand their European sophisticated superiority. I’ve decided to no longer stand idly by when it occurs. Since the OP (and more so some of the replies) started reeking of that, I put in my 2 cents.
Now go bash the people that liberated a good few of your countries, have a pretty open society, are typically generous to a fault and, unlike any European country that in the past had a military advantage over the rest of the world, does not try to subjugate all it’s neighbors 'till they run in to a bigger bully.
Heck yeah I’m bitter.
This is all very enlightening. Perhaps some of you Euros can give some tips on wearing dark socks and sandles with a bright yellow “football” jersey?
Amen. A few years back, I traveled to the UK and hated constantly having to defend myself from really outrageous, stereotypical assumptions stemming from my proud American-ness. Loved my trip and all, but I would hardly welcome a Brit traveler in the same manner with which I was received by some.
Actually, I think most people change their habits when on vacation.
Though I rarely wear a fanny pack in my workaday life, I wore one constantly during my trip to Italy in 2000.
Fear of being unstylish was far outweighed by fear of putting my purse down and forgetting it.
Personally I don’t think there’s anything wrong with being recognized as American or as a tourist. Besides, that fat ass is going to give me away every time.
American tourists are the ones with Canadian flags sewn to their backpacks.
msmith, the eurpeans invented football, you bastardised it.
Dammit. I read the thread title and hoped no one had stolen my joke already.
Anyway, I was going to say that Americans are easily spotted when they’re visibly fidgety and nervous saying “Canada” when asked where they’re from.
You misunderstand; there’s not necessarily anything wrong with the food, just the expectations of the consumer; Americans procuring burgers/pizzas/shakes in England will find them different to what they have at home and this has been observed to cause much consternation (along perhaps with the portion sizes; we really don’t feel the need to buy drinks in bucket-sized containers here); whether this difference can be classified as rendering the foodstuffs objectively better or worse would be hard to say.
In any case, my recommendation for those who feel they have cause to ridicule British cuisine would be this; your enjoyment of it might well improve vastly if you remove your head from up your arse; there are far too many misconceptions floating about.
The first time I came to England, one of the first restaurants I ate at was a Wimpy’s. After that, everything looked so much better…
Mmmm…I had some great food in England. And not just Indian food, too! Although, as an aside, mmm…Indian food in London…
Anyway, I spent a couple weeks in London, mostly wandering about by myself (I was staying with my cousin, who’s English, and she had to work, duh), and I don’t recall having anything weird or gaping in horror at a menu. Restaurants is restaurants. I think probably the only places you can find “English” food are “Olde Englishe Pubbes” that cater to tourists who can then go home and tell their friends about the horrid things people eat in that crazy country.
I do recall having difficulty finding meatless or porkless food occasionanally, but no more than I have in certain parts of the US.
A few years back, my wife and I had the opportunity to visit England and Scotland for two weeks. We had a great time. The only time food was an issue was the day before the London Marathon, when I, and maybe one thousand other Americans, wandered the streets of downtown London looking for someplace that served high carb food. We eventually found a nice Italian restaurant.
Of course, since it was April, the only time either of us wore shorts was actually during the London Marathon. And, since I’ve spent my life trying to gain weight, we aren’t fat. And, we speak quietly, in fact, I’m often asked to repeat myself. I suspect everybody figured out we were Americans, anyway, and I can’t think of an individual who was anything less than friendly. We even ate a very nice restaurant for training those that would work at high class restaurants, in decidely too casual clothes, and were treated incredibly well by everyone.
I would second Europeans who say Americans dress differently and walk differently. Why would we do either the same? Both stand out in either place, or anywhere else. (In fact, both amble when on vacation, but differently.) Sadly, Americans are fatter than Europeans. It ain’t even close.
That said, to say we dress casually, without style, is, well, a Texan kind of thing to say.
You’re not crazy. I, too, can instanly tell the difference between an old-worlder and a new-worlder by face alone.
Of course we have to remember that there are probably plenty of tourists in whichever country we reside that we don’t spot as such because they don’t fit our sterotypes.
All generalizations are bad (including this one).
A few years ago my daughter & I were in Paris and were VERY carefully following all the rules – keeping our hands off the statuary in the museum, being quiet in the cathedral and so on – and were sad to notice several other people not doing so. In each case they were speaking French fluently. I was probably easily recognized as an American, but I bet my slim and stylish daughter would have passed as a native had she been alone. A friend of mine reported being repeatedly asked for directions in French when she was there.
