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

The UK is ok.

My favourite countries are -
Czech Republic - lovely friendly people, amazing architecture, wonderful countryside. I would love to take my bike over there for a riding holiday in the hills and forests of Eastern Moravia. Did some walking there and there were some cracking trails.

USA - thoroughly enjoyed every visit there. Again very friendly and accommodating people. Would love to take the bike over there at some point - so many places to choose from.

France - same reasons as above (once out of the cities)

Mrs Grips raised an interesting point last night. One of the things she didn't like about living in France was attitudes to women. Of course, you wouldn't notice stuff like that having a good time on holiday, but after a while of living there...

So how long has Mrs Grips lived in France? Edukatorin has lived 23 years in France says you should not confuse gallantry with sexism. In my personal experience I have found French women more independent and less likely to see men as a meal ticket.

you should not confuse gallantry with sexism

gallantry is sexism.

its just the part that women choose to accept. 😉

Never mind that! Put some nickers on and make me a cup of tea

So how long has Mrs Grips lived in France? Edukatorin has lived 23 years in France says you should not confuse gallantry with sexism.

I think you should speak to her about it. However I would advise being less of a cock when you do, she doesn't put up with it as well as I do 🙂

you should not confuse gallantry with sexism

Mrs Grips is not a knee-jerk style anti-male feminist 🙂

Put some nickers on and make me a cup of tea

Moooonkfeeesh!!!

I held a door open for a woman with a baby in a pram at Oslo station, and she swore at me. 😮

Apparently, to do such things implies a woman is weak and feeble, and can't cope for herself without a mayn's help. so, quite sexist and offensive. 😳

You consistently make great claims and fail to provide any information to back it up, Molgrips. You're a "committed cyclist" but won't say how many kms you cycle and drive in a year. What's the problem with posting howx long Mrs Grips has lived in France to have such an in depth appreciation of how sexist French society is? - in my experience less that British.

Edukatorin has run a business in Frnace, been through the French university system, worked for a variety of companies and currently teaches. She's also worked in the UK, been to British universities and taught in the UK.

Put up, or shut up and apologise.

Someone mentioned SF and Vancouver - never been to either but I think I'd live there sight unseen.

I'm in the Basque Country, don't think I'll be leaving. Has its own distinct culture mixed in with the Spanish, and you've got France just up the road. I'm training on the road 15+ hrs a week in the mountains or on the coast, and it's another world compared to doing the same in London and environs. Off the bike, there's the rare treat of quiet city beaches in April/May when the weather's good but the tourists haven't arrived yet.

It does take time to make friends with the locals though. The weather is quite British (warmer, but rains more than Manchester, with more sunshine), and the food is often awful (YMMV; I'm vegan).

I do miss London (and Cumbria), but a week there every year is enough 😉

You consistently make great claims and fail to provide any information to back it up, Molgrips. You're a "committed cyclist" but won't say how many kms you cycle and drive in a year. What's the problem with posting howx long Mrs Grips has lived in France to have such an in depth appreciation of how sexist French society is

The problem is that it's not going to end up anywhere other than a personal battle to prove who's better than whom. Which is completely puerile, destructive and makes sh*t reading for everyone else.

Grow up, move on, get over yourself.. cheers 🙂

I will give you a less personal anecdote from my Mum though, who lived in France for 4 years and worked with French schools for many more. Whenever she was visiting other people's homes or at the school residential centres they used, the women were automatically given half a glass of wine and the men a full one. She found this very annoying...

Every thread we meet on you get your facts wrong and then insult me when I point it out, Molgrips. This time calling me cock. Now you acuse me of being destructive. Try to stick to posting on subjects you know something about, or a least do a little research before launching into an attack on me.

I pointed out you could use lower speed rated winter tyres legally. You rubbished my comment despite european law confirming what I said.

You've rubbished my contributions to alterantive energy threads and each time I've provided information to prove what I originally said was fine.

You rubbished my comments about braking with ABS on snow but I was right all along.

One day you'll realise that if I post on a thread I've taken a few seconds to think it through and I'm basing my comment on my experience rather than what some bloke in a pub said.

Yo do realise that women generally weigh less and are less tolerant to alcohol so givng them a half glass is sensible. When I serve the wine at home my son and Edukatorin get a smaller measure. Obviously in a bar everyone gets the same but when not paying by the measure it's generally assumed a woman will want a smaller measure and ask for more or another glass if she wants more.

FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!

😀

*sits back with a cup of tea to watch the entertainment*

Sorry guys I'm off to the pool on my bike. If I survive the (French) traffic entertainment will be resumed later this afternoon.

Won't it get wet?

