Ice isn't just a French or Italian thing.

[hookedonears]

The Ice talk really brought back fond memories of a trip I made to France in college. I was there for 10 days, and experienced the exact same thing. After getting one or no ice cubes with my drinks for 9 days, I semi blew up at the bar tender at our hotel when I ordered a coke with ice before we were leaving for the day, one morning. He asked me one lump or two. I SAID NO, I WANT ICE. I found later that in many of the countries in Europe tax electricity, natural gas and gasoline incredibly. They were paying $4.50 per gallon for gasoline 30 years ago when we were paying $.75, and $3.50 of that were taxes. Electricity is taxed the exact same way. To save money, most restaurants have very limited freezer and refrigeration space for necessities like Ice. Conversely, that's one of the reasons why most of the food there is so good. It's mostly bought fresh every day.

 

[DisneyKevin]

I paid 11 euros ($14.08 American at the time) for a Coke Light in the hotel bar in Rome.

I dont care what they are paying for electricity or how much storage they have.

I want freakin ice.

 

[Anjiebaby]

My dad comes from a small town in Austria. Every couple of years we would visit, my relatives would warn the bars that we were coming to town a couple weeks before so they could start stocking up on ice. They had to make it with the one ice cube tray they had. In the small towns they still believe in the old wives tale that drinking cold drinks while it is hot out will give you a cold.

 

[hookedonears]

I paid 11 euros ($14.08 American at the time) for a Coke Light in the hotel bar in Rome.

I dont care what they are paying for electricity or how much storage they have.

I want freakin ice.

I guess that's one of the reasons why we're the ugly americans.

 

[novafan]

It's definitely not just a France or Italy thing. We live in Germany (US military) and we've travelled all over Europe and we never get ice. I've gotten used to it. I've asked German friends about ice and the general consensus is that they just don't like it. I've actually gotten used to it.

My dad comes from a small town in Austria. Every couple of years we would visit, my relatives would warn the bars that we were coming to town a couple weeks before so they could start stocking up on ice. They had to make it with the one ice cube tray they had. In the small towns they still believe in the old wives tale that drinking cold drinks while it is hot out will give you a cold.

I've heard that one too. I asked my landlady about how they don't use ice and she said something similar - that they think it's not healthy to drink your drinks that cold.

 

[lpereira]

I remember the ice desert that was Holland the 8 ish months i lived there. You get used to it after a while. Now i deal with it and my husband who believes that icing drinks causes lung problems. All American friends bring their own ice to my house. Its sad really.

 

[DisneyKevin]

I guess that's one of the reasons why we're the ugly americans.

Because we're willing to pay $14.00 for a Diet Coke?

Or because I asked for extra ice?

 

[disneym2m]

Okay, so if European restaurants don't use ice in their drinks, is the liquid at least cold???

A warm Diet Coke does not appeal to me at all.....

 

[hookedonears]

Okay, so if European restaurants don't use ice in their drinks, is the liquid at least cold???

A warm Diet Coke does not appeal to me at all.....

As I can remember, it was just a little cooler than room temperature.

 

[novafan]

Okay, so if European restaurants don't use ice in their drinks, is the liquid at least cold???

A warm Diet Coke does not appeal to me at all.....

In my experience, the drinks are slightly cool. Not cold.

 

[hookedonears]

Because we're willing to pay $14.00 for a Diet Coke?

Or because I asked for extra ice?

Because we ask for extra ice.

 

[LilyWDW]

I remember when I went overseas with a friend that the first thing she warned me about was the no ice thing.

Her family lived in Germany since her dad was US military (she grew up over there and went to college here) and they invited me to join them over Christmas. I almost did not go because I didn't want to leave my mom during Christmas... but then my mom threatened me and told me she would NOT be the reason I would pass up such an opportunity. So I went.

We went to Aachen, Berlin, Rome, Paris, London, and Amsterdam during the near month that we were there. It was awesome!

 

[PinkBudgie]

This makes me think the opposite happens here. Too many times you order a soda in a restaurant and it is almost all ice because they don't want to give you as much soda. Sometime, I ask for no ice, just for that reason. If they give you free refills, then it doesn't matter.

