The Countries You Have Visited Thread

[Fwapper]

It was absolutely terrible. I was paying around $6 for a bottle of water at one point. I wanted to cry.

If you had to buy petrol over here you would have cried. It's £1 a litre, 4.50 litres in a gallon, so thats $9 a gallon.

[doc_bean]

0. Belgium: Live there

1. Netherlands: been there lots of times

2. France: Paris, Bretagne, Normandy

3. Germany: a few trips with the parents

4. Austria: been a couple of times, to Vienna last time

5. Slovakia: passed through, quick stop in Bratislava

6. Hungary: twice with the parents, once with the girlfriend

7. Liechtenstein: don't really remember why I went tthere...

8. UK: London.

9. Denmark: passed through on the way to Norway (and back), spent a little time on the beach there

10: Norway: went there last year

11: Sweden: passed through on the way back from norway, stopped in Gotenburg

12. Spain (Tenerife): senior trip in High school

13: Malta: went with the parents

14: Cuba: 'senior trip' in uni

15: Luxembourg: almost forgot this one, went there on a trip with the parents once, and probably passed through a couple of times too

[macsen rufus]

See the sig...

(as we're also counting islands etc Spain includes Galicia and Andalucia on the mainland plus Gran Canaria and Ibiza)

[King Henry V]

England: Born there, visited my grandparents in their cottage in Dorset when I was little. Good times. Now, since they've moved to Austria, I don't go there so often.

Switzerland: Came here when I was 3 weeks old (my parents already lived there, my mum just wanted me born in England). Lived there ever since.

Germany: Was christened here, used to visit my German grandparents during the Easter and October holidays in a town in Bavaria called Senden, not far from Ulm. A place with absolutely nothing to recommend itself: not history, no scenery, no nightlife. Otherwise, I visited Berlin, Köln, Hamburg, Munich, Dresden, Leipzig (the family visiting circuit), castles and palaces here and there, and Berchtesgaden (now that was beautiful).

France: I only live 20 minutes from the French border, and my mum used to own an apartment in Nice. Only visited Paris once (when my main interest was getting to Eurodisney as soon as possible) but would love to go again. Otherwise various school trips to Brittany (now that was fun), the Auvergne, the Jura, Strasburg and most recently, a boat trip on the Canal du Midi with friends (mega fun).

Italy: Visited Florence a couple of times, otherwise I was in Sienna, Venice, Milan and Stresa on Lago Maggiore only once. Also a day trip (and booze cruise) to Ventimiglia and San Remo when on holiday in Nice.

Austria: Since my grandparents now live in Vienna, I spend about a quarter of the year there now (every holiday my mum and I go off to visit them). Lovely city, would so like to live there when I'm older. Otherwise I've been to Salzburg and the Salzkammergut region, Innsbruck for a couple of days, and the Neusiedl "lake" (more of a muddy pond, you can practically walk across it) in which I fell.

Lichtenstein: Pass through every time I take the train to Austria, does that count?

Monaco: Since I used to go to Nice quite frequently, a holiday there would invaribaly include a trip to Monaco and an evening spent in the Hotel de Paris or the Monte Carlo Grand (or whatever they want to call it nowadays).

Denmark: Went to Legoland (Yay!)

Czech Rep.: Visited Prague when I was two, would really like to go back one day.

Slovakia: Evening trip to Bratislava once, since Mum was navigating we got there too late to see anything. Pretty town, great argentinian steak house (one of the best steak I've ever eaten). Not all that cheap for Eastern Europe.

Poland: I stared across it from the German side of the Oder, but didn't actually get across.

Sweden: I fell asleep. Not on my list of places I really want to visit again.

Hungary: Been there three times so far, once to Budapest, which was a bit run down, with some evidence that many buildings had been decorated by that renowned duo, Schmeisser and Kalashnikov. Great food, nice wine, very reasonable (in some places).

Belgium: Went to Brussels once when I was little, Glimpsed the Waterloo lion from the car and went to a puppet theatre in Brussels (saw the Three Musketeers) which was nice. Would soooo love to visit Flanders.

America: First time I went I stayed in Boston and New York, found Boston nice and historical, New York less so, I didn't get into the Statue of Liberty but I did go to the top floor of the World Trade Centre (that's something to tell the grandkids). Second time I was in Florida (Disney! Yay!) and took a cruise from Tampa that went round the Gulf of Mexico, so I also visited New Orleans on the way. Nice if you're American and aren't really used to old cities, but when you're from Europe, well.....

Mexico: Saw Cozumel and visited the ruins of Tulum during a cruise (see above).


So there you go. The world seen by me so far.

[I of the Storm]

Germany: live there, doesn't count really

Czech republic; Slovakia; Poland; Hungary; France; Denmark; Italy; The Vatican; Spain; Great Britain; Republic of Ireland; USA; Canada.
Oh, and Holland, I seem to recall somehow...

[SwordsMaster]

Heh, Russia, Ukraine, Spain, Portugal, France, Netherlands, UK, Ireland, Italy, Vatican, Andorra, Morocco.

