Holiday in a cottage or an apartment USA USA: The land of superlatives, experience from their own holiday home USA. Nowhere else you will be given a richer contrast. The vastness of the prairie with a touch of Wild West romance of bygone days in Texas to do. Or you love the vibrant bustle of the city?New York, the shopping paradise of the east coast number 1. Combine a shopping trip with a visit to the Broadway musical. While away the evening in one of the bars with a delicious cocktail. Since you are ever in the East, follow the trail of the story and visit Boston in a house or an apartment USA USA. Let's you politically? In Washington, the Capitol and the White House waiting for you.
How about Los Angeles in the West? Maybe you will meet your favorite actor at a Hollywood tour. A visit with Mickey Mouse or Universal Studios is a must. Have not you always look behind the scenes of the film maker? An incomparable vacation is upon you.
This has been clumsily translated (making it rather funny to read), but sums up pretty well the way Europeans see the United States; a something-for-everyone adventure zone. A visitor could indulge in the chic urban glamor or explore the wilds. The phrase "the land of superlatives" is quite telling. The United States has always been known for it's "bigger is better" mentality, so this remark isn't very surprising.
Common images are San Fransisco and the Golden Gate bridge, NewYork city, the Grand Canyon, Seattle and vast open beaches.Country music also shows up a lot in the soundtracks on video tours. Below is a pretty good example of what Europeans expect to see when visiting the U.S.
This is a caricature of the United States, and to me not all that interesting. These things do exist, but they are a minute part of how we as a people live. So, surely this must be true of Europe. And how is it that we picture Europe?
I think this clip from an Eddie Izzard routine sums up the generalizations well:
Castles appear all over tourist information for Europe. People go to Europe to see political, artistic and religious history. It is revered by Americans as the height of sophistication and culture. This list from allwomenstalk.com ( ...not a website I frequent) is another good example of the scenes Americans dream of when they imagine Europe:
Rome:
Venice:
Paris:
Great use of youtube! Germans in particular are fascinated by the Wild West. There are German pulp magazines thats specialize in cowboys and Indians stories. Think of the consequences for global politics this kind of view of Americans as only half-emerged from the wilderness (or into the commercialism of Vegas or Disneyworld).
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