Best Part of Europe

[Zykon TheLich]

Older structures still requires roofs, though, and I know that over 50% of the business my company does is re-roofing. I'd expect that in a more settled area (IE: Europe) they'd be LOTS of existing buildings requiring roof replacement. Especially considering that the population of Germany in roughly 2.5x that of Canada, and Germany physical area fits into my province (Alberta) 3x. That doesn't even account for the REST of Europe, where many of these guys had to move to on work visas, prior to being offered jobs here.

I will repeat my edit with more detail. I do know of tensions due to influxes of foreign workers into Germany (although this was in the 90's don't know if it's still the case). Similar thing has been happening in the UK. Lots of Polish and Eastern European immigrants who will work for a lot less than the British companies so wages fall and it's hard to get work.

Just because indigenes in a small sector of the German workforce can't get work and have falling pay doesn't mean the economy is in the tank, you have to look at the big picture. Germany's strength is industrial manufacturing, not domestic roofing. They've been hit by the recession like everyone else but IIRC they are on the way out of it, their economy is expanding again.

 

[Floppertje]

Belgium, Ghent. Lovely city, nice people, great place to party.

'nuff said.

true, been there and it was awesome. have you been to the dreupelkot??

Yes, I have. Best 'jenever' in the world , also way too many flavors.

yep, I went there with some friends. between us, we covered the entire list XD

 

[JourneyThroughHell]

Russia, because I live there.
Seriously though, probably France in the mountains.

 

[Aerodyamic]

Older structures still requires roofs, though, and I know that over 50% of the business my company does is re-roofing. I'd expect that in a more settled area (IE: Europe) they'd be LOTS of existing buildings requiring roof replacement. Especially considering that the population of Germany in roughly 2.5x that of Canada, and Germany physical area fits into my province (Alberta) 3x. That doesn't even account for the REST of Europe, where many of these guys had to move to on work visas, prior to being offered jobs here.

I will repeat my edit with more detail. I do know of tensions due to influxes of foreign workers into Germany (although this was in the 90's don't know if it's still the case). Similar thing has been happening in the UK. Lots of Polish and Eastern European immigrants who will work for a lot less than the British companies so wages fall and it's hard to get work.

Just because indigenes in a small sector of the German workforce can't get work and have falling pay doesn't mean the economy is in the tank, you have to look at the big picture. Germany's strength is industrial manufacturing, not domestic roofing. They've been hit by the recession like everyone else but IIRC they are on the way out of it, their economy is expanding again.

I certainly hope so, because I agree with both the Germans I work with and one of my Canadian friends: Germany is actually very beautiful and filled with a phenominal amount of history. It's a shame that some people, regardless of their country of origin, are struggling to find work closer to home, though.

Omicron: That's one point that my German co-workers have repeatedly brought up about living in Germany; not only does everyone try to have their own little gardens, but the produce in general is varied and high quality, although expensive. I'd love to live in a smaller town environment, and have the opportunity to meet and know my neighbours because I see them when I go grocery shopping every Saturday at the local markets. The city I live in is about 1m people, and I prolly know about 1000, by sight, and about 200 by name, and I think it's kind of depressing, actually.

 

[GundamSentinel]

Live for a while in Germany, France and England. Germany and England were ok (though British people are kinda boring IMO), France sucks, but that might be just be the language, and the food, and the government come to think of it.

Holland is mostly city, so don't come here for hinking.
we however are very lenient on drugs, most of us are open-minded, and most of us speak english quite well.
we're used to foreigners here.

Exactly. I've been to a lot of countries in Europe, but still like it best home sweet home in the Netherlands. We might not have scenery or culture, but it's a damn good place to live and has the second best beer in the world.

have you lived in other countries, or have you just been there?

Lived for a while in Germany, France and England (half year periods). Germany and England were ok (though British people are kinda boring IMO), France sucks, but that might be just be the language, and the food, and the government come to think of it.

 

[Latinidiot]

Lived for a while in Germany, France and England (half year periods). Germany and England were ok (though British people are kinda boring IMO), France sucks, but that might be just be the language, and the food, and the government come to think of it.

oh right, must've missed that one. well that's interesting, because i've never met anyone who lived in more than one country and likes Holland best. I take it you're born in Holland?

