[Closed] What's your favourite country? And why?

I like england. Its why I live here.

I've been a lot of other places and enjoyed most of them but I'm always happy to be home.

INGERLANDDDD!!!!

2 world wars and 1 world cup! 2 world wars and 1 world cup!

OGGY OGGY OGGY
OI
OI
OI!

(not particularly fond of any country over another, certain countries amaze and amuse me, but i've not lived anywhere else to comment properly so i thought i'd pretend like we're better than other people and stuff)

Apart from where I live?

France I guess. Love the attitude to life, the food, the countryside.

I like italy

bonkers, utterly bonkers

but kind, welcoming and friendly, and the food, OMG the food

and the wine, and the dolomites, and the adriatic coast, and the history and the art.

they kind of like the english too, in a kind of fascinated by a wild animal sort of way 😀

EDIT: having said all that I'm english and in love with my land. My feet are like tree roots and I'll never move away. 🙂

Wales.Big hills,coastline,quiet,hate the english.

Liverpool

I would like to live in France if I did not live here.

Wales isn't a country.

For me, there's only one option here - The UK. (Including Wales! 🙂 )

if i had to move somewhere id move to nz - how ever the highlands and islands of scotland takes some beating due to land access rights & shear aggressiveness of scenary

Slovenia - mountains, sea, great weather, cool capital city, friendly English speaking people, but not as pricey as other nice places.

France certainly has some very nice mountains. It's actually a pleasure to drive in France too, unlike here. Is it better though? Dunno.

I like USA. Cos they make really nice wine, and cheese and stuff. And it looks nice. Mostly. And Eric Cantona didn't come from there. What's not to like?

France. They do exactly what they want and anyone who doesn't like it gets a shrug.

For me, there's only one option here - The UK.

+1

Actually, having lived there and spent the last few days there, France comes a very close second. If only they made better cheese.

UK.

or brittany.............. 8)

Yorkshire [yes it is]

why? - because it isn't Lancashire

I like the attitude of the french.I've got a real admiration for it. Cafe's that close for lunch. Massive protests about anything and everything. Keeping a straight face as they charge you 10 Euros for a beer. All completely unapologetically. The monumental arrogance is somehow endeering

Easy: England.

I've been to lots of other countries and I like a great many things about them, some I could even move to for a year or three.

But it would break my heart to leave England forever. It's my home, and I love it, it's people and it's countryside kore than anywhere else I've ever been. 🙂

Japan, cos it's like being on another planet. Everyone's extremely polite, the food can be awesome (the Japs do ramen and sushi very well, Korean and Chinese for everything else), the ladies are delightful to look at, the fashion is crazy, it's quiet, warm, cheap (away from the beaten track), gorgeous, steeped in history, etc., etc.

I'd move there at the drop of a hat.

I've been to: France, was ok nice and hot (south coast) would like to live in Paris ( is really just big day dream) Mallorca: just holidays same for portugal Greece and turkey v hot. America was cool would like to live there for a bit. But this place will always be home.

I like Holland, in fact I regularly find myself wishing I was Dutch. They're a pretty sorted nation.

uplink - Member
Yorkshire [yes it is]

Always thought it was an empire.

Finland! They won the 2011 ice hockey world cup and my mum was born there. Spent all my summer holidays there and an extended one in '98 when i did national service there.

To quote Kinky Friedman:

Germany is my 2nd favourite country.
My favourite is EVERYWHERE ELSE.

Always thought it was an empire.

People's Republic these days

Vulgaria, well it's got flying cars, castles with a bonkers King & Queen, lots of singing & dancing, etc

Not many kids about though

Thanks Crikey! As soon as Sidney mentioned Finland Michael Palin began crooning away in my head.

Never been there, but for that song it is my favourite country.

+1 for France.

I was going to say North Yorkshire until I saw the [b]r[/b] in county!

Sidney thinks doing NATIONAL SERVICE is an extended holiday ❓

Blimey!

"My Tennessee Mountain Home" by Dolly Parton.

Oh wait, I may have misunderstood the question.

Switzerland, because I live there, and there are SOOOOOOOOOOOO many trails with barely anyone on them. 🙂

It also helps that it's 25deg outside and I'm going to get to ride some of those awesome trails after work.

Belgium...

...bare with me on this. I ride road bikes. It has a culture of cycling that cannot be bettered. The first Sunday in APril is like the FA Cup, Wimbledon and the Grand National all thrown into one.

It's odd. Belgians have a strange sense of humour. There never seems to be many people around. The driving's appalling. The moules frites are amazing.

And don't get me started on the beer....

UK - specifically London - I love it here!

I love Thailand too - great food, friendly people and chilltastic beaches.

