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What Is Your Favourite Country And Why?


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For living and working I would say: 1. Indonesia 2. India 3. China

For holidays both short and long: 1. Indonesia 2. Thailand 3. India / Malaysia

For retirement (sooner the better) 1. Indonesia 2. Thailand 3. UK

Once you've spent time in Indonesia, other places seem rather tame IMHO.

Simon

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the local for Wilderspoole was the Sarriesheid just opposite the brewery where they stopped brewing Local bitter. Then they (the Wire) became Wolves and moved to Winwick Where Tetley used to brew Walkers, and the local was the Lord Rodney, though I actually preferred the Local - and even more so the Mild, which is very similar to a 60'.

Anyway, I've not been to the park to see them since I left, though I caught them (the Wire / Wolves) on the TV in Dubai in the Challenge Cup Final a couple of years back.

SC

"... and before that, a supermarket used to stand"

EDIT

I suppose in the local vernacular it would be the SareysZ

Edited by StreetCowboy
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I'll go for Scotland then seeing as another poster bought my vote with a pie supper on another thread .

Oh for the Squirrel Bar and a deep fried macaroni pie , Stevenson Street on a cold winters morn and money to be made . Forget not the old vans wi' hooky MOTs and knocking off early on a saturday and walking up to see the celtic . I shudder to recall beating a dwarf at pool up in the Scotia pool hall and then staggering home westward , stuffed into my y fronts , the days takings . One never knew who one could happen upon in old Glasgow town , on the banks of the Clyde in the west of Scotland .

I used to drink in a pub called the Squirrel in Tsim Sha Tsui - or was it the Squirrell 2? That was the one with the gin in the vodka bottle... That close had gone quite up market last time I was there, about four years back, with some Western pub where there used to be a squirrel. I forget how the Terrace had fared. But on Hart Avenue I was able to stop for a Deuchars IPA - not a haggis supper, but there's no point in pining for the moon when you have a bird in the hand

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZyU7tHO_1E

SC

I was more likely to end up in the Red Lion next door to Ned's ( sadly gone too) , I never was in the squirrel on Hart but used to frequent the Stag's Head instead .

Nowadays I been visiting the Old china Hand but not with much success as my boozing abilities are hitting an all time low , sadly .

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I'll go for Scotland then seeing as another poster bought my vote with a pie supper on another thread .

Oh for the Squirrel Bar and a deep fried macaroni pie , Stevenson Street on a cold winters morn and money to be made . Forget not the old vans wi' hooky MOTs and knocking off early on a saturday and walking up to see the celtic . I shudder to recall beating a dwarf at pool up in the Scotia pool hall and then staggering home westward , stuffed into my y fronts , the days takings . One never knew who one could happen upon in old Glasgow town , on the banks of the Clyde in the west of Scotland .

I used to drink in a pub called the Squirrel in Tsim Sha Tsui - or was it the Squirrell 2? That was the one with the gin in the vodka bottle... That close had gone quite up market last time I was there, about four years back, with some Western pub where there used to be a squirrel. I forget how the Terrace had fared. But on Hart Avenue I was able to stop for a Deuchars IPA - not a haggis supper, but there's no point in pining for the moon when you have a bird in the hand

(repeated quote of clip deleted)

SC

I was more likely to end up in the Red Lion next door to Ned's ( sadly gone too) , I never was in the squirrel on Hart but used to frequent the Stag's Head instead .

Nowadays I been visiting the Old china Hand but not with much success as my boozing abilities are hitting an all time low , sadly .

I went into the Red Lion with a friend who said "I've not been here for about five years" and to be honest, I don't know why he hurried back. The Stag was my favourite; our office was nearby, just opposite the Knight's, where beer was $13 a pint in Happy Hour. It had a little wooden bridge over a stream as you came in, as I recollect. In those days the Stag had a Happy Hour 3-4 for the staff from the other pubs, if I recall correctly. The place I had the Deuchars IPA was on the other side of the road, up towards Cameron.

Nowadays I go over to the White Hart to see Johnnie from the Stag's, though I've not been there for some time. I don't know if the DJ from Kilmarnock is still working in HK - he used to do Friday night in the Stag's; presumably that's you ...

I suppose HK would rate in my top few of places to live, and in terms of bagpipe music, I would rate it no lower than second.

SC

Edited by StreetCowboy
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Australia for food,

NZ for nature,

France for wine and Paris,

Thailand for lifestyle and relative cheapness,

Bangladesh SUCKs

Indonesia for golf,

Malaysia for diversity,

BUT overall give me Japan, great food, friendly people, great scenary, great roads for MC, and cheap MC too, good fishing, honesty, polite, and if you know what you are doing does not have to be that expensive, and taxes are LOW

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For living and working I would say: 1. Indonesia 2. India 3. China

For holidays both short and long: 1. Indonesia 2. Thailand 3. India / Malaysia

For retirement (sooner the better) 1. Indonesia 2. Thailand 3. UK

Once you've spent time in Indonesia, other places seem rather tame IMHO.

Simon

yeah, I lived in Indonesia (around Jakarta) for 3 years and I remember it fondly...it is a muslim place but back then (under Suharto) ye would'nt have known it...we had a shared holiday house up near the top of the Puncak Pass with a magnificent terrace and I would park meself there and not move for hours...just to freshen me Mansion House vodka...

