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Overall, the Romance countries intrigue me more. The food, art, architecture, languages, literatures, and overall religious, political, military, and cultural history connected to the Mediterranean interest me more. This region has been the main stage for many attention-grabbing phenomena: the rise and expansion of Rome; Gothic, Muslim, and Viking invasions; the legendary presence of Gypsies, Sephardic Jews, etc.; the rise of the Catholic Church and the impact of the liturgical calendar on everyday culture; European trade routes with the Middle East and Far East; the Renaissance and Baroque; the prominence of olive oil, wine, garlic, seafood, and other ingredients in the culinary profile; relative underdevelopment (or uneven development) vis-a-vis Northern Europe during the Industrial Revolution. All of these things are still palpable in the Romance countries.
Not that the Germanic countries don't have their charms, either: Their overall place at or beyond Rome's periphery has led to interesting mixes of Germanic, Roman, and Celtic cultures in some areas. Norse mythology, Old Norse, and Gothic should be studied more. The Viking legacy is very interesting to me, and the Germanic countries have had to contend with various invaders such as Slavs and Turks. The Germanic countries were center stage for printing, Protestantism, the Enlightenment, the rise of modern science, classical music (arguably), and other crucial developments. Ashkenaz Jewish culture has had a significant history in some Germanic places. There is a lot of amazing art and architecture, such as Golden Age Dutch panting, modern German abstract art, and beautifully ornate palaces, churches, and houses from the Baroque and German Renaissance Revival. The Germanic countries did much more with butter, beer, and game than the Mediterranean countries did. And the Germanic countries generally emerged as Europe's most robust economies.
But still, it's the Romance cultures that really do it for me. I'm of Celtic and Anglo-Saxon heritage, yet the semi-familiar "otherness" of Romance cultures has intrigued me more since I was a kid.
Last edited by Empidonax; 03-04-2012 at 02:02 PM..
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MalaMan
The thing that most intrigues me on this subject is the sharp constrast between two different "images" of Germans:
- Cerebral, reserved, cold people...
and...
- Oktoberfest, beer and music!!
Maybe they take "vacations" from their cerebral and reserved lifestyle every October?
I think people everywhere - of whatever culture - need to let loose from time to time. Hans is the model employee 5 days a week: efficient, rational, well-mannered, but he becomes a different man when he dons his lederhosen and starts boomping to an Oompa band, with a big stein of good quality German beer served by a busty barmaid.
I also think Germanic people may be somewhat repressed. Always having to act all proper, watch their manners.etc, they're bound to let off a little steam now and then. English soccer hooliganism is an example, although I've always found the English a bit more hot-blooded than their Continental relatives, maybe due to the Celtic thing again. Then again say the Danish were the descendants of Vikings, and Germans were the Barbarian tribes of Roman times.
I think people everywhere - of whatever culture - need to let loose from time to time. Han is the model employee 5 days a week: efficient, rational, well-mannered, but he becomes a different man when he dons his lederhosen and starts boomping to an Oompa band, with a big stein of good quality German beer served by a busty barmaid.
I also think Germanic people may be somewhat repressed. Always having to act all proper, watch their manners.etc, they're bound to let off a little steam now and then. English soccer hooliganism is an example, although I've always found the English a bit more hot-blooded than their Continental relatives, maybe due to the Celtic thing again. Then again say the Danish were the descendants of Vikings, and Germans were the Barbarian tribes of Roman times.
One common thing in Germanic countries (including the UK) is the letting off steam thing by drinking. It's an ice-breaker and people do it to socialise. The problem is the bloody Brits, Irish and although not Germanic, the Finns don't know when to stop. In Latin Europe, it is generally more common to drink with a meal. In Germanic countries, the meal is just to soak up the booze! Australians are also some of the world's biggest consumers of alcohol. I wonder where they inherited that trait from?
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
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Originally Posted by dragonborn
One common thing in Germanic countries (including the UK) is the letting off steam thing by drinkimg. It's an ice-breaker and people do it to socialise. The problem is the bloody Brits, Irish and although not Germanic, the Finns don't know when to stop. In Latin Europe, it is generally more common to drink with a meal. In Germanic countries, the meal is just to soak up the booze!
Haha yeah drinking culture! The Finns are like the Eastern Slavs in that respect, they have a problem with their alcohol.
Australia is a sub-set of British culture, probably more the rougher elements of it (although most of us do not have Convict forefathers it was a society largely built on Convict society). Binge drinking is the norm here.
Haha yeah drinking culture! The Finns are like the Eastern Slavs in that respect, they have a problem with their alcohol.
Australia is a sub-set of British culture, probably more the rougher elements of it (although most of us do not have Convict forefathers it was a society largely built on Convict society). Binge drinking is the norm here.
We British also drink because our climate is shyte to many. Some years we don't even get much of a summer and while our winters are not as cold as other places of similar of even far more southerly latitudes, our winters are dank, gloomy and dreary. I don't know what the excuse is in Australia though with all that sunny weather perfect for being outdoors? I guess it the same as how British expats in Spain would rather down beers than at least try to learn the native language. The Germans can certainly drink as can the Danes, but the binge drinking factor isn't as much of a problem as you'll find on a night out on Leicester Square, or any nondescript British High Street.
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
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Originally Posted by dragonborn
We British also drink because our climate is shyte to many. Some years we don't even get much of a summer and while our winters are not as cold as other places of similar of even far more southerly latitudes, our winters are dank, gloomy and dreary. I don't know what the excuse is in Australia though with all that sunny weather perfect for being outdoors? I guess it the same as how British expats in Spain would rather down beers than at least try to learn the native language. The Germans can certainly drink as can the Danes, but the binge drinking factor isn't as much of a problem as you'll find on a night out on Leicester Square, or any nondescript British High Street.
Hot sunny, weather? That just makes us want to drink more. We prefer our beer cold, remember . Northern Territorians are considered big drinkers even by Aussie standards (it's not just a stereotype stats bear that out).
I've seen videos and stuff of English nightlife, it seems somewhat similar to here.
Hot sunny, weather? That just makes us want to drink more. We prefer our beer cold, remember . Northern Territorians are considered big drinkers even by Aussie standards (it's not just a stereotype stats bear that out).
I've seen videos and stuff of English nightlife, it seems somewhat similar to here.
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
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Originally Posted by dragonborn
Interesting!
I think I emigrated to the wrong country
Eh, I would live in the US if living there was more like Australia in terms of the government, health-care, politics. But Oz really is the Lucky Country in many ways.
They're two very different countries, I found that out when I visited the States.
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. Northern Territorians are considered big drinkers even by Aussie standards (it's not just a stereotype stats bear that out). 
