I love European restaurants, and yes i mean this in the typically British way, as if Britain is not part of Europe.
We went to Pizza Express on Saturday: Xss and I were tired, the baby wasn't. As soon as we entered the male host on the door started speaking to Starbucks. Within 5 minutes he was walking around the restaurant carrying her on his hip and showing her to everyone. Xss and I sat and sipped our drinks.
How different this is to British culture when if the baby makes a squeak then disapproving looks are cast (unless they are parents themselves, in which case a sympathetic 'sorry others will disapprove of you' look occurs). In Europe they actually like children, actively seek them out and cherish them. I'm not sure that in our culture we aren't supposed to have got upset, demanded the child back immediately and not let her out of our sight, or assumed that the waiter was a paedophile abducting her from under our noses. Similarly the British waiter, would have been overtly worried about hurting Starbucks in some way, and then being sued.
Starbucks was returned 10-15 minutes later, and then immediately colouring pencils and paper appeared. She was then spoken to every time a waiter or waitress passed, except when she was busy eating. It was lovely. Sometimes i just wish our culture was a little different, a little more welcoming and sensible, not worried and closed. Why cant we cherish every child we meet?
9/52 Happy? The European attitude to children.
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