Not including UK
Then I think Canada..
It has a french part,
it has and english part
it has ocean
it has bears
it has mountains
it has desert
it has vancouver (best city in the world)
it has skiing
it has trails
it has beer
it has wine (yes good wine!)
it has burgers
and a sense of humour

Spain, it's like getting a few different countries in one. There's mountains, sea, desert, great food and wine, heat, rain, snow. Crap curries though.

Can I make a country up of the best bits?

French food
Dutch social / transport policy
Scottish access rights and beer
Spanish weather
Italian Architecture
Bolivian geography
German industrial policy

I am going to move there as soon as I find it 🙂

French food
Dutch social / transport policy
Scottish access rights and beer
Spanish weather
Italian Architecture
Bolivian geography
German industrial policy

and [s]English[/s] Scottish oil, don't forget the black stuff TJ!

I would like to say Canada, but I've never been there, so it seems a bit stupid.

So France I guess. Except for the language, it's brilliant.

Spain, specifically the South Coast (Costa Del Sunshine). Lots of sunshine, great beaches, lovely people (lots of brits), golf courses and your never to far from a good old Full English Breakfast or Sunday Roast. Like Britain only hotter.

Spain because I love the attitude they have to kids. Anyone who has a family and has travelled in Spain must have recognised it.

Plus the climate and the geography and the football and the food and drink.

Kenya. They have Lions. Certainly not Norway.

I like Holland, in fact I regularly find myself wishing I was Dutch. They're a pretty [s]sorted[/s] pitiful nation.

FTFY

I've lived in Seville,
And
I've lived in Florance,
And
I've lived in Fort Lauderdale,
And
I've lived in the UK,
And
between them all.. it's Italy.
It really is that good.

Llama, like that a lot!

[url= http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/llama ]How about another little ditty, though? [/url]

i like scotland, it's like new zealand but a lot closer and with less sheep

UK would be a lot better if London sank into the sea.

No votes for Norway? I've not been, but have been looking into it and think my next few holidays will be exploring the place by foot or on wheels, looks incredibly epic with a climate I can cope with (i.e. wet and cold, as it should be).

New Zealand. It's like the UK but with bigger hills and a more relaxed populace. If only it wasn't that far away.

No votes for Norway?

Norway is a fabulously beautiful country with very bad weather, very bad food, and very boring people.

13th.

I liked Norway very much - but its too like Scotland - might as well stay at home. Beer is too expensive and not great anyway.

DrJ = what you got against the Netherlands? A bit too dull and conformist and the food ain't great but some things they are so well sorted for.

DrJ = what you got against the Netherlands? A bit too dull and conformist and the food ain't great but some things they are so well sorted for.

Horrible climate, mind-numbing landscape, terrible food, deplorable politics (Gert Wilders is not a lone figure), rude and selfish people. Need I go on?

Thailand... Bangcock to be precise.

Dr J: on my trips to Holland (not just Amsterdam) I have found the dutch to be anything but 'rude and selfish people', now the French on the other hand...don't get me started! France would be my first choice if it weren't inhabited by the French.

Horrible climate, check

mind-numbing landscape, check

terrible food, check

deplorable politics (Gert Wilders is not a lone figure), dunno

rude and selfish people, nah.. it must be just you

France

I could list many many things, but here's just one

walk down any main street in any town and there will be a bakers shop that has in the window little fruit tarts for about €1 that are glazed, often have a layer of custard underneath and (whipes druel away from mouth just at the thought) are bloody lovely.

sorry here's another

34 hour working week

and another

the respect they have for family life and children

and another

tartiflette

rude and selfish people, nah.. it must be just you

Maybe, but I don't see why it should be just the Dutch that make me that way.

Ever seen a Dutch person hold the door for someone else? smile at a stranger? give way to someone on the road? No, didn't think so. There is a facial expression that I have seen described, aptly, as the "fish eye" - it is what Dutch people have on their face when they just look right through you, not even acknowledging that another person might exist in the world.

now the French on the other hand...don't get me started!

Well, there ya go - I love the French, and I plan to return to France as soon as I can afford to do so!!

DrJ

I asked my brother in law about that 'cos I noticed. (he is dutch). He said that because the country is so crowded everyone basically attempts to act as if they are alone to get some peace and quiet - its not rudeness to them. Its rude to them to intrude into a strangers psychological space.

An example of this - we rode around on a tandem flying a huge saltire. No one paid the slightest attention. No casual conversations with folk at all. However one day we needed a bike shop so I asked another cyclist - who directed us to one and spent the next 10 mins chatting to us as we rode along.

completely ignored until someone starts a conversation - then very friendly chatty and helpful. Similar things happened a few times.

Its a different social construct - its not rudeness

Finland is just great. More laid back than anywhere else I've been.

France is ok but the 'don't give a sh*t' thing get on my nerves when it's being applied to me.

Germany is getting on my t*ts for similar reasons.

There is a facial expression that I have seen described, aptly, as the "fish eye" - it is what Dutch people have on their face when they just look right through you, not even acknowledging that another person might exist in the world

That sounds very familiar! A least the French swear or gesticulate at you.