 

[GundamSentinel]

Lived for a while in Germany, France and England (half year periods). Germany and England were ok (though British people are kinda boring IMO), France sucks, but that might be just be the language, and the food, and the government come to think of it.

oh right, must've missed that one. well that's interesting, because i've never met anyone who lived in more than one country and likes Holland best. I take it you're born in Holland?

Most certainly, Naarden to be exact. Maybe I just like the Netherlands better because I never lived in any of the bigger Ducth cities (I've lived in Woerden longest). That, and I prefer Dutch food (Dutch cheese knows no equal), Dutch weather (yeah I do, I despise dry warm weather or friggin' cold winters), Dutch bicycles (who invented those dumb mountainbikes anyway?), Dutch beer (Hertog Jan and Brand go down really well...) and Sinterklaas.

Ok, so I hate Dutch literature, Dutch music and Dutch politicians, you can't win 'em all.

 

[Latinidiot]

Lived for a while in Germany, France and England (half year periods). Germany and England were ok (though British people are kinda boring IMO), France sucks, but that might be just be the language, and the food, and the government come to think of it.

oh right, must've missed that one. well that's interesting, because i've never met anyone who lived in more than one country and likes Holland best. I take it you're born in Holland?

Most certainly, Naarden to be exact. Maybe I just like the Netherlands better because I never lived in any of the bigger Ducth cities (I've lived in Woerden longest). That, and I prefer Dutch food (Dutch cheese knows no equal), Dutch weather (yeah I do, I despise dry warm weather or friggin' cold winters), Dutch bicycles (who invented those dumb mountainbikes anyway?), Dutch beer (Hertog Jan and Brand go down really well...) and Sinterklaas.

Ok, so I hate Dutch literature, Dutch music and Dutch politicians, you can't win 'em all.

yeah Dutch literature is such a drag. It is however almost profetic with it's ease of talking about sex, which is quite refreshing at times. Leon De Winter, however, writes like an American.

 

[GundamSentinel]

Lived for a while in Germany, France and England (half year periods). Germany and England were ok (though British people are kinda boring IMO), France sucks, but that might be just be the language, and the food, and the government come to think of it.

oh right, must've missed that one. well that's interesting, because i've never met anyone who lived in more than one country and likes Holland best. I take it you're born in Holland?

Most certainly, Naarden to be exact. Maybe I just like the Netherlands better because I never lived in any of the bigger Ducth cities (I've lived in Woerden longest). That, and I prefer Dutch food (Dutch cheese knows no equal), Dutch weather (yeah I do, I despise dry warm weather or friggin' cold winters), Dutch bicycles (who invented those dumb mountainbikes anyway?), Dutch beer (Hertog Jan and Brand go down really well...) and Sinterklaas.

Ok, so I hate Dutch literature, Dutch music and Dutch politicians, you can't win 'em all.

yeah Dutch literature is such a drag. It is however almost profetic with it's ease of talking about sex, which is quite refreshing at times. Leon De Winter, however, writes like an American.

Yeah true, though they tend to go overboard, not just the literature, but movies as well. I'm ashamed to admit I never read Leon de Winter. I have Zionoco on the shelf but never touched it. Meh, maybe some time this year. My favorite Dutch writer is W.F. Hermans, good suspence and storytelling. Nooit meer slapen was great.

 

[TheScarecrow]

When it comes to Europe it's all fairly good. While I could be bias and say Ireland I feel I should recommend you go continental so you can drive or take the train to a new country without having to worry about disgruntled former IRA men.

Might want to pick up a language. German is great.

 

[lewism247]

So I was thinking about where I would like to live when I get older the other day and I've settled on somewhere in Europe.

I don't really know why, I just love the European countries despite only having been to 2, Spain and England.

So, naturally being that the majority of the Escapist seem to be from Europe, I come to the Escapist for an answer as to what is the best European country, city or village to live in.

Scotland's nice for a visit but i wouldn't recommend living here

Ireland's nice,DON'T GO TO FRANCE(well maybe),Greece is great but the drivers are insane

I would say Italy,nice people,beautiful country,great cities,amazing food

Though you could pop up to Scotland for a pint

 

[sam_savage1393]

Germany. Why? Because of this.

Spoiler

 

[Wildrow12]

I like Avalon. Its comforting to know that when my kingdom falls, my knights betray me, and I lose my life fighting the forces of evil, my carcass will be dragged away by hot fairy women to a mystical hidden island so that one day I can heal from my wounds, retrieve my bad ass sword from the lake and take back England and my throne as Lord of all the Britons.

