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European Lifestyle

There are many reasons to visit a country – the food, the scenery, the sites and the weather. While you’re there though, one of the things that can strike you the most is the lifestyle, and if the place has a great vibe such as the European lifestyle then this can really add to a holiday and what helps make you feel free and relaxed. Furthermore it can be very interesting learning how different countries live their lives and how the European lifestyle differs from your own.

Of course being a large continent, the European lifestyle varies depending on which country you’re in. The European lifestyle in the South of France differs greatly for example to the European lifestyle thought of in England. As a rule though there is a general European lifestyle that most people think of when they think about the continent.

This ‘typical’ European lifestyle is a lifestyle that’s highly laid back, doesn’t work to hard and enjoys the finer things in life. Perhaps the seminal area for this is the South of France which exemplifies the European lifestyle to a T. Here the weather is warm, and those who live there tend to make the most of it by enjoying sitting outside in the evenings, taking siestas, and generally not over exerting themselves in the heat. At the same time a big part of European lifestyle here is based around the enjoyment of fine food and drink, and vineyards play a large role in the lifestyle. Someone from the South of France will likely have great taste and enjoy drinking wine in fancy bars by the sea while the sun comes up, enjoying this slower paced existence by more fully enjoying moments and tastes. The licensing laws then support this European lifestyle by allowing residents to sit out in the sun drinking throughout the day and late at night when they’re not at work, which seems to combat and negate the binge-drinking culture of many other countries. And all this relaxation and enjoyment creates a very friendly and playful attitude that’s a joy for tourists.

Countries such as Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece are then just as laid back in their European lifestyle, enjoying good music and good food and charming quaint architecture. In Greece you can just as easily enjoy Calamari in a little back street restaurant in the sun while watching cats clamber around on the cobbles. While not all of mainland Europe enjoys such a climate, a similar European lifestyle tends to prevail even where it’s cooler in Germany, Poland or Holland. In Germany they too have a playful outlook on life and charming thatched houses and other traditions, while even Poland – known for their hard grafting – have a fairly relaxed attitude the rest of the time and a fondness for warming foods and vodka. And then there’s Holland which is famous for its laid back European attitude.

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European Banquets

Europe is well known for its food and with good reason. While the diets of the various European countries are vastly different, each has a fondness for good food and wine and many gourmet meals are straight from the continent. Here we will look at European banquets in different European countries; how they differ and what to expect. One thing you can be sure of – European banquets will not leave you wanting.

European banquets in England: In England you can expect a meal slightly different from other European banquets. Here the food you’ll be enjoying developed on an island separate from the main continent, and due to England’s one-time acquisition of the US the food is quite similar to what you might enjoy in America. European banquets in England are mostly made up of ‘pub food’ (‘pub grub’ as it’s known locally) and this reflects their lifestyle to a large degree. An English European banquet then might include: a roast dinner, pie and chips (chips being fat fries in England), battered fish and chips, cottage pie (not actually a pie…) and that great among European banquets – the full English breakfast.

France: France are well known for their enjoyment of the finer things in life and their European banquets are no different, being made up of smaller morsels of gourmet food that are designed to be savoured. European banquets in France will consist of lots of sauces, garlic, baguettes and cheese. European banquets in France would also not be complete without the requisite frog’s legs, snails and mussels. To top of European banquets in France you have the wine which is the best in the world. Did you know that champagne is merely wine from the Champagne region of France?

Italy: European banquets in Italy have to be some of the most popular in the world and almost everyone is familiar with them as a result. Italian European banquets consist of largely pasta with cheeses, tomato and garlic flavouring and is exemplified in meals such as bolognaise, lasagne and carbonara. European banquets in Italy will also of course benefit from the inclusion of pizzas – one of the most popular snacks around the world today.

Poland: Poland is rarely thought of for its European banquets, but provides many delicious meals nonetheless. Being a cool climate, Poland’s European banquets are focussed on keeping you warm, but are also based very much around the limited supplies available during WW2 resulting in a lot of stews and soups and a heavy reliance of cabbage. European banquets in Poland should include golumpki, goulash and carbanossi. Polish European banquets also feature large amounts of some of the best tasting vodka you’re likely ever to try.

Of course this is only a small selection of European banquets, and there are many other countries in Europe that have equally great palettes.

