Another vote for Finland (Helsinki, at least)! Gorgeous women, a meeting ground of peoples, architectural styles, and design, yet a little out of the way, looks like they took Ottawa and put it in Algonquin Park and hired smarter people to run it…
I’d nominate Australia as well, but I have not yet been there.
That’s a hard question!
I really loved Germany…weather is a bit sucky, but the people were great, the energy in Berlin is contageous and it was a great place to live.
But Switzerland has everything from snow capped alps to palm trees in Ticino…the populace can be a bit stodgey, but they are actually a lot more generous than people give them credit for.
How can you dislike Italy? I mean, granted, for someone hyper like myself, the Italians are the s l o w e s t people on earth, from walking on the street to service in a business…but the food, the fashion, the art…bellla bella bella.
Greece…Denmark…Sweden…Iceland…Netherlands…England…
Ireland…
this is cruel…
(Dmark walks away, defeated in his attempt to make a choice.)
Vietnam. Just the most interesting place I’ve ever been.
Nepal before Maoist rebels started fucking things up.
Thailand. All the wonder of the tropics, with less of the third-world hassles.
USA. Specifically Oregon. Amazingly beautiful State, filled with really nice people (who drive very badly).
Following Tansu’s approach, I’d have to say Ecuador, just because of all those hot ladies I’ve seen from there.
Following the OP’s approach, I’d have to second Greece. It’s a wonderful place, and I’d love to go back there again, for longer than a week this time. So much history there to revel in. Such a shame they switched to the euro, though. I’d enjoyed using the world’s oldest currency (IIRC) when I was there.
French Polynesia - specifically Tahiti. I’m convinced that the Garden of Eden was not a myth and is, in fact, still open for visitation. It just takes a reeeeaaaaalllllllllllyyyyyyyy long flight from Los Angeles to get there.
Spain. Good food, terrific coffee, cheap wine, lots of twisty little medieval streets, awesome festivals, and people who think it is normal to go out for a squid sandwich at 4 a.m. And you can get fresh bread delivered instead of having to go out for it.
It’s a shame the educational system leaves so much to be desired (especially since the only way I can possibly get a working visa is teaching at a university) but I can’t really think of any other downsides.
Greece and Thailand are the ones for me. Oh, and Afghanistan before the Russians fucked it up.
I like Germany a lot. I’ve never been there, but I’m planning to try and apply for exchange studentship sometime in college. I’ve never met a German I didn’t like, and could use the practice with a very dignified-sounding and otherwise nifty language. And who could hate a country that produced both Nina Hagen, the Einstürzende Neubauten and Kraftwerk, all in the same general era?
Secondly comes both Canada and Denmark. Both are pretty countries with charm in buckets. Danish is a beautiful language, sort of like listening to an Irishman speak in a vaguely Germanic accent, and Canada has an atmosphere that appeals to me - it’s like the US, but with a lot less people and a lot more nature. Very nice.
Malaysia. Of all of the Asian countries I’ve visited, it had the best food, kindest people, most beautiful architecture and natural resources. I also noticed that people were very culturally and religiously tolerant of one another.
Czech Republic. Good people, good food, good beer (If I go there in college I’d be of drinking age) and Prague is one happening place. My family didn’t spend to long there, so I might want to return during college for a semester.
I’d vote for Japan, just for the shopping and theme parks and other vacationy-type fun things to do there.
Australia would be a close second, though.
I have noticed a couple of references to college…one little hijack if I may…I found out too late that Universities in many other countries DO NOT HAVE TUITION…meaning, if I hadn’t been so stupid, I could have gone to a German University, taken the money I spent on tuition in Illinois, and lived very well in Europe, travelled around and still saved money.
Now back to our regularly scheduled thread.
I think I have finally decided (see my post above).
Germany wins, simply because they still put a value on education, world politics and social reforms. The people generally are open to new ideas, the standard of living is very high, their sexual inhibitions are almost non-existant and when it comes to partying…it’s hard to keep up with a group of Germans, no matter what age they are. Plus, with my genetic tendency for sloth and being a slob, living in Germany turned me into a neat-nik and gave me an inert ability to get off my ass and at least try to accomplish goals.
Another Canadian who’ll vote for Finland. I was there on research last year for a few weeks and loved it even though I didn’t even make it to Helsinkii, spent most of my time in Oulu (like their equivalent of Waterloo, Ont.). It’s got great scenery, well organized, and the people there have a personality that I really like.
New Zealand is pretty damn nice too, and it basically has every type of scenery imaginable.
If we ignored politics I would also add Zimbabwe. Man, anybody been to the Motopos?
Scotland here. I just love the accent. I know that the weather isn’t all that great, but who cares?
You sook! I’ve never even been CLOSE to being bitten (or whatever) by ANY of these creatures!
To tell you the truth, I haven’t even SEEN any box jellyfish, octupi, taipans or white tail spiders, and you’d be positively lucky to see a platypus in the wild, they’re very shy.
I demand you change your answer back immediately! Spain indeed!
Blue Curls
Member
Registered: Mar 2002
Location: Brisvegas, Australia!
Posts: 40
BRISVEGAS? Seriously?
Sounds like a Jewish event at the Elvis Museum down the street!
Canada, so far. We were in Victoria last year and it was so civilized… the gardens were awesome, the cars all stop for you in crosswalks, etc… I would move to Victoria tomorrow if my wife could stand living without sunshine for, well, most of the year…
I loved both Australia and New Zealand. I had to laugh at Neurotik’s post - in Tasmania we were literally wading through the local fauna, and none of them were particularly threatening. The South Island of NZ was beautiful, but the North Island left me cold.
I haven’t visited England yet - that’s coming next year. This could all change then.
brisvegas?!?!?!!?!?
You know, it might be a toss up between the Netherlands and Belgium, BUT a) Belgian beer (gloriousness) and b) Dutch food (ech-- thank god they had an empire for a while. . .). Mmmm, vlaamse frites. . . Funny damn people, though, and they are all convinced that their countries are known for being humorless-- I don’t know where they got that idea from. So lets say Benelux-- does that count?
I like the idea of New Zealand very much. Need to check that out some time. I’m not into arid.