# What I learned on my most recent European vacation **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 19, 2022, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-on-my-most-recent-european-vacation/968212 "2022-07-19T18:08:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2022, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-on-my-most-recent-european-vacation/968212/41 "2022-07-26T17:33:43Z")
The Lippizzaner Stallions are kind of overrated and not worth seeing. My older daughter insisted, and then we were all bored. I mean, unless you’re a _hard core_ horse person. The State Hall in the Austrian National Library, on the other hand, is absolutely breathtaking and a must-visit. Pictures don’t do it justice. > **[Museums - Österreichische Nationalbibliothek](https://www.onb.ac.at/en/museums)** > > The Austrian National Library is not only the largest library in the country, but also offers you permanent presentations and diverse special exhibitions in the State Hall and the museums – the Literature, Papyrus, Globe and Esperanto Museum. ---
**Author:** ![shantih](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@shantih](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shantih)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2022, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-on-my-most-recent-european-vacation/968212/42 "2022-07-26T20:06:49Z")
From your link, I note that the State Hall is sadly closed for renovation through the end of the year. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2022, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-on-my-most-recent-european-vacation/968212/43 "2022-07-26T20:11:31Z")
Aw bummer. It’s really something to see. ---
**Author:** ![shantih](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@shantih](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shantih)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2022, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-on-my-most-recent-european-vacation/968212/44 "2022-07-27T10:08:27Z")
But the café at the Kunsthistorisches Museum is absolutely stunning, as is the rest of the museum: > **[Café-Restaurant](https://www.khm.at/en/explore/offers/cafe-restaurant/)** And I’ve only been to Vienna twice so far, but on my last visit, our son, who had just moved there, took us on a walking tour of the most historic sites which included a stop for caffeine at the Fenster Café (the Window Café), which was just delightful and which I’ve just discovered has a hilarious website: [https://fenster.cafe/wien/](https://fenster.cafe/wien/) Man, I’ve got to get back to Vienna soon. It’s so charming and beautiful. And circling back to the main topic, as an American living in Europe, I’m likely to notice fellow Americans out and about partly because they’re loud enough to stand out from the crowd, but other tourists will blend into a larger group so their individual quirks won’t stand out as much. I’d be mildly embarrassed by an American wearing a t-shirt and shorts in a nice restaurant in Berlin, but probably wouldn’t even take note of someone whose behavior/appearance indicated they were visiting from, say, Portugal or Croatia. ---
**Author:** ![Wrenching\_Spanners](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecb155/32.png) [@Wrenching\_Spanners](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wrenching_Spanners)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2022, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-on-my-most-recent-european-vacation/968212/45 "2022-07-27T10:17:19Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > tip small children off sunbeds. Did you actually see someone tip a small child off a sunbed, or is this a TV/movie (Benidorm?) reference? ---
**Author:** ![Wrenching\_Spanners](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecb155/32.png) [@Wrenching\_Spanners](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wrenching_Spanners)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2022, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-on-my-most-recent-european-vacation/968212/46 "2022-07-27T10:57:20Z")
Salzburg is terrific, especially if you’re a Mozart fan, if you’ve got 24 hours to spare. It’s over two hours by train, so better as an overnight trip, but I think can be done as a day trip if you don’t mind long days. You can also get a boat cruise to Bratislava Slovakia as an overnight/long day(?) trip. But unless you’re just wanting to visit another country, it may not be worth the effort. I’d probably give Bratislava a rating of 7 out of 10. Very touristy, but we enjoyed our meal at Griechenbeisl. > **[Home - Griechenbeisl](https://www.griechenbeisl.at/)** > > We welcome you to the oldest restaurant in Vienna. A historic place in which famous people like Mark Twain, Beethove and Mozart once dined. And definitely get a hot chocolate and cake at a posh Vienna cafe. The famous place is the Cafe Sacher Wien, which we didn’t get to, but there are several places to choose from. We also had Käsekrainer sausages in rolls from a kiosk, and really enjoyed them, but I’m not sure if you’re a pork eater or if there are non-pork options. We booked concerts through the tourist information centre, and were pleased with the results, but have no basis of comparison against other sources. But having travelled throughout Europe, I would generally recommend TIC’s above street vendors, but also say that the best option is to pre-book at a prestige venue. Even the cheap seats at a magnificent opera house are going to offer a better experience than good seats at a mid-range music hall. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2022, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-on-my-most-recent-european-vacation/968212/47 "2022-07-27T12:18:47Z")
Thanks for the food recommendations! Knowing myself and my wife, I suspect that food will be the subject and object of about half of our trip abroad. > [@Wrenching\_Spanners](#): > > We also had Käsekrainer sausages in rolls from a kiosk, and really enjoyed them, but I’m not sure if you’re a pork eater or if there are non-pork options. I keep kosher to the water’s edge; whatever happens abroad, stays abroad. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2022, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-on-my-most-recent-european-vacation/968212/48 "2022-07-27T12:53:10Z")
> [@Wrenching\_Spanners](#): > > The famous place is the Cafe Sacher Wien, which we didn’t get to We thought it was fine, but a bit overrated maybe — not bad, but straining under the burden of being a tourist checkbox. Do it if you must, but you aren’t missing anything if you don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2022, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-on-my-most-recent-european-vacation/968212/49 "2022-07-27T13:10:01Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > I keep kosher to the water’s edge; whatever happens abroad, stays abroad OMG! Im stealing this, but for vegetarianism. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2022, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-on-my-most-recent-european-vacation/968212/50 "2022-07-27T13:58:34Z")
