Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with europe and culture

What would make my life cooler?

miles1972 — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 23:54:22 -0800

is there anything special I need to bring back from Berlin to Canada for myself? It seems that somethings over here are great, and some are not. I have yet to find the perfect city, but I would say Berlin at the moment is the closest I have found.

Because of the Euro / Canadian dollar exchange rate, most consumer goods are more pricey here. So is there anything, that would be really cool for me to have, or technology that they have here in Germany that I am somehow missing, and could get for cheap and bring it back and it would work in Canada?

A mobile phone? A special hat? a super book? anything that I would be just insane not to pick up?

After the Terror...

Neilopolis — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 15:26:50 -0800

Can you recommend any great, scholarly books about the Napoleonic era in Europe? I'm in the middle of reading Richard K. Riehn's 1812: Napoleon's Russian Campaign and really enjoying it. However, I want to learn more. I'm interested in hearing your book recommendations that deal with Napoleonic Europe from a more general perspective - art, politics, culture, etc. I'd love to hear what you come up with.

Turkish men kissing?

kraigory — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 23:59:26 -0800

culturally normal for turkish college-age men to kiss before bed? I recently got a new college roomate, and he is from turkey. He has a friend here with him, also from turkey. The other night when his friend left our room, he gave my roomie a big kiss (probably on the cheek, i didn't see it real well 'cause i was behind them) goodnight. Is this a normal cultural thing, or could my roomate be homosexual? Note that he does have two luis vuitton bags, although I know that isn't really weird for men to be so stylish in most parts of europe.

So, if anyone familliar with turkish, or just general european culture and customs could enlighten me as to what's going on with my roomie and his friend, I would appreciate it. PLEASE NOTE that i'm not trying to discriminate or anything here, I wouldn't care if he was gay, but i'd just like to know.

Thanks!

When does the Vienna Opera announce their season?

agropyron — Thu, 23 Feb 2006 10:15:25 -0800

Anyone know when the Vienna Opera announces their 2006/2007 season? And when do tickets go on sale?

Seeking beautiful, deep European films like those of Kieslowski

sophie — Fri, 04 Feb 2005 15:07:21 -0800

EuropeanFilmFilter: I would love some French/German/Central and East European film recommendations. I'm looking for movies like 'Red' and the 'Double Life of Veronique' by Kieslowski- visually stimulating, beautiful films that aren't necessarily really sweet feel good movies like Amelie. I'm looking for films that you walk away from feeling great because you've seen something beautiful, or they leave you trying to figure out the plot's allegorical meanings, or thinking about the universe, or whatever. (mi) Good soundtracks are a plus. Films from other countries are welcome, too.

3 Weeks in Europe

emptyage — Mon, 19 Apr 2004 09:54:32 -0800

Let's say you're spending three weeks in Europe late this summer. The first week is in Denmark, the third is in Ireland. Where would you spend the second? You'd like to go somewhere off the beaten path (in other words not Paris, London, or Amsterdam), but don't want to spend too much time in transit. You'd rather go somewhere rural than urban, you have a limited budget, and you'd prefer culture to castles and cathedrals. Any suggestions?

Ameica the vast

MiguelCardoso — Wed, 07 Apr 2004 17:59:22 -0800

Here's what could be called an urgent question for Europeans who make their living writing (amongst other things) about the United States. How do you explain to intelligent Europeans that "America" is actually as big and varied a proposition as "Europe"? If not more. [More inside.] Just as Americans have no idea of how diverse Europe is, Europeans think "America" is a collective noun of Republican cowboys interspersed with old-style Anti-Vietnam hippy protesters. They have no idea of the enormous geographic and cultural diversity of the U.S. New York; Washington; California; the Midwest - that's about as far as even the most sophisticated analysts will go. What good arguments can a European journalist give to show that America is a big country, where everyone is just as opposed to everyone else as in all the countries of Europe?