Ask Lemmy

Nice try, NSA.

I've been to Ontario and BC, which should count as two countries, but it's only 1. We really liked Niagara on the Lake, in Ontario, and went there a few times. It's a nice area to bicycle, and you can make it all the way to the falls without getting on the roads much. I liked Vancouver just fine, but I was a kid when we used to go and would probably appreciate it more now as an adult.

I've been to Mexico several times; most times, just trips across the border with my parents, again, as a kid. I spent a couple of weeks in the Yucitan more recently, on Isla Mujeres. It was nice than I expected; most of the parting is in Cancun, so it's more relaxed on the island. Nice place to visit if you have money and can stay in the best resort you can afford.

I've spent about a month in Bengaluru, India, and environs. Interesting, and the trip to Mysuru was both intensely depressing and amazingly beautiful. I was traveling for business, so was basically treated like a VIP: 24/7 chauffeur, 5-star hotel, everything. The chauffeur even drove me on the trip to Mysuru, which was a weekend personal trip. I was very careful most of the time, and avoided getting sick, which vastly impacted my enjoyment. Although I did once get on the back of one of my team member's motorcycle to go to a little local restaurant, which I didn't think much of, but when I told my boss, he was appalled.

I spent so much time in the UK, I can almost claim citizenship. Same for France. The UK was for two weeks every other month, for three years, on business; and then a couple of vacations; mostly around and about in England. My wife's sister and her husband did two years as expats in Paris, and we visited then for a couple of weeks two or three times every year during that. I've spent a month driving around Provence, and a two week vacation in Normandy and the Loire Valley. I love both countries - London is a great city, and we seriously thought about buying a property near Bath; Paris is a bit too Big City for me, Provence is beautiful, and I'd happily own a cottage in the Loire somewhere.

I lived in Munich for two years, and would buy an apartment there if I could afford it. It's my favorite place in the world. Bavaria is my soul-home. I tried for several years to find work there, somewhere, in vain - Regensburg is where I'm going to retire, if at all possible.

I spent a couple of weeks in Prague. Beautiful city, and I hope to go back one day for another visit. I wouldn't live there, though.

Salzburg, Austria, is my second favorite city, and I've been about a dozen times. Again, I'd buy a place around there if I could afford it. Vienna is a wonderful city, with a lot to do. I find out a little strange, with a lot of Eastern European influence.

I've spent several weeks in northern Italy, mostly around Chiavenna. My third favorite place, although it's a small town. German friends of mine owned a cabin in the Alps and we went there often, summer and in the winter for skiing.

I've driven through Switzerland a few times, and have been to the Swiss Alps twice on ski vacations. It's like the whole county is Disneyland - very sanitized, very clean, very precise. It's absolutely beautiful, but it's far too tidy for me to want to live there. Bern is an exception; it's such an amazing city; I'd live there, too.

I've been to Singapore a couple of times, for a couple of weeks each time. Beautiful, clean, and very safe. Actually, I really enjoy Singapore, but I think it's best if you have a lot of money to spend. I wouldn't enjoy it "on the cheap," I think.

And I've been through the Dubai and Tokyo airports - both of Tokyo's international airports, actually, which required a bus ride around the city, so I actually saw more than the airport. But I can't say I saw much of them.

I'd equally live in Salzburg, Austria or Regensburg, Germany, with no hesitation. Munich would be third. Some town in Normandy, or Bath, England, fourth. Chiavenna or Bern, fifth.