Why On Earth Do People Go Out For a Meal?

[MrGongGong]

Not perhaps the most fashionable locations but much loved by it's customers - http://thecompanyshed.co/
.

Wonderful place
I went oyster fishing with the owner a few years ago to make recordings for a piece connected to the Moot Hall organ in Colchester.
Great location and oysters

[ardcarp]

The man hug I do not know about.

It's one step higher up the intimacy scale than a handshake, but less than a kiss! It seems to involve each bloke putting his right arm over the other's shoulder so that chests and possibly cheeks are touching.

[P. G. Tipps]

It's one step higher up the intimacy scale than a handshake, but less than a kiss! It seems to involve each bloke putting his right arm over the other's shoulder so that chests and possibly cheeks are touching.

As 'man-hugs' presumably exclude both the ladies and transgenders, surely this outrageous practice is patriarchal, sexist and thoroughly discriminatory and should be outlawed accordingly ... ?

[Richard Barrett]

As 'man-hugs' presumably exclude both the ladies and transgenders, surely this outrageous practice is patriarchal, sexist and thoroughly discriminatory and should be outlawed accordingly ... ?

[french frank]

the nightly parade in Padua (otherwise an unremarkable town).

I beg to differ (if I may). It has a very remarkable botanic garden.

[jean]

Also some magnificent frescoes, especially the Giottos in the Arena Chapel.

There would be a lot more if the British hadn't bombed the Mantegnas in the Church of the Eremitani.

[jean]

As 'man-hugs' presumably exclude both the ladies and transgenders...

No, they hug each other as a matter of course, without having to devise a special word for it.

I'm always surprised that people think shaking hands is particularly British, as it's now practised much more routinely by other nations, especially (in my experience) the Germans. I'm sure I posted this the last time this was discussed, where the word is as much a cause for amusement as the fact:



As to gender divisions in the matter, I remember being surprised that in the choir I sang in in Poland, all the men, and only the men, shook hands with each other before every rehearsal. It was explained to me that traditionally a woman would extend her hand for a man to kiss (something you still saw occasionally) and it would be considered extremely presumptuous for him to grab it for any other purpose.

[P. G. Tipps]

As to gender divisions in the matter, I remember being surprised that in the choir I sang in in Poland, all the men, and only the men, shook hands with each other before every rehearsal. It was explained to me that traditionally a woman would extend her hand for a man to kiss (something you still saw occasionally) and it would be considered extremely presumptuous for him to grab it for any other purpose.

Didn't you simply witness old-style chivalry in probably the most conservatively-Catholic country in Europe ... ?

[jean]

No, read my post properly.

The hand-kissing by the time I was there (mid-1990s) was very occasional indeed, and nothing had yet replaced it for greetings between men and women - not even shaking hands.

As an example, the principal viola of the Szczecin Philharmonic was the one who shut the door when the orchestra had all come onto the platform, and he always used to kiss the hand of the woman he shared a desk with as he slid into his seat. No other orchestra member did it.

[P. G. Tipps]

On your schoolmistressly instructions I've read your post again and have come to exactly the same conclusion as I did before ...

I can remember times in my youth in the UK when generally only men shook hands. Males would greet ladies with a polite nod and would only dare kiss a lady if the side of her face was thrust in front of their own. Hand-kissing is still occasionally witnessed here though now mostly confined to artistic types and the upper-classes.

So I fail to see why you were that surprised by your experiences in conservative Poland even in the 1990s!

[Serial_Apologist]

[img]
As to gender divisions in the matter, I remember being surprised that in the choir I sang in in Poland, all the men, and only the men, shook hands with each other before every rehearsal. It was explained to me that traditionally a woman would extend her hand for a man to kiss (something you still saw occasionally) and it would be considered extremely presumptuous for him to grab it for any other purpose.

I was once detailed to interview a quite famous singer for a magazine, and will never forget the moment she wafted into the room, approaching me with drooped hand extended as I rose from my chair, not knowing whether I was supposed to shake or kiss it! I decided on the spot to do the former. On the moment, that should read,

[jean]

So I fail to see why you were that surprised by your experiences in conservative Poland even in the 1990s!

I was surprised that while hand-kissing was now very rare, nothing had replaced it.

It is in practice quite an odd experience to be surrounded by a bunch of men all animatedly shaking hands with each other, while the women just stand there, unshaken and unkissed.

[Serial_Apologist]

I was surprised that while hand-kissing was now very rare, nothing had replaced it.

It is in practice quite an odd experience to be surrounded by a bunch of men all animatedly shaking hands with each other, while the women just stand there, unshaken and unkissed.

You would be the first person I would shake hands with, jean!

[jean]

But not kiss my hand, even though I were to proffer it?

[jean]

Is she curtseying, or just trying to get down to his level?