Originally Posted by
Fredd
Whatever happened to "when in Rome?" Funny how so many sophisticated travelers want to criticize other countries for their customs and to flout them while visiting...
In solidarity I'm going to start refusing to pay the exhorbitant VAT taxes, often
hidden, that I encounter in so many countries, particularly since I'm not a resident and derive no benefit from them.
Surely it's the American sales taxes which are hidden?
Like buying a flight from Ryanair - you think you've got a good price, but then the previously undisclosed taxes and charges are added at the last minute and the price jumps up at the till! Like with eating in a restaurant - the price you see should be the price you pay!
I agree with your first statement however - whilst I dislike intensely the tipping culture, I do try to adapt to local cultures when and where I can. To not do so out of ignorance is embarrassing, to not do so deliberately is boorish.