 

[BriarRosie]

I always ask for no ice in restaurants, too. I think I will get along fine in Europe.

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

I always ask for no ice in restaurants, too. I think I will get along fine in Europe.

me, too. I actually prefer a cool drink to a cold one and I am an American.

 

[DisneyKevin]

In my very limited European experience.....refills were not an option.

Some of our funniest memories revolve around asking for ice.

With ABD, we visited the oldest restaurant in Rome. It included a sort of ancient Roman dinner theater with gladiators and dancers.

I asked for ice for my Coke Light and our waiter looked perplexed. All of a sudden, you could see that he understood what I was requesting and held up his index finger, as if to say one minute.

A few minutes later, he and another waiter came out with the LARGEST silver bowl (think laundry basket) of crushed ice. It took two of them to carry it.

They set it on the table (I think the table sagged) and walked away.

Everyone in the restaurant came to our table (not just the other ABD folks) to get ice for their drinks. Several came back a second time during dinner.

In another restaurant, I asked for ice and the waiter brought one of those hollow tube ice cubes on a small plate directly out of the scalding hot dishwasher. I received a sliver of ice and warm water.

Ice and bathrooms were the things that vexed us....but we laughed about it all through Italy.

It seemed that no matter where we went....the bathroom had one important piece missing.

In one place it was paper. In another it was a toilet seat. In a third...it was a door. In another it was a sink.

In one of our hotels, I could not figure out to flush the toilet.

I poked, I felt underneath. I pushed. I pulled. I kept thinking..c'mon Kev....you can figure out how to flush a toilet.

I finally had to call John. After several minutes of frustration, John found a small, flat, silver plate on the wall...several feet from the commode. It was about 5 inches by 8 inches and looked to be made of aluminum.

If you put your hand on it and gently rocked it up and down.....the toilet flushed.

If John hadnt found it...I could still be there, manhandling that toilet.

 

[DisneyKevin]

I always ask for no ice in restaurants, too. I think I will get along fine in Europe.

But isnt that because the drinks are usually cold?

 

[PinkBudgie]

In my very limited European experience.....refills were not an option.

Some of our funniest memories revolve around asking for ice.

With ABD, we visited the oldest restaurant in Rome. It included a sort of ancient Roman dinner theater with gladiators and dancers.

I asked for ice for my Coke Light and our waiter looked perplexed. All of a sudden, you could see that he understood what I was requesting and held up his index finger, as if to say one minute.

A few minutes later, he and another waiter came out with the LARGEST silver bowl (think laundry basket) of crushed ice. It took two of them to carry it.

They set it on the table (I think the table sagged) and walked away.

Everyone in the restaurant came to our table (not just the other ABD folks) to get ice for their drinks. Several came back a second time during dinner.

In another restaurant, I asked for ice and the waiter brought one of those hollow tube ice cubes on a small plate directly out of the scalding hot dishwasher. I received a sliver of ice and warm water.

Ice and bathrooms were the things that vexed us....but we laughed about it all through Italy.

It seemed that no matter where we went....the bathroom had one important piece missing.

In one place it was paper. In another it was a toilet seat. In a third...it was a door. In another it was a sink.

In one of our hotels, I could not figure out to flush the toilet.

I poked, I felt underneath. I pushed. I pulled. I kept thinking..c'mon Kev....you can figure out how to flush a toilet.

I finally had to call John. After several minutes of frustration, John found a small, flat, silver plate on the wall...several feet from the commode. It was about 5 inches by 8 inches and looked to be made of aluminum.

If you put your hand on it and gently rocked it up and down.....the toilet flushed.

If John hadnt found it...I could still be there, manhandling that toilet.

That is so funny! I hope you got a picture of your laundry basket of ice! I would have died on the floor of laughing so hard! It would be funny to put next to a picture of your warm sliver of ice.

 

[HollyMac71]

 

[sayhello]

OMG, the toilet thing in Italy drove me loonie! I have to admit, it's one reason I did the ABD, because I knew they'd find the best possible bathrooms wherever we were, and would even pay to get us in! I don't know if I'd ever get used to the lack of toilet seat, though. Although I heard there are places where there's not even a toilet, just a hole in the ground. I'm *such* a spoiled American, I totally admit it!!!!

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