If it wasn't France, where else might you live?

General Discussion
101

My late inlaws loved Yugoslavia (Slovenia especially) and holidayed there most years at Lake Bled. FIL was in security for railways and a union secretary and one time, the government sent some officials to the airport to pick them up, take them to their hotel and generally take them wherever they wanted to go and even out for meals. That was before Yugolslavia became several countries and it was still fairly communist

102

My daughter would go back to Somerset in an instant from the US. Her first home with her future husband was in Frome and I visited it once and absolutely loved it and the surrounding areas. Unfortunately all these places now have become unaffordable to most folks.

103

You should consider yourself blessed. I didn’t know one grandfather and the other was a child abuser, not to me but that was just luck.

1 Like
104

I do, the only thing I criticise both my Grandpas for is not talking to me in their native language.
I would love to be able to speak Welsh, but have you seen it. ? :astonished:

105

Was terrified of my grandmother, who may well have inspired Giles -
image

2 Likes
106

Some spots are good, I hear… :wink:

9 Likes
107

This is the big problem with the UK - whether staying there (unless you are already well up the property ladder), or moving back - property prices in the nicer bits are insane.

108

People are Split on that…

1 Like
109

Well we certainly don’t want to get the Dubrovnikers in a twist…

110

Rumour has it than my grandparents met because they were the only two not in fancy costumes at a Purim celebration (where it is traditional to dress up in silly outfits).

1 Like
111

I can see the family resemblance!

112

I met Mutti just a very little, aged 4 (when she stayed with us in the UK) and 6 (when we stayed with her in Vienna). My Austrian grandfather died before my parents married.

My English grandparents always seemed so old, grandmother dying when I was 7, and grandfather losing his marbles by the time I was an adult.

There are many gaps in my family knowledge.

113

Japan for me

114

I notice there haven’t been too many (any?) takers for Belgium! I’ve visited and stayed in the Francophone region over many years. This week, after yet another good visit, my wife and I said we’d have to seriously consider living there IF the balloon goes up here in France. The language, wide range of excellent food products available, peaceful countryside especially in the Ardennes, and fascinating cities and towns like Brussels and Bruges are obvious attractions. However the weather is probably even worse than here in Normandy, and the country is really quite crowded compared to France, but it’s a viable option for us two (EU citizen plus Brit). We’re still assuming and hoping that the real risk of genuine upheaval for us immigrants is very, very small…

1 Like
115

That’s always been my issue with Belgium (and the Netherlands!) - nice enough places but rather crowded and the weather veers towards the Germanic, especially in winter!

1 Like
116

We’re lucky in that this area of France (and our town especially) hits well above average in terms of excellent restaurants
And if not France - New Zealand

117

I lived in Belgium for couple of years but I was in Antwerp, so very different. I liked it though :slightly_smiling_face: great beer and stoofvlees met frietjes all the way :wink:

118

You forgot to mention the beer.

Going to Bruges next June with one of my brothers and his eldest son for a beer soaked long weekend. Well, after his stroke someone has to be there to makes sure he doesn’t fall over :beers::beers:

1 Like
119

The food’s great. But I don’t think I have ever been in Belgium on a day when it wasn’t raining.

Even Dublin I managed to spend a whole day there once, without any rain at all. Every Dubliner I asked “Why isn’t it raining”, as this had not been my experience, said “Ah, but it will soon” :slight_smile:

Don’t French people choose Belgians to make jokes about in the same way a British joke would begin “An Irish guy walks into a bar…”?

If the balloon goes up where we go might depend on what we’re fleeing from.

2 Likes
120

I’ve still got a carton of Belgian beers in the kitchen under a chair, just waiting for a visitor who likes Belgian beer. Many years ago I was asked to drive a Dobie from Brittany to the Belgian frontier to meet a man who had adopted him. Like the French, who often gave me a regional gift as a reward, he gave me this. Must be well matured by now. :thinking: