However, he brought up a point I’ve heard over and over again, particularly from Europeans. What the heck do they have against white sneakers? Would they be better if they were red or black or brown?

To an American eye (mine, at least), white sneakers look crisp and clean. When tromping around day after day looking at sites, on hard cobbled and stone streets, sneakers are just more comfortable for doing more walking than most of us are used to. I suspect most day-to-day sneakers sold here are white, precisely because they look crisp and clean.

So why the disdain for white sneakers?

II’m not convinced. By calling it disgusting, I ‘m hearing a more emotional, judgmental position that factual. Secondly, unless you are watching the person through the entire meal, you actually only know that they took a loot of food. You don’t know whether it was wasted or consumed. Moreover, unless their actions caused the cruise ship to cook more food, then the left over food on the buffet would go to waste anyway. I was friends with a restaurant owner. They through away tons of food. They let the staff take home what they wanted, but most of the leftover found its way into the trash.

But in any event, I think the environmental issue is a red herring. It disturbs some folks that some others appear piggish, and thus the environmental issue is a rouse to pronounce judgment.

I submit that to go up to a perfect stranger and be the self-appointed food police would be bad manners in the extreme.

I say this as a foreigner who has chosen to live in the US because its such a great place filled with wonderful people. But American tourists certainly do have a serious image problem- when I left my home country the people who had been to the US told me how much I’d love it, the people who hadn’t told me I was insane.

At any rate, just wait until the middle class of China starts travelling en masse like the Japanese in the 1980s.

My question would be, why do we even care how much food someone takes from the buffet?

Have we really gotten to the point, where we are so jaded and self-righteous that we feel the need to critique everyone who acts differently that us. We worry about how much food someone takes, what they are wearing, how they talk.

Why can’t we just accept other’s differences and quirks and move on?

I think one of the most important things experienced travelers and travel employees can do is really help the inexperienced who don’t know the ropes at an airport, on a cruise, or wherever some guidance at times is needed, In this economy and this industry, we should all be helping each other as much as possible. Good, or at least better, behavior might even happen as a result.

It is so easy to judge people and that is probably an ugly American trait too.

Nah, that trait isn’t exclusively American. I’ve seen and heard people from other countries and cultures with that, too.

Just that some people find it conveniently easier to judge, rather than trying to understand certain things they don’t even remotely comprehend.

Food is always a contentious point when traveling. While I am a big believer in eating like a local when I can, I’ve learned there are times my poor American stomch and taste buds can’t handle food in some places (I really tried in New Delhi, I really tried). I just hope that my hosts there were not offended when I asked for a Domino’s menu one night :-)

That said, if they were being obnoxious and snooty then I can see where that’s a problem.

Interesting tibit about Venice too, I’m hoping to head out there when I’m done with grad school (2 years) and I was planning on trying to learn some basic Italian, though knowing me I’ll offend them more my butchering their beautiful langauge :-)

Sadly, arrogant Americans are going to visit foreign countries. I might be in favor of the State Department administering an etiquette exam before issuing passports. LOL. It couldn’t hurt.

I’ve said it before: good manners do not cost a dime, and the returns are priceless. You might not be able to speak the language, but a smile, and knowing “please” and “thank you” in that country’s language will go a LONG way. I don’t speak Papiemente, the Aruban island language, and nearly everyone in Aruba speaks excellent English (and Dutch, Spanish, French and German), but saying, “Masha danke” (thank you) made their faces light up, and let me know they appreciated the fact I was interested enough in their culture to at least learn a word or two of their lanaguage. From what I know of people who have traveled abroad, the natives might chuckle a little at our pronunciation, but they appreciate seeing us consult the phrasebook so we can communicate in their language.

Simple good manners will stand you in good stead almost anywhere you go.