Impact of recession

Motto of USA - Live life big size

It is a known fact that Americans like it big, so big that visitors from outside the US start to feel a sense of "small"ness. I came back from Seattle last weekend (my third trip to the US) and looking back at my experiences there, my world is tiny compared to theirs.

• I am used to buying tshirts of size L or XL. But, it was a surprise to me that i had to choose medium or even small in some shops when i was in the US. I was flattered. I remember, back in school, that friends used to joke that one doesn't need to wear underwear if you were wearing a over sized tshirt, as the bottom of the tshirt fell way below your waistline. if a normal person were to try on the XL sizes available in the US, you don't even near to wear socks/shoes!
• i have seen the size XL and rarely XXL, but only in the US have i seen the size XXXL. There are also separate sections called "Big and Tall" which ironically have a small size too. Of course, the small in these sections can easily fit in my entire family!
• Small in the US is not small for the rest of the world. When we were at a movie, i ordered a small coke. The "small" coke arrived in a cup almost as long as my ... fore-arm!
  
• In one of the cafes in Chicago airport, i saw a mom (super-sized one) feeding her small baby (a small one not capable of talking yet, sitting inside a stroller) french fries. No wonder, the average american turns out to be a super-sized adult.
• Everyone knows COSTCO, the wholesaler where everything is cheap compared to other stores. But, there is a catch. You can only buy huge american-sized stuff. That would mean you have buy at least 5 kgs of potato chips or few kilos of chocolates.

God help america!
No wonder stores like COSTCO are so popular, where the smallest chips packet would be the 1 kg one.

Living life vegas style

Pickup from the Hilton las vegas in a stretch limo and then a helicopter flight to the bottom of the grand canyon - Cool ! Look out for more photos and updates on my seattle trip blog.