> [@Wrenching\_Spanners](#): > > And definitely get a hot chocolate and cake at a posh Vienna cafe. The famous place is the Cafe Sacher Wien, which we didn’t get to, but there are several places to choose from. BUT you have to have chocolate cake and coffee there, right? Just like I had to have coffee at Florians in St. Mark’s Plaza. It’s like a tourist requirement. ---
**Author:** ![peedin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peedin/32/14095_2.png) [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2022, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-on-my-most-recent-european-vacation/968212/51 "2022-07-27T14:16:02Z")
Sorry, but U.S. Customs at O’Hare sucks. We were herded into a snake line with 4 sections each at least 100 yards. No explanation. Finally I saw the lone worker and asked “what will happen at the of the line?” You will show you passport and turn in your customs declaration, and oh yeah, your picture will be taken. Finally we get to the end of the line to find ourselves dumped into a warehouse with minimal ventilation, like it was 80F in there. There were 8 customs agents to deal with 2,000 people. Their job was to look at my passport (which had been looked at 3 times since leaving Heathrow), ask how much I spent there, and take my seekret picture. Three hours from start to finish. I won’t travel internationally til Customs gets their act together. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2022, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-on-my-most-recent-european-vacation/968212/52 "2022-07-27T15:23:12Z")
> [@peedin](#): > > I won’t travel internationally til Customs gets their act together. Another argument for Global Entry. We spent 2 minutes in immigration control coming back from Spain last week. ---
**Author:** ![filmstar-en](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/50afbb/32.png) [@filmstar-en](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmstar-en)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2022, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-on-my-most-recent-european-vacation/968212/53 "2022-07-27T16:34:03Z")
Now that the UK has left the EU there is a similar bottleneck for UK travellers travelling to Europe across the channel: long lines to get your passport stamped and checked by the French customs. It is going to get worse. Really strong border policies are very popular with voters because they imagine it only affects foreigners. It comes as a rude awakening when you have to wait in line for hours no the way to your summer holiday. International travel is pretty fraught right now. Airlines, airports, ports customs and immigration - they all beset by staffing problems after the pandemic, bureaucracy and delays. ---
**Author:** ![Mops](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mops/32/16494_2.png) [@Mops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mops)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2022, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-on-my-most-recent-european-vacation/968212/54 "2022-07-27T17:22:28Z")
> [@Wrenching\_Spanners](#): > > Salzburg is terrific, especially if you’re a Mozart fan, if you’ve got 24 hours to spare. It’s over two hours by train, so better as an overnight trip, but I think can be done as a day trip if you don’t mind long days. > > You can also get a boat cruise to Bratislava Slovakia as an overnight/long day(?) trip. … Please do not take this amiss, but these timescales are _so_ American 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2022, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-on-my-most-recent-european-vacation/968212/55 "2022-07-27T17:25:20Z")
> [@peedin](#): > > O’Hare sucks. Yep! It sure do. > [@peedin](#): > > I won’t travel internationally til Customs gets their act together. Like I said in my OP, Denver customs was awesome. It did take 45 minutes to get through passport control though. ---
**Author:** ![peedin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peedin/32/14095_2.png) [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2022, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-on-my-most-recent-european-vacation/968212/56 "2022-07-27T17:47:58Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > > [@peedin](#): > > > > I won’t travel internationally til Customs gets their act together. > > Another argument for Global Entry. We spent 2 minutes in immigration control coming back from Spain last week. Next available appointments for Global Entry interviews are April 2023. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2022, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-on-my-most-recent-european-vacation/968212/57 "2022-07-27T17:49:00Z")
> [@peedin](#): > > Next available appointments for Global Entry interviews are April 2023. That’s what it was like when we got ours back in 2019, but go ahead and schedule the appointment. It will pay for itself eventually. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2022, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-on-my-most-recent-european-vacation/968212/58 "2022-07-27T18:02:35Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Americans are the rudest mother f’ers on Earth. The only time I encountered rude people, invariably they were American tourists. Chinese tourists in Asia are pretty bad. Loud, pushy, touching stuff that’s not to be touched, disrespectful of sites and monuments. I’ve never seen anything like it. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2022, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-on-my-most-recent-european-vacation/968212/59 "2022-07-27T19:46:55Z")
When I was in France 3 years ago far and away the most openly rude people in public were British tourists. But once a Brit realized I was American they were very friendly to me but all the conversations revolved around just now bad France and French people were. It was pretty hilarious but it was fun English speaking bonding time. ---
**Author:** ![Toxylon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f05b48/32.png) [@Toxylon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxylon)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2022, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-on-my-most-recent-european-vacation/968212/60 "2022-07-27T19:50:47Z")
Yes, but the Brits and the French have been dear enemies for centuries, so that’s not really a valid example. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-on-my-most-recent-european-vacation/968212.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-on-my-most-recent-european-vacation/968212.md?page=4)