[Travel] Your favourite country in the world and why

[AmexRuislip]

Madeira........would live there tomorrow if possible.


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Agree, another beautiful part of the world.
Funchal a very picturesque and friendly town, the botanical gardens are a delight as with the north of the island.

 

[Raleigh Chopper]

Not allegedly. This is very much true, but it isn't down to them being tight, it's down to quite a lot of them - i.e. the ones that go on holiday with a caravan - not being very adventurous with foreign food. But yeah, it probably would irritate the French shopkeepers.

Good lord!
Dutch culinary delights are few compared to probably the most delicious food ( and wine) in the world.
I like the Dutch but that's just weird and I thought the Brits were bad abroad with our fish and chips and Sunday roasts.

 

[lawros left foot]

Kenya, a wonderful country.

The scenery, and wildlife are astounding. When you come from a small country like ours,just the space is a bit daunting.
I went to the Serengeti in a Land Rover,stood on top of it, you could see about 30 miles in all directions, and the only man made thing was our tyre tracks.
The sky at night is huge, as is the moon.
The people are amongst the nicest I have ever met, dirt poor,but, just cheerful.
I loved it there, the only downside for me was the heat, by Christ, it’s hot.

 

[Ⓩ-Ⓐ-Ⓜ-Ⓞ-Ⓡ-Ⓐ]

Greece. But also, having lived abroad a lot I've really grown to appreciate what a wonderful place England is, specifically the South East

 

[Commander]

Fair point on the scenery - although like a lot of places the weather can really add to it's beauty. Think you're being a bit harsh on the pubs though - sounds like what I'd expect someone who's gone door to door in Temple Bar on Shop Street in Galway to say, but the pub culture in a lot of the smaller towns is great. Although as someone who spent every summer in the West of Ireland as a child, I never did get why it attracts the tourists in such droves.

I've been to Temple Bar once. Awful place, and Dublin is the most overrated city in Europe.

My wife is half Irish and has (what seems like) millions of family members over there, all over the country. I also used to work for an Irish company and had to go over once a month. I must have been to Ireland about twenty times, probably more. One thing I've noticed is that if you say anything negative about it people say "Oh you must have been to the wrong part". Well I've been all over that Godforsaken country, and I still haven't found the right part. I wish someone could point out where it is. Went to the Ring of Kerry last year for a week to stay with family. Pretty enough scenery, same pubs, same people, 13C and rain / fog in August. Yawn. There are just so many far better places to go in the world than Ireland. I don't understand all this "The people are so friendly angle either. If you bother to make an effort then people are friendly everywhere, except France.

 

[Ooh it’s a corner]

Fair point on the scenery - although like a lot of places the weather can really add to it's beauty. Think you're being a bit harsh on the pubs though - sounds like what I'd expect someone who's gone door to door in Temple Bar on Shop Street in Galway to say, but the pub culture in a lot of the smaller towns is great. Although as someone who spent every summer in the West of Ireland as a child, I never did get why it attracts the tourists in such droves.

It’s inevitable in a thread such as this that there will be much disagreement on some points. I disagree with the initial post from Commander apart from the fact about the weather - it does rain a lot - as does the Lake District of course. You are right though that many, many pubs are fantastic - actually there’s quite a few in a Shop Street I like too! I too spent many childhood summers in Ireland and ‘got’ it less then than I do now. It’s the PEOPLE that make Ireland fantastic, universally friendly I find. The pace of life is more relaxed than UK which as a kid I hated but now is bliss! Cead Mile Failte!

 

[ATFC Seagull]

I've been to Temple Bar once. Awful place, and Dublin is the most overrated city in Europe.

My wife is half Irish and has (what seems like) millions of family members over there, all over the country. I also used to work for an Irish company and had to go over once a month. I must have been to Ireland about twenty times, probably more. One thing I've noticed is that if you say anything negative about it people say "Oh you must have been to the wrong part". Well I've been all over that Godforsaken country, and I still haven't found the right part. I wish someone could point out where it is. Went to the Ring of Kerry last year for a week to stay with family. Pretty enough scenery, same pubs, same people, 13C and rain / fog in August. Yawn. There are just so many far better places to go in the world than Ireland. I don't understand all this "The people are so friendly angle either. If you bother to make an effort then people are friendly everywhere, except France.

Ok - I'm not saying you've gone to the wrong place. However...I've very rarely ever ended up listening to shit live music on an evening in the pub. So I feel like you've possibly been mainly going in a certain type of pub. But I can't claim to have travelled all over the country as you have.

 

[Gwylan]

France - it's the place I normally go for holidays and I never tire of the place. I'd move there next week but Mrs G wouldn't have it.

It's a place with everything: fantastic scenery, interesting architecture, a rich and varied culture, friendly people (provided you avoid Paris) and some of the best food in the world.

There are lots of other places I like: Ireland, Italy and Germany notably, but France swings it for me

 

[Hu_Camus]

Italy, all the topography, and food of France, Spain, and close second Portugal, but the way they live with their history as part of the everyday is wonderful.
They have less arrogance than the French, or more likely less of a chip, on their shoulder.