Not a fan of the "FTFY" BS but

Which is completely puerile, destructive and [s]makes sh*t reading[/s] [b]hilarious[/b] for everyone else

Whenever she was visiting other people's homes or at the school residential centres they used, the women were automatically given half a glass of wine and the men a full one. She found this very annoying...

White wine for the little lady?

Fruit-based drink?

Yo do realise that women generally weigh less and are less tolerant to alcohol so givng them a half glass is sensible

You do realise that women are people and might appreciate being ASKED how much wine they would like?

Edukator you are a raving loonie who is apparently having trouble understanding the input of other forum users. Don't bother coming back to this after lunch I'm not interested. Go and wave your willy at someone else.

You do realise that women are people and might appreciate being ASKED how much wine they would like?

Bottle and a straw usually 😉

meant to post about how I love living in Scotland, but also really, really like Italy when i realised that I also like STW-land of it's yards and yards of petty and pointless bickering

Which is completely puerile, destructive and [s]makes sh*t reading[/s] hilarious for everyone else

you'd think that the average STW user would have the necessary equipment (winter tyres, insulated spds, bodywarmers, etc) for 365 days a year riding in any climate. Considering the polarised opinions and amounts spent on kit. I found that even at -20 it doesn't feel that cold, simply because there is so little humidity. Winterbiking, even in the harshest environments isn't so treachorous.

Plus, there's so much grip on snowy descents due it conforming with the tyre profile. Fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun.

I think this thread should get back to topic. Quit your bickering children

Was always quite humid for me in Helsinki.. cos of the lack of temperature variation.. But cold and humid is more subtle, you only notice it when you try waxing your own skis... 🙂

Mrsgrips did nto come wiith you so poor old molgrips was left alone in a cold place to wax him own ski ....tragic

It's got to be France. I love the language, landscape, people and their very liberal attitudes towards all things sexual, including S and M. Even in the tiniest villages you see signs up offering pain.

She did actually JY. Our first date involved a walk on the frozen sea 🙂

Even in the tiniest villages you see signs up offering pain

Excellent - chapeau 🙂

All three of us survived cycling on the road in traffic and an even busier swimming lane so I'm back.

So an English woman was shocked when a French(wo)man only half filled her glass (it was probably nearer 2/3). Madame was perplexed by the comment and added "in England they have those huge glasses like on Barnaby ([i]Mid Sommer Murders[/i] I believe) and offer you them full". Better having to ask for more than feel obliged to dirink half a pint, no?

I admire your creativity Edukator if not the spirit of your post 🙂

I've honestly no idea why you'd want to make up this stuff about someone of whom you've never even heard until a few posts previously...

I haven't made stuff up about anyone, molgrips, you'd have quoted it if I had. "Madame" is Edukatorin in case you hadn't worked it out, who else would I be quoting word for word?

Care to apologise for calling me a "cock" and a "raving looney"?

You did make up stuff about my Mum's motives, personality and experience and her thoughts on the subject, you also contradicted her report of half a glass despite not having been there.

I won't apologise for calling you a cock cos you really being a prime one today! 🙂

But is the glass half empty, or half full.....?

By the sound of molgrips's mum, give it a couple of seconds and it would be completely empty.

You do realise that women are people and might appreciate being ASKED how much wine they would like?

Surely thats sexism both ways though some men might not like drinking or be bad with alcohol so they should ask them too.

Basically they've just made a easy assumption that men drink more and women drink less.

Sexist yes, but not to women more than men.

Frankly I'd have been gald to get the half a glass

What "stuff" have I made up, Molgrips? A quote now please.

Madame was perplexed by the comment and added "in England they have those huge glasses like on Barnaby (Mid Sommer Murders I believe) and offer you them full"

Of the places I have been in Europe, I would say Andorra. A mix of French/Spanish/Catalan culture, really friendly people, awesome landscape and easy to get to a warmer climate even in Winter. Southern France is nice (particularly the Pyranees Orientale) but I would hate to have to live anywhere north of Lyon.

Otherwise Western Canada.

Erm, hang on, hold up a minute:

Scuse me Ianv; can't you see there's an argument going on? Do you mind [i]not[/i] posting something relevant to the OP's question???

Some people, no manners eh? 🙄

Nah I wish this would get back on topic. It was a nice thread before Edukator poisoned it.

who gets the 2 Hundred?

not I 🙁

"Madame" is clearly "Edukatorin" as in the lady sitting next to me, I wouldn't use it to refer to any other woman mentioned without adding either "SVP/bonjour" before or a title/surname after. She was perplexed and that's exactly what she said. Post a phone number and I'll ask her to phone you and confirm.

Care to apologise for calling me a "cock" and a "raving loonie", Molgrips.

"Scuse me Ianv; can't you see there's an argument going on?"

