Life´s Little Ramblings

Let me continue where I left off, if I remember where I left off that is.

3. Taxes
Coming from Norway, you would at the very least expect me to be quite used to paying some amount of taxes in addition to the total value of things, right... Wrong.
America takes this whole taxes things to a whole other level I tell you. Everything is being taxed. And I know, I should not be saying this considering Norway does it too, but at least Norway doesn't tax me for clothing and things like that!

For example, I was over at Old Navy's earlier, and decided I wanted to buy a new tee, which technically SHOULD only cost me 12 USD. By the time I was at the counter and wanting to pay for things, it became 12.57 USD. I mean, its clothes! That would mean now, every time I buy something I need to know how much taxes will be charged. So I cannot really shop till I drop in other words.

And just like my sister's friend Linda says I am not complaining about the taxes, I just want to know exactly how much I need to have so I know I will have enough.

Well, you would probably think its only 0.57 USD. Like why am I complaining right. Yeah, that was one example, I would take the second example...

My dinner at Red Lobster (more on this on my next point). Dinner was technically, 25 USD for my food. 5 USD for drinks. But guess what, due to Equity? and Taxes and service charges, it ends up costing like 44 USD. Then being the idiotic tourist that I am, I also inserted some additional tips. But I will come to that later.

Apparently as well, if you shop in Wal Mart, sometimes they have a tax of 5% and sometimes 12% (or something of that sort), so yeah, how do you know if you have enough money for things!

So yeah, basically... taxes, service charges and tips in America is something utterly new to me.
And I will definitely need some time getting use to.

4. Red Lobster
Now, if anyone ever would visit America and Utica or anywhere else that have this restaurant, I would say definitely go give it a try.

Food was fantastic. (Will upload some pictures later, when I am back home)
Service was really nice and delicious, did I mention it was really good already?
I suppose it is slightly pricey, but then again for that good food, I would certainly say it is worth the money.
And, as mentioned above, food is not too pricey its the taxes, service charges and equity that cost a lot.

So here is my story, I ordered some Wood Grilled Scallops, Lobster and Prawns. (If I remembered the name right that is) and while I was halfway eating,and almost done mind you... The Chef comes out to tell me that apparently HE thought the lobsters were a bit burned (in all honesty, I thought mine was perfect as it is) and he would come with a new set of lobsters.

So yeah, even after eating like 3/4 of my lobster, I got a new one.

Like WTF?
How awesome is that, that CERTAINLY gave him brownie points from me.

Overall, I paid about... 44 USD for the entire meal. That is an equivalent of about, 300 NOK. That is not too bad I suppose.

With good food and good service, why not right.

5. American Portions
I tasted and tested, and I confirm. American portions are slightly larger than average European meals.
And alot more calories and fats.
My gradually increasing waistline can also confirm this theory. Everything is larger here. I was looking for a 500 ml coke the other day, and I could not find one.

Their coke comes in 2L bottles and other larger then normal sized bottles
Their dinner plates (if you ask me) feeds 2 in Norway. No kidding.
Cereal and all that comes is larger sizes.
Everything is slightly larger.
That is perhaps why obesity is on the rise, I myself would probably be obese if I lived in America.

6. Coca-Cola in America
Taste different, is it not?
Apparently Coca-Cola in America is made from fructose syrup because sugar in America is much more expensive?
This is my take on it, because personally I thought it tasted slightly funny when I first drank it.
Though, I was reunited with my Vanilla Coke.
Vanilla Coke, has got to be the best coke out there yet!

I got so much more to say!
But I got to head over to a small farewell party for a fellow dorm-mate now.
Rants later.

Oh, suppose you guys have watched this before. The new Youtube "star", Arianna doing Beyonce's Single Ladies.
http://static.ak.fbcdn.net/swf/mvp.swf?7%3A136766=&v=515879837549&s=http%3A%2F%2Fstatic.ak.fbcdn.net%2Fswf%2Fembed.swf%3F7%3A134871&ts=http%3A%2F%2Fstatic.ak.fbcdn.net%2Fswf%2Fmvp_tail_slate.swf%3F7%3A134155

I think she is seriously adorable!