The Ugly American in the Mirror
I’m just back from a trip to Europe, and, to my chagrin, the ugly American is alive and well. He is everywhere. Let me count the ways. Unlike me, the ugly American wears athletic apparel with Nike and Adidas logos wherever he goes. Baseball caps are de rigueur for this individual. Unlike me, the ugly American wears shorts at religious monuments. Unlike me, the ugly American immediately holds forth in English without even attempting to speak a foreign language or asking whether the listener speaks English. Unlike me, the ugly American unhesitatingly orders a cheeseburger rather than even trying to enjoy a foreign dish. The barely edible but authentic dish I ordered in Speyer, Germany Unlike me, the ugly American carries his own toothpick and spends 20 minutes cleaning his teeth on a tour bus, in full view of others. Amsterdam red-light district Unlike me, the ugly American gawks at the sex workers in Amsterdam’s red-light district and tries to sneak photos of them...