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Europe Horses

Horses play a large role in European history and understanding the importance of Europe horses is crucial to understanding the continent. From the days when they were eaten, to the days of war, to the days of transportation, Europe horses have always been pivotal in the day to day lifestyle of Europeans. At the same time though, the evolution and the development of the Horse as a species is also tied very much to European history and breading. The bloodline of Europe horses is very important to many breeders.

All horses including Europe horses are thought to have evolved from creatures such as the Mesohippus, which was a similar but smaller creature with multiple toes. Early on in European history (probably dating back to prehistoric times according to archaeological finds), these Europe horses and their predecessors were eaten and hunted. Why Europe horses stopped being eaten is not fully understood but is likely to do with their value as other uses for Europe horses became apparent. At the same time Europe horses have been described as being a tough and un-appealing meat, though it can still be purchased at certain places if desired. At around 4000 BCE horses would be kept and trained for milk and meet rather than being hunted, before this time it was thought that Europe horses were too small to carry riders and were not much larger than ponies. As the were domesticated and selectively bred however, Europe horses began to become strong enough to bear the weight of large riders carrying multiple bags. Toggles, cheekpieces and bridles have all been dug up around Eastern Europe from this time.

Europe horses were now used for transport, and from as early as 3000 BCE the Romans and other cultures were using horse-drawn carriages and other vehicles. The Romans thus developed roads to make travel using Europe horses safer and easier. Europe horses were now also used for warfare and at around 1800 BCE the war chariot was introduced and in 1000 BCE (surprisingly after) the first Europe horses were used for cavalry. In 700 BCE cavalry were very prominent and Europe horses became crucial to the survival of these ‘superpowers’. The ‘Greathorses’ were also introduced, which were large armoured Europe horses.

In modern times Europe horses have been almost completely replaced by cars for transport and by tanks for warfare. What continues is the racing of Europe horses which began in the 2^nd Century Rome and hunting game on horseback which was popular in England until the recent passing of a new law. The rich history of Europe horses however has resulted in many interesting breads and bloodlines such as the Black Forest Horse from Germany which sports thick fur and hair to protect against the cold and is very strong for dragging sleds. Anglo-Arabian horses meanwhile are European horses crossed with Arabian and are highly sought after. The breading of Europe horses continues to be a popular pass time both for racing and for shows.

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European Jewelry

European jewelry is very similar to jewelery in other parts of the Western world, though they also of course make some jewelry that is uniquely European and likely to make a great souvenir or something quite different if you’re out there. Depending on what you’re looking for, European jewelry can also be a great place to find designer items, or to buy jewelry more cheaply. Here we’ll look at the best and most original European jewelry and what to look out for on your travels.

One European country that has some very specific European jewelry is Ireland, which makes the most of a range of Celtic symbols and imagery to create some items that are uniquely of their country. For example the Claddagh ring is a very interesting piece of European jewelry steeped in history and with a great meaning attached. This piece of European jewelry is a ring that looks like a heart being held by two hands wearing a crown, and is traditionally given as a token of love, and sometimes worn as a wedding ring. The imagery is intended to mean ‘with my two hands I give you my heart and crown it with loyalty’, while another interesting thing about this piece of European jewelry is that it can be worn to denote a person’s relationship status. Depending on the finger it is worn on and its orientation it can mean a person is single, married, engaged or in a relationship.

Similarly another piece of European jewelry from Ireland and also this time from Wales is the Celtic cross. This piece of jewellery is a cross with a circle across the point where the lines meet to form a cross. Often this piece of European jewelry is made from stone.

Other items of European jewelry are popular for their stones, and in particular if those stones are abundant in that part of Europe. For example around Warsaw and other areas of Poland, amber is highly popular as it deposits in the area. A great piece of European jewelry from Poland then would be an amber ring or pendant. Find out about the local culture and the stones in the area then to find yourself a great piece of local European jewelry.

A trip to Europe can also be a great way to find some designer items at a good price, and particularly in Italy and France which are famous for their designers making these two of the best places to go for European jewelry. Another tip is to travel to countries such as Portugal, Turkey and Greece where you can get European jewelry more cheaply and can haggle for a good price. After a trip to one of these countries you might well come home with a diamond ring you could not have afforded back home.

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