But it is true, I think, that many Americans talk entirely too loud. Not me, of course; I grew up in a library in the days when you were expected to be quiet there.
Hey, a Stupid Ugly European is just as annoying as a Stupid Ugly American. Fully with you there. But I don’t think that’s what this thread is about: it’s about the simple giveaways when looking at American tourists in Europe. Conversely, I’m sure a lot of Americans can easily spot a European tourist by what they wear, how they behave themselves, et cetera.
I like American tourists. Sure, there’s a small subset of dumb, loudmouthed “Everyting’s better in the States” pricks, but then again, I’m sure every country has that subset. I know I can be highly embarassed by some of my countrymen when witnessing them abroad. It’s a good thing I can pull off a pretty decent American accent, so they don’t spot me as Dutch and start talking to me.
However, the majority of the American tourists I see here in Amsterdam are lovely people. The younger “back pack” generation is usually just having a great time, partying like there’s no tomorrow, whilst taking in a decent amount of culture at the same time. Some of the older generation can be a bit less educated when it comes to the actual knowledge of the place they’re visiting, leaving them bewildered at times, but the vast majority show an eagerness to learn and explore, an admirable trait not found in all countries.
99% of American tourists will be very courteous, and sadly a lot of them can be very self-aware about that whole “American tourist” thing. I was having a few beers with Fretful Porpentine in an Amsterdam bar the other week, when a Dutchman approached us and asked if she was from Texas. Now, she doesn’t sound Texan at all to begin with, but after the guy left she immediately asked me if she was talking too loudly. She wasn’t! Sure, I teased her a bit about the sneakers and backpack, but I’m certain she saw the humourous intent of that.
Spotting different nationalities because of appearances can be fun, and shouldn’t upset anyone. I like American tourists as much as a I like their country: and I don’t mind one bit if they poke fun at me for my European traits - just as long as they can take it when I do the same to them.
Here it’s more a matter of telling the American tourists from the European, Canadian and Australian tourists. Basically, if they’re over 30 and wearing tank-tops and/or flip-flops, they’re probably American.
Hubby and I were stationed in Naples, Italy a few years ago. Often we would go to dinner to a restaurant down the street, invariably someone would pull over beside us and ask directions to an electronics store across town. He could maybe pass for northern italian, I could never pass for anything but 300 years of diluted german extraction and even when I went out alone was perceived as local.
I did spot the tourist one day. I went to Rome with my landlady. I was sitting in Piazza di Popolo having an expresso when I saw a group of tourist gathering. Without hearing them speak I knew they were german. Their bus pulled up and as they began boarding several of them walked past me and I got my confirmation. Strangely they looked american but not quite.
When we traveled we did not stand out as ‘American’. Yeah we had our backpacks but we dressesd to blend in. And no ‘fanny- packs’. The only pocketbook I carried was a small clutch bag for dress-up occassions, big enough for cigs and lipstick.
Fanny-packs besides being ugly are the biggest invitation to pickpockets and scam artist there is. There are other ways to carry a passport and other essentials.
More than once while traveling around Europe I wanted to berate american tourist. My biggest complaint with my fellow americans is that they thought everyone should speak english and that nothing was ‘like it is back home’. (Then stay at home.)
By the way, guy/girl from Amsterdam, we got a kick out of Amsterdam, everybody we encountered there spoke english!
When we did convey ‘tourist’ we were usually mistaken for germans.
Using a knife to eat your Peas will get you kicked out of the RCMP
I know that now. It was a momentary lapse of brain function which led to deep consternation (I can’t really be losing such basic English vocabulary, can I? :)), so I searched Google with “belt bag”, which is a literal translation of the word in Finnish, and the first hit I got was “fanny pack”, so I figured that was it.
Slugworth, it might be a group thing. I know that nearly all of the American tourists I have seen wandering around the streets of Helsinki during summertime have one, if they are in a group. I suppose that if you’re moving around in what is obviously a group of tourists, you would be more attractive to pickpockets and such, and so it would make sense to keep your valuable items somewhere where they would be easily monitored. However, like catnoe said, they are basically an advertisement of “hey, this is where I keep all my money and other important things, in case you’re interested”.