While many (if not most) countries have national parks, the policies surrounding them are different. A simple thing like camping is often restricted in European parks, mixed land use is allowed so you are more removed from pure non human nature. As a result, the experience of visiting one may be vastly different - depending on what you are doing. American national parks are exceptional not because they are the only country that has them - which isnt true as you pointed out, they are exceptional because of the governing policies surrounding them.

I’d surely visit one, before I left, because the experience isnt going to be the same in any other.

Perhaps I’m illiterate, but I saw nothing in their comment suggesting that the US is the only country with National Parks.

I don’t think they even implied that they’re better than any other National Parks.

They said it was our best idea… I don’t think that implies we were first, just that it was a good idea for us to do it.

Plenty of countries have national parks btw. Many of them had them before America.

Well not really though ? Yellowstone established in 1872 is generally considered the first national park, in the modern sense of the term*, and inspired others to follow in the next couple of decades in Canada, New Zealand and Australia. It wasn’t until the 1900s that the first national park was established in Europe.

* there are a couple of other places that also claim this distinction, depending on how exactly you define what a national park is, but not many

Calling national parks “America’s best idea” is a quote from historian and environmentalist Wallace Stegner - I think the point of it is not to toot some US exceptionalism horn - in context it’s more of an acknowledgment that America deserves a lot of criticism - saying that national parks are America’s best idea is actually putting a bit of shade on other American exceptionalism claims, especially during the Reagan “shining city upon a hill” era.

You might need a brick oven though (or at the very least, a pizza oven) if you want that pizza to compare to the good shit you can get pretty much anywhere in the Northeast US.

Again, depending on where in the world you are, you may not have the equipment nor access to ingredients necessary to make these properly. You might be able to approximate, but it won’t be as good, which is the entire point of my comment.

American pizza requires a pizza oven or regular oven with a steel/stone (or dish for Detroit-style pizza), specific types of cheese, and depending on your preference, specific toppings; these may not be available abroad. In some countries, ovens are not considered standard kitchen equipment; good luck making decent pizza on the stovetop.

Similarly, really good BBQ requires special equipment that even most American homes don’t have, and requires a good deal of outdoor space (otherwise you risk smoking out yourself/your neighbors).

Mexican food is more flexible in terms of equipment, but ingredients may be hard to source (especially spices).

For ice cream you might struggle to find the right add-in ingredients depending on what flavor you’re trying to make, but again, the biggest issue is equipment. You can make ice cream at home without an ice cream maker, but it seems like more hassle than it’s worth and still requires some equipment and decent freezer space (fwiw I’ve never done it before; maybe it’s easier than it sounds).

Yup I do good (to our family’s taste anyway) pizza in about 40 minutes from scratch to eating with just:

• flour
• water
• yeast
• sugar (I pre feed the least in hot water for 5 minutes)
• salt
• olive oil
• homemade crust spices (salt, garlic powder, oregano, red pepper flakes, etc )
• maranara or pizza sauce (might be harder to find a good one abroad, not sure)
• cheeses (or not for my wife)
• basil leaves in season (we grow enough in mid summer, but buy it occasionally otherwise)

Finding the cheese and toppings might be harder, but it’s often just frozen broccoli, bell peppers, onions and roni.

I think that’s a myth. I’ve had the best BBQ in Houston and it’s the same as a BBQ joint here in Calgary.

Mine are 95 percent county funded in a blue zone. State is already trying to lay down the law only to discover they don’t give much in the way of funds. No bucks no leverage. Only law they passed got overturned.

It’s such a beautiful poem too.

Brings a tear to my eye when I read it, but unfortunately not for the reasons Emma Lazarus may have hoped for when she penned it 😢