KISS
Oct 7th, 2009 by pedestrian
It’s a slow news morning (thank goodness!) so …
Is it customary for people to kiss when they meet in your country? If so, how many times?
I personally like giving close friends and family a warm greeting – as opposed to a cold “hello” standing 50 feet away. But kissing has gotten way out of proportion too.
Here’s a picture of speaker of parliament Ali Larijani kissing an Iranian diplomat yesterday (who was, according to MehrNews “released by the Americans in Iraq”)
You can also check an earlier post: Touch in the Iranian Elections
Ah ped, now you are going IRI porn!
Ahmadinejad WAS wrong that we don’t have same-sex …
“Is it customary for people to kiss when they meet in your country? If so, how many times?”
Two cheek-pecks + small shoulder-pat in Italy, 3 in Belgium and-I-think Holland, variable number in France – seems it ranges from 2 to 4 depending on region? Balkanic cheekpeck likewise vary in number depending on ethnicity. Brits are far less prone to cheek-pecking than continentals, in the US – I google-checked – it’s only common in formerly-French and Latino-majority zones…and far-easterns (Japanese, Koreans) don’t cheek-peck. Please note:
Russian leaders when-the-place-was-totalitarian used to kiss each other on the mouth but now refrain… could be significant?
parvati_roma … thank you!
I know Greeks peck twice, starting from the left. So that’s something to add your list.
4?
I’d love to see some photos of those kisses!
Custom currently “officially suspended” in France due to swine-flu scare – some nice French pics here… and here – of Berlusconi “kissing” his hated political-rival Prodi.
And fishing around, I also discovered an entire blog-page on the “Great Totalitarian Mouth-Kiss” phenomenon, complete with some truly repulsive pics – curiosity satisfied?
Yes!
Guys don’t kiss here here in US. Especially if they’re politicians and high officials.
Lola, now that one I know!