I have mentioned a few times how traveling throughout the world often feels like time-travel. Some places in India and Thailand had little to no signs of the modern world where they work and farm using the same tools and living in the same shelters as they have for hundreds, maybe thousands of years.
Even in Europe, I sometimes feel as if Ive traveled back in time. Most often its a trip to the early 1980s, when I was almost too young to remember what it was like sitting in a smoky restaurant or in a cloudy waiting room.
Its strange how it takes time for things to really set in, even when we know it. Knowledge is great, but as its been said, time takes time. I just wonder what has taken Europeans longer to figure out that blowing toxic smoke down the lungs of innocent bystanders is completely wicked.
I cant help but move when Im engulfed in grey fumes (if there is a place to move to), but I always seem to get nasty looks from the smokers. As if it were rude that I was bothered enough by their smoke to get up from my seat.
We Americans have a more than fair share of ways in which we smoke out the rest of the world, but I cant think of any so in your face as a Europeans second hand cigarette smoke.
Some countries are finally coming around though. Those elegant images of people smoking over coffee in a French café will be history in a couple of years.
October 27th, 2006 at 11:06 am
Hey John,
I can relate to your thoughts for sure. My friend and I were bartending at the Boot Hill Saloon in Daytona Beach. Being a free standing building and no food service, smoking is still permitted. We left in July and have been sick from 2nd hand smoke since March, my friend having just gone through surgery to remove cancer from his throat. We are opening up our own smoke free bar soon. I can imagine the people that work in those establishments in Europe what their health must be like. They are lucky to have health coverage.
October 27th, 2006 at 2:17 pm
Aaah, memories of Bangkok, where John said, “light up another cigarette…the mosquitos are terrible” while sitting on the hostel patio come to mind. Best friend, worst enemy, smoking…
October 28th, 2006 at 12:43 pm
Perfect time to be in Transylvania! Happy Halloween!