Eurotripping

Not all Spaniards are Goat Tossers, not all Portuguese are Penis Cake Eaters and not all Frenchmen are Arse Blowers. Here, the author crosses the Channel in search of Europe's most surreal traditions. From the far west of Ireland to the continental divide in Istanbul, he witnesses various events.

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Not all Spaniards are Goat Tossers, not all Portuguese are Penis Cake Eaters and not all Frenchmen are Arse Blowers. But JR Daeschner knows quite a few who are. In Eurotripping, the American writer picks up where he left off with True Brits and crosses the Channel in search of Europe's most surreal traditions. From the far west of Ireland to the continental divide in Istanbul, he ventures where few foreigners have gone before, witnessing events such as the Rigor Mortis Procession in Galicia, Firedancing Festivals in Greek Macedonia and celebrations in honour of England's patron saint in the heart of the EU. Along the way, he's inducted into the Order of the Priceless Sardine in the Dordogne and meets countless characters, including a German detective turned 'love spy', the last of the Irish matchmakers, a Sicilian coprophile and a gay Turkish 'Bear'. Whether it's the furore over the camp following for Oil Wrestling in Turkey or the controversy surrounding the Dutch 'Santa' and his black sidekick, Daeschner finds that many of these centuries-old events reveal surprising insights into the issues facing Europe today. Eurotripping: if you think you know Europe, think again.