Leif shares a humorous yet wise collection of everyday kernels of European wisdom, accumulated on his trek across the continent.

Recently, my buddy Dave asked me what I've learned during my trek through Europe.  Upon reflection I had accumulated a huge collection of unspoken, every-day kernels of European wisdom that have become so ordinary and customary that I had already begun to take them for granted as common knowledge. 

I started to make a list and it took on a life of its own.  I'd like to share this knowledge with you now.

Much more complex than a simple sticker, the Fair Trade Certified logo signifies that the products and company with which it's associated are part of an international system of doing business that offers better trading conditions for producers and workers in developing countries, attempting to alleviate poverty and contribute to sustainable development.

More than 10 years ago, the California Air Resources Board took the courageous action of demanding that automakers produce cars that did not pollute California's air. No other state could make such a demand.

"I'm flicking you off right now," my friend says. "In fact, I'm flicking off everyone in the entire restaurant with both middle fingers."

Normally I would be shocked, horrified, or at minimum, embarrassed, but right now I'm too busy making faces at the waitress to care.  

Beside me, a couple exchanges lip-smacking kisses and across the room, a man with a booming voice announces to his date that he has just put his entire hand in "something gooey."

Adding a little art, science and ceremony to your regular immersion can elevate your bathing ritual into a therapeutic experience.

Taking a soak in the tub can be about much more than getting clean. Of course, bathing is the perfect way to unwind and relax after a long day's work, but adding a little art, science and ceremony to your regular immersion can elevate your bathing ritual into a therapeutic experience called balneotherapy.