Thursday, January 28, 2010

Thematic Photographic - Water in any form

Each week Carmi at Written, Inc. has challenged readers with a theme for photographic inspiration. This week the photographic challenge continues with the theme WATER IN ANY FORM.

It was one of those misunderstandings that happen between people of two different cultures. The first night we were in Paris, we'd bought a bottle of white wine in the store, and wanted to chill it for an evening apertif.

We called down to the concierge to ask if there was an ice machine in the hotel. No, he said, but he would be happy to have some brought up. Ah, merci! we thanked him.

Within minutes there was a tap on the door, and the bellman brought....a glass with a few cubes.

Not what we had in mind, we said, and showed him the bottle of wine, gesturing and trying out our poor French. Could he bring an ice bucket?

He went away. Time passed. Much time. We called the concierge again and explained that we had asked for more ice, and wondered if our request had been forgotten. Non, non, we were told; the bellman had to be sent out to get it, that was the reason for the delay.

More time passed. The tap came at the door. This is what was delivered.

We gave up. We were learning.

8 comments:

  1. Ah cultural differences. Hawaii can be a fertile ground for them, but somehow we work it out.

    thanks for finding me,
    Aloha, Friend!


    Comfort Spiral

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  2. Ice is such a necessity, n'est pas? I seriously don't get how or why Europe does without ice.

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  3. LOL!

    We don't do ice much in Europe!

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  4. I can deal with the lukewarm wine - it's the warm cocktails that are a real turnoff for me LOL

    At least in France they UNDERSTAND that we're ugly Americans and we don't have any couth and they're willing to TRY to find an adequate supply of ice cubes. In England, they just look at you as if you have three heads, shake their one head - and ignore you.

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  5. That is the prettiest ice 'bucket' I have ever seen : ). What a great story!

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  6. Smiling here!
    After 3 years in Germany, I moved to Texas and couldn't bring myself to use ice cubes -- it made my drink too cold! It took me about 2 years to get over it. However, we still store the beer in the basement and my husband won't drink it elsewhere until it has a chance to "warm up" -- same story with wine!

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  7. Those ice cubes do look cool and refreshing...but obviously not what you needed!

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