[drone]

USA - born, raised, still living here

Mexico - a few quick visits when I was younger
Bahamas - took a cruise through the islands
Canada - been skiing in Whistler-Blackcomb twice, flying through Vancouver
England/Scotland/Wales - lived in England for a couple of years, various excursions across the whole island
Austria - flew into Innsbruck, skiing in St. Anton
Switzerland - flew into Geneva, skiing in Zermatt
France - Paris sightseeing

I've driven through the People's Republic of Massachusetts, but I don't count that!

[Antagonist]

The places I have been... the wonders I have seen... are actually quite limited in number. *sigh*

United Kingdom
England - I was born there, visit London fairly regularly, and occasionally Manchester. Little experience of the rest. I thought of myself as English until I was about 7, then abruptly changed internal nationality, it's a disturbing experience.
Wales - Passed through it regularly in times passed on peregrinations between the British Isles, haven't been there recently. I recalled Holyhead as a terrible place, Cardiff as nice.
Northern Ireland - Pass through fairly regularly. It's okay, Belfast is a nice city if you can get away from its sinister reputation.
I've never been to Scotland, though I've always been curious.

Republic of Ireland - Lived in Dublin for quite a while now. Wasn't keen at first, but it's grown on me.

Germany - I have a large number of German relatives but I've only visited once. I enjoyed it a lot but don't recall it very well.

France - I've never actually been to France, but have travelled through it several times. Nice food, haven't stayed long enough to develop a more detailed impression.

Spain - I've never been to mainland Spain, only to the Balearic islands. They're nice enough when they aren't basically England.

Portugal - Best holiday ever, and it's extraordinarily cheap. I haven't been outside the Algarve though, probably not a perfect impression.

Italy - My family always seems to holiday in Italy for some reason.

Switzerland - Again, only been through here. Beautiful scenery, can't comment on the people or activities.

Austria - Skiing there is great, but then again I've never ski'd anywhere else.

Cyprus - I always imagine it as the quintessential Mediterranean place, even though it's probably not. Very relaxing place if you avoid the most touristed areas.

Greece - Technically I've been there, but I never left the airport and it was night, so I have never glimpsed the wine-dark sea and sunny olive-groves of Hellas.

United States of America - Visited quite often when I was a child, and always received a really hospitable welcome. I haven't visited in almost a decade though.

Also, I was once booked to go on a week-long whistle-stop awesome-things-only tour of Northern Europe and Scandinavia, but the guy who has arranging it got sick and cancelled.

Antagonist

[Quid]

Switzerland: Came here when I was 3 weeks old (my parents already lived there, my mum just wanted me born in England). Lived there ever since.

Didn't know you were Swiss (and English, I presume). The only time I spent in your canton was during my military service (Bure). It rained for 3 weeks. Was not an enjoyable experience. But then, apparently, it's either dusty or rainy over there...

Quid

[Conradus]

Belgium, live there

France, been to Paris for a week, some short trips in the north

Germany, went to Cologne for a day

Netherlands, some short trips and Amsterdam for a day

Uk: spent some days in London

Italy: went their two times, a week in Roma, and 5 days in the South.

[King Henry V]

Didn't know you were Swiss (and English, I presume). The only time I spent in your canton was during my military service (Bure). It rained for 3 weeks. Was not an enjoyable experience. But then, apparently, it's either dusty or rainy over there...

Quid

I'm not Swiss, as I have not applied for Swiss nationality and I don't think I ever will (military service does somewhat deter me, but mainly it is because I do not love Switzerland - respect and admire it yes, but love it, no). BTW, I live in Geneva, a proper city, not the Jura (my geographic location is a reference to the fact that the Alps and the Jura come very close to each other near here, seperated only by the Rhone).

[CountArach]

Well I live in Australia, and I have been to America and a day trip to Mexico as part of that trip.

[Lorenzo_H]

I have been to these places:

Isle of Man (where I live)
Fuerteventura
Spain
USA
Italy
France
England
Scotland
Ireland

And surprisingly, that is all. Note that I am an American, Italian and British citizen. It's funny to think that I have never been south of the equator.

[Ronin]

I´ve been to:

Spain - basically just a second class Portugal
England - Nice...London is cool for shopping
Scotland - Really liked edinburgh and the highlands area...specially near Inverness....stayed in a very cool victorian style hotel...the views were amazing.
Italy - Slept one night in Rome because the airline screwed up a connection flight....didn´t see enough to have an opinion....all I can say is that I never been to a country were the customs officers were so hot!
Israel - Been there twice on work........the strip clubs are first class! other than that....

[Quid]

I'm not Swiss, as I have not applied for Swiss nationality and I don't think I ever will (military service does somewhat deter me, but mainly it is because I do not love Switzerland - respect and admire it yes, but love it, no). BTW, I live in Geneva, a proper city, not the Jura (my geographic location is a reference to the fact that the Alps and the Jura come very close to each other near here, seperated only by the Rhone).

Ah, I see. Been to Geneva twice in the 80s in a summer camp (good fun). Have not been there since.

I don't really know what my feelings towards Switzerland are, either. I suppose, I am somewhat glad to be living here as opposed to some other places. In terms of livings standards nothing I have seen beats this place.

The army is not such a big deal. What comes after is much more a waste of time (all the repeating courses). With a bit of luck I will be out of it by the end of next year. About bloody time.

Quid