Its a different social construct - its not rudeness

That is of course quite correct, and well worth remembering. People in different countries simply behave according to their social norms, which can be different to your own. So you can't blame them for it or judge them.

However it doesn't stop it getting me down 🙁

If I were banished from the UK I'd move to Finland, no question.

Derek_Starship - extended holiday might be a bit of a stretch with long periods of boredom interspersed with some exhilerating times. Maybe 'cos we went camping in the forest nearly every week (including -30C) it felt like a holiday!

Made me really appreciate being outdoors and feeling close to nature.

England and specifically London. If I had to move elsewhere, France however France is cheap and nearby so it's all good.

France has mille-feuille though which makes it a hard call.

The Devon and Cornwall Peninsula.. it knocks England and Wales and Scotland into a cocked hat..
I quite like France and Greece too.. but I've tried to never travel too far out of the pasty zone.. so I'm not really qualified to comment..
outer shpongolia is a [i]very[/i] nice place as is the untied states of whatever..

I asked my brother in law about that 'cos I noticed. (he is dutch). He said that because the country is so crowded everyone basically attempts to act as if they are alone to get some peace and quiet - its not rudeness to them. Its rude to them to intrude into a strangers psychological space.

Its a different social construct - its not rudeness

Well, you can excuse it that way if you like, and rationalise why, when I hold the door, a dozen people walk through it without once looking at me or acknowledging me, but it still makes life there very unpleasant for someone who has not been indoctrinated with that mindset.

Stockholm..
Whats that like then??

Sorry for the large image, but

[img] [/img]

DrJ - to them us doing that is weird. acknowledging strangers is rude to them. Its not about being indoctrinated. Rudeness is a social construct not an absolute. Its not an excuse, its not rationalisation. Its an explanation of why.

When in rome....???

Very nice molgrips - looks like a pic from the highest point in Finland 50 m above sea level...

I'm putting a vote in for Rhodesia.

Lovely weather all year round
Beautiful mountains
Amazing lakes
Wildlife
Amazing social life
Booming economy
Happy population
Brilliant schools

...and I was born there.

DrJ - to them us doing that is weird. acknowledging strangers is rude to them. Its not about being indoctrinated. Rudeness is a social construct not an absolute.

Cool - so if I tell you to go f*** yourself, I am not rude, I am just adopting another social construct 🙂

bikebouy - Member
Stockholm..
Whats that like then??

Lovely
expensive
Full of nice views
Take Black Iridium lenses 8)

I like the idea of france, only spent a little time there and I can only manage a dozen words but yeah wouldn't mind giving it a go.
Canada might be my first choice but never been only read about it.

Been hearing good things about china lately

Been hearing good things about china lately

Horrible climate, err Holland gets England's weather a day later!

terrible food, lol @ brits commenting on foreign food. UK = Subway, MacShergars, stodgetastic eat all you like Pizza, Kentucky Fried Pigeon,... NL=huge selection of just about every nationality on the planet (except english 😉 ) - always took ages to decide where to go - could have chosen a different restaurant every day I was there (about 4 years).

rude and selfish people, nah.. it must be just you - agree - no more rude + selfish than Brits.

NL=huge selection of just about every nationality on the planet (except english ) - always took ages to decide where to go - could have chosen a different restaurant every day I was there (about 4 years).

Joke.

Add to my original list - truly abysmal customer service. We gave up ever having dessert or coffee, we just left and went home, as it took so long to order and be served. (Couple of weeks ago it took OVER AN HOUR between starter and main course.)

The only countries I've been to are, Spain, France, Greece, Canada, India, Switzerland. The only one of those I'd like to live is Canada, Albertans & BC-ans (?) are pretty pro British (& pretty anti French), the scenery is awesome as I assume the riding is, Kootenay beer's very nice especially while watching the top players in the greatest game on earth, ice hockey. The people are extremely patriotic too.
France is ok but when your'e in a town as big as Montpellier & you can't get a bite to eat at 4.00pm, I'm thinking 'I wanna go to Spain where the restaraunts are open all day' Plus, I only just speak English & have trouble with foreign languages, i don't find the French very helpful in that respect, unlike the majority of Spaniards I've met.

I don't think any-where's a nice as this country when the sun's out..... just most of the time it isn't 🙁

I've liked Croatia and Mexico the best from anywhere I've visited I liked the mix of cultures on the Istrian Riviera in Croatia its very Italian in its food and style, the Mexicans on the Pacific coast side where I went were just lovely people

The whole family thing isn't really an issue for me so never noticed but the rest of Europe does seem to be more family friendly than this country BUT then as a person with no kids I do get irritated with peoples kids running round in restaurants gone 9pm so perhaps I'm better staying here and being grumpy

*wishes for a hut on my own on an island*