Welcome to Ignorance Abroad, with apologies to Mark Twain

Herein I share my adventures in cultural ignorance and education the hard way. You’ll find some differences that are fascinating and intriguing, humorous, or irritating — the last two need not be mutually exclusive. And you’ll learn about some fascinating places.

What prompted me to create this blog?

Years ago I was staying at a fabulous hotel in The Hague with a room so incredible — with such high ceilings, marble covered bathroom, richly appointed fixtures — that I was tempted to stay in the room rather than go out and tour the town. In the bathroom were two sinks, one normal height, the second so low you could sit on it. I thought, “How clever these Europeans are, they even have a sink for kids!” Fortunately, I did not brush my teeth in the second one, for it was a bidet. I had never seen one before, having grown up in the a rural part of America where a couple neighbors didn’t even have indoor plumbing yet.

I reflected at the time that some day I should write a book about these discoveries and impressions.

What are my qualifications to be a “travel” road warrior?

• I’ve flown about 1.5 million miles in the last ten years. This is roughly the equivalent of flying round trip to the moon three times.
• Currently I travel between 100,000-200,000 miles a year on business and holiday.
• I have traveled to Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Latin America.

Will there be pictures?

Oh yes. With the advent of digital photography I have chronicled my travels and will bring you interesting photos from around the world.

Thanks for coming along.

Bill Petro
www.billpetro.com