Sorry 🙄

I apologise for accusing you of making stuff up after having mis-read your post.

I won't apologise for calling you a cock cos you are still being one, so stop asking it's getting boring.

And Ma Grips has spent a lot of time in France and knows very well how wine is served.

I dunno why you just can't go 'oh that's a strange point of view, I've not found that to be the case' and been nice like everyone else on this thread.

Well I should hope so.

Coming in with a sensible on-topic post when there's an argument going on indeed.....

"Madame" is clearly "Edukatorin" as in the lady sitting next to me,

Seriously? Your missus is sitting next to you watching you type this stuff? Really?

Thank you for recognising you had misread, Molgrips. In future I suggest you think twice before hunting through my posts for soemthing to pick me up on. You've done it several times including the threads I specifically referenced above.

On this thread I decided to pick you up on a point to see what your reaction was. Much as expected to be honest. Incidentally one place you will find some of the most blatant sexism and most misogynistic posting anywhere is anglo-saxon MTB forums. New memembers with female sounding names are often assumed to be trolls and then if they prove themselves to be female get hounded/chatted up by the leering masses who assume assume said female knows nothing about bikes and offer to go around and mechanic.

Much as expected to be honest

Now if that's not intended to be arrogant, rude and offensive I don't know what is!

EDIT please don't lecture me on sexism either

New memembers

She's filling in her expenses form Charlie. I make the odd comment on what you lot say and she asks if I think claiming for things is justified or fraud.

So your wife has no moral compass then? Just as I expected.

(The above is purely intented to demonstrate how you can be casually offensive without a direct insult, as you have been doing to me. I don't mean it and I don't wish any bad sentiment towards your wife)

So you now find the fact I find you predictable rude and offensive, Molgrips.

Care to opologise for calling me a "cock" and "raving loonie", and my contributions of being "destructive", "rude", "offensive" and "puerile", Molgrips.

And it's easy to counter without aggression or insult, Molgrips.

If my wife had no moral compass she wouldn't be asking. She has very high moral standards and therefore to make absolutely sure a claim is justified she asks a man who knows French accounting rules very well for confirmation, me.

If my wife had no moral compass she wouldn't be asking.

You don't need to defend your wife - that was an academic exercise, so that you can have an idea as to how I feel when you talk about my wife.

Does every thread have to descend into bickering these days? Even I'm bit bored of it.

FWIW - of the places I've been, only Canada could I see myself settling down in. Just a shame it's so far from friends/family though.

I like France but I think it's easy to romanticise - there's some very illiberal sentiment (banning burkas, the recent French football scandal) behind all the liberte, egalite, fraternite business.

I like France but I think it's easy to romanticise - there's some very illiberal sentiment (banning burkas, the recent French football scandal)

Still, on the positive side, like molgrips said, their women have no morals at all!

I don't need to defend my wife, but I did, without getting irriate or throwing random insults at you, Molgrips.

Care to opologise for calling me a "cock" and "raving loonie", and my contributions of being "destructive", "rude", "offensive" and "puerile", Molgrips.

I passed a lady in a Burka on the way to the pool today Grum. There are lots of laws in France but there's a lot of discretion in their application.

Can anyone lend me a Mint Sauce key ring for a few days?

I passed a lady in a Burka on the way to the pool today Grum. There are lots of laws in France but there's a lot of discretion in their application.

In your speedos I take it? Seeing as swimming shorts are strictly forbidden. 😛

without getting irriate

I've not been irate this whole thread, quite chilled this afternoon for a change. I've called you a cock because you have behaved like one on this thread, calling into question the judgement and experience of my wife and my Mum. That's the end of it.

I'll sort you one out in a few months, Gary, is that ok?

Speedo "endurance" to be precise grum.

I never questioned what your mother said about the half glass of wine Molgrips. I agreed with it, offererd an explanation, suggested that it was pragmatic common sense not sexism and added "probably 2/3" because that is my experience.

As for you wife, I've never seen anything from eiher of you on this forum to suggest your wife has spent a long period in France, speaks the language fleuently, has had French lovers, has worked in a French company ... and yet in your first reference to France you said her comment on French attitudes to women was based on living in France. "living" means more than a holiday. I therefore asked you how long she'd spent in France. Is it so unreasonable to ask how long?

Based on the last few days, I would say Geneva is hard to beat, if you have a ****ing huge income - which I don't - yet.

I got the strong impression that you were going to ask how long so that you could rubbish our experiences by virtue of having lived there longer.

yet.

Well start looking in the estate agents dude. I checked the accounts today.

I got the strong impression that you were going to ask how long so that you could rubbish our experiences by virtue of having lived there longer

Perhaps, but whose wife has had more French lovers? (I don't mean francophiles)