A Gentleman Abroad: A Concise Guide to Traveling with Confidence, Courtesy, and Style

by John Bridges, Bryan Curtis

Overview

A Gentleman Abroad provides basic and helpful information for any man traveling to the 40 most popular foreign destinations in the world.

In addition to aphorisms and sidebars that make the books in the GentleManners series unique, this book contains 40 chapters, one for each destination. Within each chapter will be almanac data, charts on average monthly temperature, foreign size charts for shopping, time differences, embassy information, basic foreign phrases, tipping customs, and other information that will allow a gentleman to navigate the city properly. Among the cities included are Rome, Paris, London, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Buenos Aires, Sydney, Amsterdam and Berlin.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781418554101
Publisher:	Nelson, Thomas, Inc.
Publication date:	04/08/2007
Series:	The GentleManners Series
Sold by:	HarperCollins Publishing
Format:	eBook
Pages:	224
File size:	418 KB

About the Author

John Bridges, author of How to Be a Gentleman, is also the coauthor, with Bryan Curtis, of seven other volumes in the best-selling GentleManners series. He is a frequent guest on television and radio news programs, always championing gentlemanly behavior in modern society. Bridges has appeared on the Today Show, the Discovery Channel, and CBS Sunday Morning, and has been profiled in People magazine and the New York Times.

Bryan Curtis is an author and the president of Dance Floor Books. He is the author/coauthor and editor of more than 25 books, including My South, My Southern Food, Classic Wisdom for the Good Life, Classic Wisdom for the Professional Life, and the popular GentleManners series.

Read an Excerpt

A Gentleman Abroad

A Concise Guide to Traveling with Confidence and Courtesy

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By John Bridges Bryan Curtis

Thomas Nelson

Copyright © 2007 John Bridges and Bryan Curtis
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4016-0311-3

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Chapter One

78 Things Every Gentleman Who Travels Abroad Should Know

A gentleman travels to other countries in order to experience different cultures, taste new foods, and expose himself to new experiences.

* * *

A gentleman does not assume that his own culture is superior to that of every other nation on the globe.

* * *

A gentleman understands that, in every language, "please" and "thank you" are the most important words he can learn. He uses them frequently, knowing that the more often he uses them, the closer he will come to sounding like a native.

* * *

A gentleman knows that simply speaking more loudly will not help a non-English-speaking person understand him one bit more clearly.

* * *

If a gentleman does not speak the language of the country in which he is traveling, he does not pretend otherwise. He is not afraid to say to the clerk in any shop, the server in any restaurant, or the police officer on any street corner, "Excuse me. Do you speak English?"

* * *

A gentlemanis never ashamed to ask, "Would you mind saying that again, a little more slowly, please?"

* * *

A gentleman resists using profanity at all times, but he is especially careful to do so in foreign countries, where cursing may be considered a dire affront or even a religious abomination.

* * *

A gentleman does not assume that, simply because he does not understand the language of the country he is visiting, the people of that country do not understand English. Because he is a gentleman, he is careful of what he says at all times.

* * *

A gentleman may wish to travel with an organized tour group, with a small group of friends or family, or on his own. At the end of any trip, he hopes to have made new friends-and kept his old ones.

* * *

A gentleman is not expected to salute the flag of a foreign country. He salutes the flag of his own country, however, on all ceremonial occasions.

* * *

A gentleman is not expected to bow or kneel in homage to a foreign dignitary or to the leader of a religion to which the gentleman is not an adherent.

* * *

A gentleman maintains a valid passport at all times.

* * *

A gentleman makes his travel arrangements, including his flight and hotel reservations, well ahead of time-not merely to save money but also to make sure he will be able to travel when he wishes and stay in accommodations that are up to his standards.

* * *

If a gentleman abhors crowded airports and masses of jet-lagged tourists, he travels off-season.

* * *

A gentleman keeps track of the time zone he is in.

* * *

If a gentleman is traveling with a tour group, or with a group of friends or family members, he does his best to be on time for scheduled events, especially for any scheduled departures.

* * *

If a gentleman is traveling by air, he takes care not to overindulge when the cocktail cart comes down the aisle. He may think that another glass of wine, or another shot of whiskey, will help him doze off and lessen the likelihood of jet lag. Instead, it may only make his arrival even more agonizing.

* * *

A gentleman knows that in most foreign countries he will be expected to pay for his program at the theatre. He also knows that he will be expected to tip the usher who helps him to his seat.

* * *

A gentleman does not drop trash on the street, either in his home country or in the countries of others.

* * *

If a gentleman is in a city or country where smoking is prohibited in public places, he does not light up.

* * *

If a nonsmoking gentleman is in a city or country where smoking is universally permitted, he does not complain. Instead, he does his best to get away from the smoke.

* * *

A gentleman treats the clerks in stores, the servers in restaurants, and the staff at his hotel with simple dignity and respect.

