The Ideal Country

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Oftentimes I am here looking at the comments on Tea Shop,sometimes pasting my own. I dip into the politics forum from time to time. Earlier I tried a few posts,but gave up...too tired to go into it all...but still interested in reading others(all,well expressed)

I was wondering with righting what's seen to be wrong with GB,what country has got it all about right? I mean,what country has got it right these days: on the economy,on democracy,on sustainability,some equal distribution of wealth,immigration,population growth,roads,industry. So,you've had enough of this joint,I'm forcing you out...But I've given you an open ticket for you and your family to go somewhere where you think life,work is better. What country do you think has it about right? Parliament? Corruption? Religion(extinct or otherwise)?

On a quick think I might go for Australia or NZ. Yes,there's Ascencion Island(a little too remote for me. Only 1 road for cycling,I hear)Not too many people tho. Is that a plus or a negative? At one stage I might have gone for America,but that seems a bit Wild West(politically speaking),not so kind for the disadvantaged. I also think its' filling up(towns,suburbs,cities,highways,roads,people)!! Canada? Too near America. Too cold. France? With their elite??

I am sorry to report that I have to dismiss the whole of Africa! Bit of a generalization,I know!! I think I'll also dismiss China! Crikey, I hope no one from Momentum is listenin in! Lottsa others I don't fancy,too. And to think I'm always dissing GB. Hypocrite!

[pwa]

The UK is the worst country on Earth, except for all the others.

Australia and NZ? You can't live there sustainably unless you never want to visit anywhere else. Even the nearest neighbouring country is a flight away. And think of the spiders!

Certainly not the Netherlands. Okay, great cycle facilities and all that, but as flat as a very flat thing. It's hardly worth cycling unless there are decent hills.

France is great for cycling terrain, but they have their problems at the moment. It's hard to see France being a happy country in the next decade or so.

I'll stick with the UK, with all its faults.

[Ben@Forest]

The UK is the worst country on Earth, except for all the others....


I'll stick with the UK, with all its faults.

I think this is true, and often on this forum people who complain loudest about the UK have never lived anywhere else. I have lived in Germany - great country in many ways but while I was there some headlines I remember are people living in a retirement home dying from salmonella poisoning found in eggs (come back Edwina Currie all is forgiven); refugees being burned to death in a refugee hostel; attacks by right-wing thugs; football violence; Turks being treated as second-class citizens and lots of their own citizens leaving former East German towns to move to the West (I don't think this has ever been fully addressed even now).

But people here will tell you Germany is better than Britain because they had good cycle lanes on their holiday last week - it's hardly objective.

[Si]

In a lot of ways it's not where you live but your position with in society and the type of life that you lead that matters. Some one who has a home and a reasonably secure job, and is surrounded by a rich network of friends and family, but who lives in a relatively poor country might be much happier than someone who is chained to the rat race and has difficult to fulfil expectations, in a rich country.

[al_yrpal]

Deafening hush despite all the grumbling. I have visited more than 40 countries and am in regular contact with quite a few people in other countries that I have visited repeatedly over the years. They all grumble too and some have even left to live elsewhere. France - burocratic. America - barmy politics and guns. Norway - cold, miserable with dour people, Germany - inflexibilty, lack of tolerance, immigration, Holland - boring. I couldnt live in a cultural desert which is a characteristic of some places. Even if they werent language would be a big barrier in this respect.
I like this country and where I live a lot and count myself very fortunate to be born here and to live here. The imperfections are fairly trivial compared with the advantages. Not ideal but for me more ideal than anywhere else.


Al

[Heltor Chasca]

Two friends who stayed recently after cycling around Europe spoke enthusiastically about Portugal. They said the worst thing was that they had to cycle through Spain to get there [emoji23].

I am pretty well travelled and I've even been to the former Portuguese colony of Moçambique, but Portugal is a country I've never been to.

What say you?

[PDQ]

My ideal country was Europe. I am still a citizen but not for that much longer.

When I got cheesed off with the dour Northerners (who have their humourous charms). I could head South to the sun and heat of the Med.
A trip around the Greek islands staying a month or so here and there.
Seville and Lisbon - Portugal's Atlantic coast.
Then a desire to revisit more fertile places would lead me to Burgundy or Provence.
A breath of Alpine air -Austria or Switzerland (not EU but Schengen) would fit the bill.
Unknown Latvia and Estonia - you could meet an interesting person for sure.
A beer in Prague and the delights of all Italy - "Bella Donna !"; I am going to miss being a part of your world.
Being a holidaymaker just won't feel the same.

