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Ice Ice Baby

Whilst taking my German classes in high school, Frau Zarndt (who was a lovely, if a little out there, teacher) who hailed from Switzerland taught us of some of the vagaries of life in Europe.

One of the most incomprehensible things was that they didn't use ice in their drinks. At all.

I didn't get it, but I didn't put much thought into it, really.

When I was on my mission in Korea, people didn't put much ice in their drinks there, either. In Korea, they also don't fill the cup up to the brim. Rather, they leave it about 90% full, with a comfortable margin at the top for drinking without slopping it all over yourself. I think it's kind of polite, but I also feel like I'm being cheated out of the full cup of drink.

At least in Korea they offer complimentary refills on soft drinks.

Korea also doesn't believe in drinking just plain water much. They typically serve a barley tea which is yummy, but not necessarily refreshing. I once had a boiling hot, spicy dish in Korea, when I was inexperienced about such things, and then grabbed the cup seeking relief, only to find that it was just as hot. Like pouring gasoline on a fire hoping to put it out...

Then, while in Europe most recently, I experienced the lack of ice thing again. I have become accustomed to having access to the beverage and ice amount of my choice, rather than having to have someone fill my drink for me according to some arbitrary and subjective or corporate-determined standard. And again, with the no ice...

Apparently, no one knows why there's no free refills and ice. I read an amusing article about it:

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/08/03/ice-enough-already/?ref=opinion&_r=0

I'd be interested in your thoughts. Do you ice it up? Or do you prefer ice-free drinks?

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