* * *

A gentleman remembers that, if he makes any purchase while he is abroad, he will have to pay the tax for it and figure out some way to get it home.

Unless a gentleman is very familiar with the city he is visiting, he does not roam the streets alone at night.

* * *

If a gentleman feels the urge to take a late-night stroll, he asks the front desk staff at his hotel which streets are the safest for his walk.

* * *

If a gentleman plans to shop for clothes while he is abroad, he remembers that clothing sizes in foreign countries are almost invariably different from the ones he is used to in the United States.

* * *

When packing for a trip abroad, a gentleman makes sure to carry underwear that is easy to wash and, more important, easy to dry. He may discover that boxer shorts travel better than heavy cotton briefs.

* * *

A gentleman takes special care to safeguard his wallet and his other valuables while traveling abroad. Although he may consider it adverse to his personal taste, he would be wise to carry them in a zippered pouch, securely fastened to his belt.

* * *

When making his way through even the most crowded streets or alleyways, a gentleman does not push or shove.

* * *

If a gentleman is offered a dish with which he is not familiar, and especially if it looks a trifle threatening to him, he is perfectly correct in saying, "Well, this certainly looks interesting. Would you mind telling me what it is?"

* * *

When a gentleman visits any foreign city-especially if it is a large city-he makes sure to carry a map or guidebook with him at all times.

* * *

A gentleman does not attempt to make jokes about the possibility of terrorist attacks, bomb threats, or the likelihood of natural disasters. Such jokes are never amusing.

* * *

Although he may not be fluent in a foreign language, a gentleman always learns a few all-important words and phrases, such as "Excuse me, please," "How much does this cost?" and "Which way to the restroom?"

* * *

Just as he would do in his own country, a gentleman does not use his cell phone in a house of worship, in an art museum, or during a performance in a theatre.

* * *

In most cases, a gentleman removes his hat or cap when entering a house of worship. In some cultures, however, he will be expected to cover his head. In such instances, he may even be offered an appropriate head covering. If he is offered such, he puts it on and wears it until he leaves the building.

* * *

If a gentleman, while visiting a house of worship, notices signage prohibiting videotaping or the taking of photographs, he puts his camera and his camcorder away. He can rest assured that picture postcards and souvenir booklets will most likely be available in a convenient gift shop.

* * *

A gentleman makes it a point to learn how to greet and be introduced to people in the country he is visiting. In Japan, for instance, he will remember to bow slightly from the waist when being introduced to a man or to a woman.

* * *

If a gentleman has been warned not to drink the water, he does not drink it.

* * *

When planning a trip abroad, a gentleman checks with his doctor or his travel agent to make sure he receives all necessary inoculations well ahead of his departure date.

* * *

If a gentleman takes prescription medicines, he makes sure to take along an ample supply, along with replacement prescriptions.

* * *

If a gentleman wears hearing aids, he makes sure to carry along an ample supply of batteries.

* * *

If a gentleman wears eyeglasses, he carries along an extra pair, as well as a copy of his eyeglasses prescription.

* * *

In a museum, a gentleman does not step in front of others who are attempting to enjoy the artwork.

* * *

If a gentleman finds himself in a situation where he finds he must pass between a fellow museum-goer and a painting or sculpture, he says, "Excuse me," even if he is not sure his fellow museum-goer understands English.

(Continues...)

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Excerpted from A Gentleman Abroad by John Bridges Bryan Curtis Copyright © 2007 by John Bridges and Bryan Curtis. Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

Contents

Introduction....................vii
78 Things Every Gentleman Who Travels Abroad Should Know....................1
Amsterdam, The Netherlands....................17
Athens, Greece....................21
Auckland, New Zealand....................25
Bangkok, Thailand....................31
Beijing, China....................35
Berlin, Germany....................39
Bogotá, Colombia....................45
Bombay (Mumbai), India....................49
Brussels, Belgium....................53
Budapest, Hungary....................60
Buenos Aires, Argentina....................64
Cairo, Egypt....................68
Cape Town, South Africa....................75
Caracas, Venezuela....................79
Casablanca, Morocco....................83
Copenhagen, Denmark....................89
Dublin, Ireland....................93
Edinburgh, Scotland....................97
Hong Kong, China....................104
Jerusalem, Israel....................108
Lisbon, Portugal....................112
London, England....................119
Madrid, Spain....................123
Manila, Philippines....................127
Mexico City, Mexico....................133
Monte Carlo....................137
Montreal, Canada....................141
Oslo, Norway....................145
Paris, France....................153
Prague, Czech Republic....................157
Reykjavik, Iceland....................161
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil....................169
Rome, Italy....................173
Saint Petersburg, Russia....................177
Seoul, South Korea....................185
Stockholm,Sweden....................189
Sydney, Australia....................193
Tokyo, Japan....................197
Vienna, Austria....................206
Zurich, Switzerland....................210