Minor rant: in Europe with completely useless in laws and a toddler

[Anonymous]

This is probably a highlight of their lives. It’s a really nice thing you’re doing for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1. I post during nap time when I’m at the hotel.

2. We’ve done cabs when we can, but DD needing a car seat is a big hindrance to using cabs as much as we would like.

3. These weren’t my plans; this entire trip was DH’s idea.

4. I’ve gone to a huge effort to try to make this trip great for the ILs. Not once have I rolled my eyes when she wanted something cold. It’s the obsession with ice that is ridiculous.

5. We’ve spent thousands on this trip. We’re at a hotel that’s in the top 20 for the entire city. Hardly cheap.

So OP, any more updates?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1. I post during nap time when I’m at the hotel.

2. We’ve done cabs when we can, but DD needing a car seat is a big hindrance to using cabs as much as we would like.

3. These weren’t my plans; this entire trip was DH’s idea.

4. I’ve gone to a huge effort to try to make this trip great for the ILs. Not once have I rolled my eyes when she wanted something cold. It’s the obsession with ice that is ridiculous.

5. We’ve spent thousands on this trip. We’re at a hotel that’s in the top 20 for the entire city. Hardly cheap.

“We are doing a huge expensive favor for them. They can’t even appreciate it properly they way we expect.” I agree you are not coming across as nice OP. They are clearly novices out of their element and comfort zone and you’re finding fault with petty things like them getting tired of walking (and no doubt standing, likely for hours a day) and wanting cold drinks. Hopefully they are not picking up on the fact that you and their son are annoyed by them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1. I post during nap time when I’m at the hotel.

2. We’ve done cabs when we can, but DD needing a car seat is a big hindrance to using cabs as much as we would like.

3. These weren’t my plans; this entire trip was DH’s idea.

4. I’ve gone to a huge effort to try to make this trip great for the ILs. Not once have I rolled my eyes when she wanted something cold. It’s the obsession with ice that is ridiculous.

5. We’ve spent thousands on this trip. We’re at a hotel that’s in the top 20 for the entire city. Hardly cheap.

“We are doing a huge expensive favor for them. They can’t even appreciate it properly they way we expect.” I agree you are not coming across as nice OP. They are clearly novices out of their element and comfort zone and you’re finding fault with petty things like them getting tired of walking (and no doubt standing, likely for hours a day) and wanting cold drinks. Hopefully they are not picking up on the fact that you and their son are annoyed by them.

The ILs should have prepared themselves for travel. Like get in shape and walk for a mile a day...I go on Rick Steves and read these kind of experiences by those visiting Europe. It's not suburbia and the ILs should have known that. And what is with the desperate need for ice and burgers? They truly are ugly Americans.

[Anonymous]

Update: MIL got mad because she had to walk up a short hill.
She also didn’t want to go into St Peter’s because “it’s just another church, right?”

Again — the issue is not cold drinks. It’s that she’s obsessed with getting ice in everything, when that’s simply not possible here.

[Anonymous]

Also, that walking represented less than a mile for the entire day because we went on a bus tour for the morning. The walking was a short hill to a museum right next to the hotel.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also, that walking represented less than a mile for the entire day because we went on a bus tour for the morning. The walking was a short hill to a museum right next to the hotel.

Many PPs here mention that the OP should take pity on her ILs because they're old...but the problem isnt age, it's that they're unhealthy and cannot even walk up a hill! They should have saved OP the trouble and stayed on their asses in their McMansion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also, that walking represented less than a mile for the entire day because we went on a bus tour for the morning. The walking was a short hill to a museum right next to the hotel.

The bus tour is key, OP. Buses for everything. This is how old people roll.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also, that walking represented less than a mile for the entire day because we went on a bus tour for the morning. The walking was a short hill to a museum right next to the hotel.

The bus tour is key, OP. Buses for everything. This is how old people roll.

They loved the bus tour. LOVED it. We also booked a private car to the catacombs for tomorrow so we could avoid public transit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Update: MIL got mad because she had to walk up a short hill.
She also didn’t want to go into St Peter’s because “it’s just another church, right?”

Again — the issue is not cold drinks. It’s that she’s obsessed with getting ice in everything, when that’s simply not possible here.

St. Peter's Basilica? You're right, certainly not "just a church."

Were you signed up for a "skip the line" tour? Otherwise, it can be a very long wait in the line, which I could see might be off-putting for someone not in good health. We waited two and a half hours last winter, and that was during the off season.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also, that walking represented less than a mile for the entire day because we went on a bus tour for the morning. The walking was a short hill to a museum right next to the hotel.

The bus tour is key, OP. Buses for everything. This is how old people roll.

They loved the bus tour. LOVED it. We also booked a private car to the catacombs for tomorrow so we could avoid public transit.

Did your ILs pay for the trip? I would love that!

If so, definitely spring for the cabs and tours - you should pay for those items as a big, giant thank you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Update: MIL got mad because she had to walk up a short hill.
She also didn’t want to go into St Peter’s because “it’s just another church, right?”

Again — the issue is not cold drinks. It’s that she’s obsessed with getting ice in everything, when that’s simply not possible here.

St. Peter's Basilica? You're right, certainly not "just a church."

Were you signed up for a "skip the line" tour? Otherwise, it can be a very long wait in the line, which I could see might be off-putting for someone not in good health. We waited two and a half hours last winter, and that was during the off season.

I booked a skip the line audio tour.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also, that walking represented less than a mile for the entire day because we went on a bus tour for the morning. The walking was a short hill to a museum right next to the hotel.

The bus tour is key, OP. Buses for everything. This is how old people roll.

They loved the bus tour. LOVED it. We also booked a private car to the catacombs for tomorrow so we could avoid public transit.

Did your ILs pay for the trip? I would love that!

If so, definitely spring for the cabs and tours - you should pay for those items as a big, giant thank you!

No, we all paid our own way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Update: MIL got mad because she had to walk up a short hill.
She also didn’t want to go into St Peter’s because “it’s just another church, right?”

Again — the issue is not cold drinks. It’s that she’s obsessed with getting ice in everything, when that’s simply not possible here.

St. Peter's Basilica? You're right, certainly not "just a church."

Were you signed up for a "skip the line" tour? Otherwise, it can be a very long wait in the line, which I could see might be off-putting for someone not in good health. We waited two and a half hours last winter, and that was during the off season.

I booked a skip the line audio tour.

So, they skipped something you had already paid for? Wow!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also, that walking represented less than a mile for the entire day because we went on a bus tour for the morning. The walking was a short hill to a museum right next to the hotel.

The bus tour is key, OP. Buses for everything. This is how old people roll.

They loved the bus tour. LOVED it. We also booked a private car to the catacombs for tomorrow so we could avoid public transit.

Did you manage to solve the car seat dilemma?