Who Would Have Me...

I couldn´t live in USA .Yanks are very difficult to deal with.Their life style is not for me .

I was very impressed with Australia.I think Sydney is by far the most beautiful city I´ve been in.Cairns is a very good place to live if you like nature more than humans .

Berna in Switzerland is an awesome place but the climate is terrible.

I really would like to visit Canada .

Spain is a very good spot, but it´s full of Spaniards with last century mentality.( if you know what I mean ...)
 
"On the plus side, freedom of speech is alive and well over there"
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As long as you say what is wanted. You have obviously not watched a great deal of US television news coverage, particularly Fox.

If you compare freedom of speech in the USA with most countries in Western Europe, it's extremely hard to imagine people in education, local government, the entertainment industry etc anywhere on this side of the Atlantic losing their jobs for disagreeing with government policy.

Take some high profile cases - the Dixie Chicks blacklisted from major radio stations for expressing opposition to the war, Linda Ronstadt being sacked from performing at the Aladdin Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas for praising Michael Moore's anti-Bush campaign, Whoopi Goldberg being fired from her job as a spokeswoman for Slim-Fast weight-loss products after making jokes about President Bush at a John Kerry fund-raiser, the Baseball Hall of Fame cancelling planned celebrations for the 15th anniversary of the classic baseball film Bull Durham because it starred Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon who took an anti-war stance, Susan Sarandon being accused of endangering the lives of American forces because she publicly opposes the war etc

How Richard Nixon would have envied the current administration, all he could do was to compile lists with the help of J Edgar Hoover of the likes of Joan Baez, John Lennon and Jane Fonda.

The only good thing is that it is destined to change in 2008.
 
But Luis, the 21st Century is only 5 years old, so those Spaniards are not TOO far behind... :D

The only place to live full-time in the USA has got to be California, preferably in or around San Francisco. It's a totally different vibe to the rest of the country, open-minded, creative, energetic, and fun - although New Yorkers like to think that about themselves, too. They're right, but I'd only want to lunch 'n' shop for a day in the city, then clear out. It's a bit claustrophic, and although New York State has some lovely stretches of countryside, it gets horrendously cold in winter!

What about Cyprus? A lot of Brits retire there (mainly to the Greek sector) very happily, it seems.
 
Originally posted by Bobbyjo@Apr 11 2005, 01:08 PM
Sweden - the only country remaining where Rooster Booster would win a hurdles race
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No matter what the thread is about he always gets thrown in somewhere :brows:
 
Obviously not, Brian. Has that been the case only under this administration? Is it likely to change under future administrations?

Cyprus - holidayed there last summer and loved it.

I was thinking last week as I ambled along the Benidorm promenade at 1am (I tend to amble when I'm p*shed) how wonderful it was to be able to be out walking at that time without the need for a pullover, let alone a jacket.

The place was busy with lots of Spaniards of all ages also out walking off their evening meal. The sand sculptors were reading by the light of the garlands of lamps hung from pole to pole along the mile or so of marbled walkway as admirers of their art marvelled at depictions of The Last Supper, or Mary with the body of Jesus across her lap. Even children were catered for with a version of the Three Little Pigs and the Big, Bad Wolf. The sparse scattering of coins seemed hardly just reward for their artistry.

That place must be hard to beat.
 
Originally posted by fudge@Apr 12 2005, 10:08 AM
No matter what the thread is about he always gets thrown in somewhere :brows:
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He was thrown in in last year's TGT and still couldn't win it :cry:
 
"Anythung? Yur dang-tootin' right there, pard!"

Maurice: now you've hit a very important issue on the noggin. Walking about in great safety at night, feeling part of the scene, unthreatened, unmolested by persistent beggars/hustlers/vendors, etc. is something that I found quite wonderful about both mainland Spain and Majorca. There's no sense that you have to have your wits about you at all times, or that it's 'asking for trouble' to venture into certain quarters unaccompanied by bodyguards or slavering hounds.

Sadly, it's not the case in South Africa, and judging by the huge boom in security systems, razor-wire fencing for gardens, Rottweilers, guns, etc., it doesn't seem like it will return to previously 'fairly safe' levels. Walking about late at night, alone, and certainly slightly lit up, is not to be recommended.

I don't think one can overvalue peace of mind, and as Spanish evenings are so idyllic, just being able to wander (especially when a bit pished) without feeling you're likely to be turned over or bashed up for no good reason is priceless. I felt immensely comfortable and safe there, very much like I'd say Thailand still is, but without quite so much horribly humid weather, when you're as clammy as a frog for weeks on end. I believe the same can be said for Portugal and Andorra, where ex-work colleagues have retired to with much satisfaction.
 
No offence, Mo - but you can certainly beat Benidorm!!! I find there is nothing worse than the touristy areas in Spain that the Brits flock to - I cannpt abide the Costa Del Sol & very rarely go near it. The real Spain is beautiful, and very different - in a much better way! I went to lunch at a chiringuito on the coast a few miles past Tarifa on the Costa de la Luz yesterday & although I have been there many times before, the beauty of the area always strikes me. There were a couple of English people there but they weren't too bad except for doing the usual English tourist trick of speaking L-O-U-D-L-Y and S-L-O-W-L-Y in English to the Spanish staff thinking that would make them suddenly understand English perfectly - did they even attempt one word of Spanish? Did they hell - it drives me insane as they certainly would expect every Spanish tourist in Britain to speak English.

I would also rather sell most of my body parts than live in America - I couldn't think of a worse place to live. Shocking country run by megalomaniacs with attitude problems and seriously dodgy political ideas - not for me, thanks!
 
From my experience, away from the touristy areas, Spanish towns pretty much shut down between 10pm and 11pm. That would be no use to me. Having sampled both the Costa Blanca and the Costa Del Sol, I'd say the CDB leaves the CDS standing, with the possible exception of Benalmádena, which I found very attractive.
 
Fair enough, Mo - to be honest, I've found plenty of places open earlyish, it's just that most don't get going until 11-12pm at least.

I don't know when you last went to Benalmadena (no, I can't type accents!!!) - although it is the least touristy of a lot of the resorts around Malaga it is certainly going the same way as the others - in fact, somewhere along the promenade it blends into Fuengirola. The port is very pretty though and there are some decent places to eat there.
 
Originally posted by Honest Tom@Apr 13 2005, 03:22 PM
Benidorm is the pits. Full of English skinhead b@stards with beer bellies and tattoos.
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...and that's just the wimmin :o

That's maybe true at the height of summer, Tom, but it's probably true of every popular resort in Europe. I haven't stayed in Benidorm during the English hols for a while in summer (I've been in Calpe and come in for a stroll along the promenade in the evening) and haven't seen much when I have - they're all along in the Brit end getting tanked up for the night.
 
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