Euro Adventures
41 days of not smoking! 12 days until we leave for Germany and France!
Every hour I grow more excited about our trip. I’ve also been a little anxious about staying smoke-free in countries where simply everyone smokes.
A couple of weeks ago, however, a kind reader of this blog reassured me that smoking in public places has been banned in many European countries. That’s good. But what will I do about my sister who’s going with us? After many, many years without smoking, Meg started again a few months ago.
I think the trip will be a test of my will.
Lost in Translation
I can get by in French but I don’t know more than a scant few words of German. Learning that I was struggling making reservations for accommodations in Germany, my pal, Ben, the fellow who makes this blog happen, (fixes my computer messes, teaches me Photoshop and talks politics with me) recommended that I use Babel Fish, an Internet translation site.
I tested it out, and several similar sites, and found Babel Fish the most accurate. So, I’ve been sending inquiries translated from my English to their German, using Babel Fish.
Last week, I had Babel Fish translate the following inquiry to German:
Dear Sirs:
Your hotel looks lovely. Do you have two double rooms with lake views available for September 8 and 9?
The rooms will be reserved for:
My husband and me - Jeffery Walker and Susan Morris
My sister, who is traveling with us - Margaret Morris
Thank you very much for your assistance. I look forward to hearing from you.
Cordially,
Susan Morris
The message looked very authentic in German and I emailed it to an awesome-looking hotel on the southern shores of Lake Constance. I was grateful that they responded in English, but a little surprised–after all, my message to them was in German.
Over the weekend, I needed to make an inquiry at an inn on another leg of our journey. I copied the German message I’d sent to the Lake Constance hotel and realized I needed to check a couple of words so I could make a few changes in the new message.
Because I hadn’t saved my original message, I pasted the German version into Babel Fish and hit the button to translate it back to English.
This is what came back:
Dear Sirs:
Their hotel looks attractive. Do you have two double areas with the sea-opinions, which are present for Septembers 8 and 9? The areas are for reserved:
My married man and I - Jeffery Wanderer and Susan Morris
My sister, who travels with us - Margaret Morris
Thank you for your support. I am pleased to hear from you to.
Cordially,
Susan Morris
They must think that Americans are very frank about their dalliances.
August 22nd, 2006 07:20
Good morning,
I returned from Germany, and the Czech Republic, last month. Smoking is much more prevalent there than in the US, but it’s manageable. It’s permissable in the airports, in public areas, etc., but it’s also avoidable in most cases.
So much of Europe is “outdoors”….the cafes, the shops. You should be able to escape without issue. All of our rooms were non smoking rooms, for example, and the restaurants that we ate at were either all ventilated or we ate outside.
Good luck to you. I follow your blog closely and think you’re doing marvelously. If it’s any consolation, I quit about 20 months ago after a love affair with smoking and now run between 25 and 35 miles per week. It’s all about changing one’s outlook and reactions, and about taking everything one day at a time.
Have a great trip
Mike Cantor
August 22nd, 2006 08:39
Hi Mike,
For the first time ever, I reserved non-smoking rooms.
Your story is very encouraging. Driving past a jogger this morning, I thought how much I admire them–and how much I dislike formal exercise. (Hauling dirt and digging in the garden isn’t in this category.)
I sure do relate to calling a smoking habit a “love affair.” Fortunately, at least for me, it became very love-hate.
Does cigarette smoke still smell delicious to you?
Susan
August 23rd, 2006 15:47
My wife and I honeymooned in Spain for two weeks this May. I was smoke-free for 4 months at that point. I did not notice people smoking near as much as I had heard I would. Don’t worry about it!