[Tangled Metal]

My partner's lived, worked and travelled around the world. She's come home to England and doesn't want to leave. I said Canada and Sweden are my only alternatives to the UK. Canada because I feel there's still a.little bit of what makes England great there but it's near America. Some ancestors came from America, Sweden too but that's a way back via America.

Sweden? Don't know but in its favour there's widely spoken English (including a Gothenburg barman who spoke with a Scouse accent), they're tolerant (well to me they were) and isn't as expensive as Norway I feel. Plus I really like Gothenburg. Interesting city, people are great, nightlife is good, centre of Swedish football with IIRC 4 decent teams (think a Swedish Liverpool but not a.good thing if like me you're no football fan) and industry too.

My only other possible country to move to is a real case of if I had to at.gun point leave, and that is Scotland! However since I live in Lancashire but within a day trip of Lakes, Dales, Howgills, forest of Bowland, southern Scotland, peak district and even north York moors I don't want to move anywhere. I've just too much left to see in the UK and England especially. Is that being little England and not widening my experience with overseas travel?

[[XAP]Bob]

In a lot of ways it's not where you live but your position with in society and the type of life that you lead that matters. Some one who has a home and a reasonably secure job, and is surrounded by a rich network of friends and family, but who lives in a relatively poor country might be much happier than someone who is chained to the rat race and has difficult to fulfil expectations, in a rich country.

*might* be?

Clearly is!

It has been said that a happy man is one who earns a penny more than he spends.
Of course that doesn't cover the half of what makes a man truly rich, but it's a start in this society at least.

[SpannerGeek]

Without exception the truly miserable people I know are lovers of money, and not people. I think these two concepts are probably incompatible.

As for 'Britain' being an ideal country, that's definitely a concept that rings completely hollow. Even more so then when Blair tried to roll out his 'Cool Brittania' nonsense.

Britain is just an economic union that's past it's sell by date. I'll enjoy watching the last hurrah of flag waving at the Olympic games and then you can fold away your union jacks forever.

Scotland is just about my favourite place to live. For all sorts of reasons, but mostly the social ones: they value human worth, and rights above commerce. It's also possesses the last accessible wilderness in Europe. I've lived on 4 continents, eleven cities, and it's only a matter of time before they get secession now. Brexit has pretty much nailed the coffin shut of the United kingdom.

Still, I look forward to a Saltire flying at the next Olympic games in 2020!

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i cannot go to Norway,I don't like RollMops or Crispbread. I don't like tunnels,nor deepwater fjords with high gloomy mountains. As the richest country in the world? do they retire at 35? I hear they holiday in Thailand for 6/12.

Portugal seems fine. I will miss all the moaning and criticism and snobbery back here. Funny things us humans. And some of the gloom! Can you get tired of the Good Life down there? I guess I could always revisit GB to see how good I've got it once down just outside Lisbon. They have nice coffee there and those nice custard tart type o cakes. Yummy! I hope they have banned arthritis.

[pete75]

According to Roger Moore him and his fellow residents of Monaco are all very contented.

[Tangled Metal]

Scottish being better? Northern England mate. North Lancashire and Cumbria to be precise. A better group of people I've yet to meet, even in Scotland which I too rate for friendliness. Good luck to you if you get independence. May it work out for you as well as.Brexit does for rUK.

[SpannerGeek]

I think the break up of the united kingdom will be the real legacy of Brexit. The Scots I live and work with have a real appetite for it now.

Those 'economic' arguments just won't work on the Scots anymore. They'll just say 'look art Brexit, look at Brexit.' There's no out of Europe argument left, as that's a fait accomplis.

So the only argument left would be cultural. To which the majority of people will be antipathetic about.

Scotland is a truly great country to live and bring up your kids in. A one hour drive takes me straight in to the high mountains and absolute peace and solitude. And then there's the white beaches on the lonely islands...

And then I have the Edinburgh festival to look forward to all the month of August.

If you haven't got your application for a Scottish passport in yet, hurry up about it!

[al_yrpal]

Its nice to see a good proportion of us content with where we choose to live in the UK. And, its nice to see appeciative comments about aspects of other countries too. Everywhere I have been there have been things to appreciate and admire. Even in the poorest places there were happy faces.


Al