 

[Halceon]

The baltics. Estonia or Latvia. Leaning Estonia. I might be biased, but the places are awesome. You just have to put up with the occasional political idiocy and the thinly veiled imperialist tendencies of Russia.

 

[The DSM]

Sweden.

They have a really good quality of life and the best metal in the world.

 

[The Last Nomad]

The Patriotism in me says Ireland...

The Stoner in me says Amsterdam...

Although I wouldn't really know, I've only been to about 5 different countries... Although in all honesty, Ireland is one of the nicest places I've ever seen...

 

[Nickolai77]

Depends what you want really, if you could elaborate Op on what your tastes, hopes and interests are then it would help us Europeans make more accurate guesses as to what you would like.

Germany: Best location for careers and jobs, being the strongest economy in Europe. Also, if you like beer and nice countryside then Germany is ideal.

Maybe you could explain why my Canadian company managed to hire 25 German roofers, brought them to Canada, and still employs most of them, if their home country's economy is so strong. I've been told there's roughly 30k 'Dachdecker' positions available throughout Germany, with about 50-60k worth of qualified people available to fill them. That's besides the fact that some of our older Germans have said that the wages have fallen between 5-12 euros an hour. over the last 10-15 years, for roofers.

PS: I realize I probably misspelled Dachdecker, but I'm not actually German, and don't know what the keyboard shortcuts are.

Well, i wouldnt know, but i am pretty sure the general agreement amoung economists is that Germany does have the strongest economy in Europe. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_the_European_Union

Admitadly, i should have made a disclaimer saying that these are my subjective general impressions on Europe, the only place in Europe i could fully describe with accuracy and authority would be the UK, because i live there. Strangely enough, i probaly know more about America than i do France and Germany, which is a bit odd really, i think the media should focus more on our most immediate trading and political partners in Europe over America. Yes, America is important, but so is Europe, which had more of an effect on the UK than America does.

 

[x0ny]

If you can only speak english, go to the UK. Other countries will see you as an outsider. Otherwise, learn the language, it's better for you to integrate into their culture and lifestyle than have them fit around you.

 

[GrinningManiac]

Spoiler: all of this bit

In all seriousness, though, probably everything except Spain in my opinion. I have NOTHING against Spain personally, but I don't like that kind of dry environ, and I've got a bit of a elitist thing with it as I like travelling to odd places, but EVERYONE in england goes to Spain, and a lot of them move there or buy holiday homes, and not ONE person bothers to learn the damn language!

I feel dirty going there, because I KNOW they hate me and my country and want me to leave.

Pero hablar espanol! Apendar en PERU para cuatro semana! Dios Mio, no me gusta Ingelsia...

Wow, that's an incredibly -disgusting- generalization. If you want to boil alive and live around people -in general, of course- with really low cultural level, then OK, southern spain is for you. Try Catalunia, The Basque Country, or other Northern autonomies, and you will find just the opposite. In fact, try living here in Guipuzcoa, one of the provinces of the Basque Country; it's just too humid and everything -everything- is green. And culturally, San Sebastian, Bilbao, Barcelona and other cities are just as socially, culturally and economically advanced as any other important cities.

I don't know about other places in Spain, but around here no one hates British people, or not as a group. There is a general disgust towards americans, though, but that's internationally earned. And here more people speaks english than in the south; not enough, that's true, but more.

Don't wanna offend you, but I'd like to point out that your spanish is... just... bad. Try again next time.

Oh well, I'm so...SO sorry for having an opinion, having a dislike of a particular country, and having the TENACITY to learn a language, albeit badly

Next time, how about I say "I don't like going to Spain because it's full of lazy spainards who do nothing all day, drink and shoot things?"

I say again, the heat thing is the reason I don't like going to PARTS of Spain (in retrospect, I didn't point that out well enough), but the main reason is because Spain seems, from an English point of view, such a horrible place to go, because I just KNOW that all the locals will look at me like I'm just another xenophobic skinhead who comes here for the cheap drink, sunny weather and to shout loudly at waiters who don't speak English.

I just don't want to go to Spain, alright? Everywhere else holds some personal intrest to me, but I don't get that same "oooh...travelling!" feeling with Spain.

Oh, and don't knock my Spanish, alright? At least I bloody well try to learn the language of a country I'm visiting. Others aren't so considerate