 

[Raleigh Chopper]

Italy, all the topography, and food of France, Spain, and close second Portugal, but the way they live with their history as part of the everyday is wonderful.
They have less arrogance than the French, or more likely less of a chip, on their shoulder.

Agree, and although you cannot tar everyone with the same brush, Italians can be extremely difficult and up themselves, especially Rome and the cities.
My brother in law is Italian, from the North near Como, he is a top bloke.

 

[Doonhamer7]

Austria (near Salzburg) - probably best two holidays we’ve ever had (stunning scenery) and Jordan - if you not been you must before you die visit Petra.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Canada, specifically BC. Why? I lived in Vancouver for 4 years and loved it. Get the bus after work from UBC and go night skiing. Cuisine, weather, the Island....the lakes....there is one that has 6 feet of warm freshwater on top of deep cold saltwater, a very strange place to swim. I could go on, but I might never stop...

 

[Commander]

Ok - I'm not saying you've gone to the wrong place. However...I've very rarely ever ended up listening to shit live music on an evening in the pub. So I feel like you've possibly been mainly going in a certain type of pub. But I can't claim to have travelled all over the country as you have.

It’s not so much shit live music, it’s just the same music! The first couple of times I went I quite enjoyed it, the people are charming, the pubs are pretty and it’s nice that they have live music anywhere. But it just feels like there is absolutely no variation, and it all takes place under a dreary grey sky and 13C and light drizzle, regardless of what time of year it is.

It’s just a bit dull. I guess most places are if you go there enough.

 

[Commander]

Agree, and although you cannot tar everyone with the same brush, Italians can be extremely difficult and up themselves, especially Rome and the cities.
My brother in law is Italian, from the North near Como, he is a top bloke.

Italy is just a fantastic country. Amazing place.

But try working with Italians in business. My God. Makes me never want to go back there. Like dealing with stroppy teenagers most of the time.

 

[BN41Albion]

I always think the Dutch have got most things right - I really wouldn't mind being Dutch. They are like us, only a bit more wealthy, probably from being a bit more outward looking and a bit less ignorant.

Mind you, there's not much wrong with most of the Nordic nations either, especially Denmark.

Big far right presence in Holland. I wouldn't say theyre any more/less ignorant than us on the whole - we're very multicultural and accepting of other cultures here on the whole comparatively speaking to many, many other countries!

Anyway, back to the thead... France for me. Never lived there but spent a lot of time visiting different regions. So much to offer, always found the people to be great on the whole, love the accent and language, love the passion for food and wine. Also like the way they haven't given in to fast food/big chain food outlets in the same way many other countries have.

 

[Deanbha]

Cyprus for me but the summers are far too hot. Not a country but I absolutely love Menorca.

 

[BN41Albion]

Kenya, a wonderful country.

The scenery, and wildlife are astounding. When you come from a small country like ours,just the space is a bit daunting.
I went to the Serengeti in a Land Rover,stood on top of it, you could see about 30 miles in all directions, and the only man made thing was our tyre tracks.
The sky at night is huge, as is the moon.
The people are amongst the nicest I have ever met, dirt poor,but, just cheerful.
I loved it there, the only downside for me was the heat, by Christ, it’s hot.

I'm lucky to have travelled to many parts of the world, but never been to Africa. Really, really would love to make it there, and I know others who have been to Kenya and say the same as you.

 

[pastafarian]

Kenya, a wonderful country.

The scenery, and wildlife are astounding. When you come from a small country like ours,just the space is a bit daunting.
I went to the Serengeti in a Land Rover,stood on top of it, you could see about 30 miles in all directions, and the only man made thing was our tyre tracks.
The sky at night is huge, as is the moon.
The people are amongst the nicest I have ever met, dirt poor,but, just cheerful.
I loved it there, the only downside for me was the heat, by Christ, it’s hot.

Raise you Uganda.
Beautiful. So lush and green . One of the friendliest places i have been to despite incredible poverty,hardship and being downright dangerous in some areas(not so much anymore)
Not as many yanks in safari waistcoats as Kenya. In fact hardly any at all.

 

[daveinplzen]

I didn't like Singapore at all.

The Royal Navy version of a Singapore sling when I was there was a beer glass and a trip along the optics

 

[Superphil]

Cyprus for me, Both the Republic and the TRNC. Such a shame they can’t come to a diplomatic arrangement as I think both sides are fantastic. Caveat, I lived there for six years as a kid, and I generally go on holiday there once or twice a year now.

I know there are issues, especially with large numbers of Russian and Chinese immigrants apparently moving there as an easy stepping stone to EU residency, but putting that aside I love the people, again, on both sides. The climate is fantastic , pretty much all year round, the cuisine is exceptional and the scenery is spectacular. If you’ve not been, I recommend it, just maybe not in Jan-Feb as it can be a bit gloomy.