Edited by tutsiwarrior
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Scotland for me too...........Ireland is a pale imitation

A country where flashes of brilliance emerge from centuries of drunken debauchery.

What else would you expect from the Home of Whisky? But when sober we...........

Invented the television, telephone and penicillin, international capitalism, international masonry, and the art of having a good fight at a wedding.

http://en.wikipedia....rts_innovations

We even had to go help the English invent the United Kingdom!! after having to lend them our Scottish royalty too.

Anyway......

A land of

Outstanding scenery,

The Athens of the North, Edinburgh

The Edinburgh Festival, the largest Arts festival in the world,

World class sporting venues and sailing,

Incredible mountain ranges,

Wildlife teeming all over the hills,

Home of the oldest regiment in the British Army,

History everywhere, and I mean everywhere,

World class museums and fascinating architecture

Where men wear kilts and look you in the eye and dare you to say something,

24 hour bars and sing-songs in the morning,

Where not having a hangover is a badge of shame,

Some of the most sublime food you could ever hope to taste,

and some of the worst too, ( see onionluke above ) but we love it just the same,

Cities that know how to party, with night clubs bursting at the seams,

Where the girls dress like hookers and know tricks that would put hookers to shame,

As I say, an outstanding country, one that we have to get out of now and again to get a break from the debauchery, that's why we holiday in Thailand. It's nice and relaxed there biggrin.png

Scottish people originated from Ireland. Read your history books.

Scotland is a pale immitation of IRELAND.

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I'll go for Scotland then seeing as another poster bought my vote with a pie supper on another thread .

Oh for the Squirrel Bar and a deep fried macaroni pie , Stevenson Street on a cold winters morn and money to be made . Forget not the old vans wi' hooky MOTs and knocking off early on a saturday and walking up to see the celtic . I shudder to recall beating a dwarf at pool up in the Scotia pool hall and then staggering home westward , stuffed into my y fronts , the days takings . One never knew who one could happen upon in old Glasgow town , on the banks of the Clyde in the west of Scotland .

I used to drink in a pub called the Squirrel in Tsim Sha Tsui - or was it the Squirrell 2? That was the one with the gin in the vodka bottle... That close had gone quite up market last time I was there, about four years back, with some Western pub where there used to be a squirrel. I forget how the Terrace had fared. But on Hart Avenue I was able to stop for a Deuchars IPA - not a haggis supper, but there's no point in pining for the moon when you have a bird in the hand

(repeated quote of clip deleted)

SC

I was more likely to end up in the Red Lion next door to Ned's ( sadly gone too) , I never was in the squirrel on Hart but used to frequent the Stag's Head instead .

Nowadays I been visiting the Old china Hand but not with much success as my boozing abilities are hitting an all time low , sadly .

I went into the Red Lion with a friend who said "I've not been here for about five years" and to be honest, I don't know why he hurried back. The Stag was my favourite; our office was nearby, just opposite the Knight's, where beer was $13 a pint in Happy Hour. It had a little wooden bridge over a stream as you came in, as I recollect. In those days the Stag had a Happy Hour 3-4 for the staff from the other pubs, if I recall correctly. The place I had the Deuchars IPA was on the other side of the road, up towards Cameron.

Nowadays I go over to the White Hart to see Johnnie from the Stag's, though I've not been there for some time. I don't know if the DJ from Kilmarnock is still working in HK - he used to do Friday night in the Stag's; presumably that's you ...

I suppose HK would rate in my top few of places to live, and in terms of bagpipe music, I would rate it no lower than second.

SC

True about the pipes , the polis band in their white tunics and kilts , many of them schooled in Glasgow , Otago street . I know Johny and remember the DJ , he had a collection of 80's stuff and would play the Toy Doll's and the like . I guess the Red Lion was , for me , like a time warp ,with the decrepit lounge at the back of the 60's era bar and all those old dragon ladys . I used to get up with the band and murder shakin all over every now and then . Ever frequent the Winestube ?

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...

I was more likely to end up in the Red Lion next door to Ned's ( sadly gone too) , I never was in the squirrel on Hart but used to frequent the Stag's Head instead .

Nowadays I been visiting the Old china Hand but not with much success as my boozing abilities are hitting an all time low , sadly .

I went into the Red Lion with a friend who said "I've not been here for about five years" and to be honest, I don't know why he hurried back. The Stag was my favourite; our office was nearby, just opposite the Knight's, where beer was $13 a pint in Happy Hour. It had a little wooden bridge over a stream as you came in, as I recollect. In those days the Stag had a Happy Hour 3-4 for the staff from the other pubs, if I recall correctly. The place I had the Deuchars IPA was on the other side of the road, up towards Cameron.

Nowadays I go over to the White Hart to see Johnnie from the Stag's, though I've not been there for some time. I don't know if the DJ from Kilmarnock is still working in HK - he used to do Friday night in the Stag's; presumably that's you ...

I suppose HK would rate in my top few of places to live, and in terms of bagpipe music, I would rate it no lower than second.

SC

True about the pipes , the polis band in their white tunics and kilts , many of them schooled in Glasgow , Otago street . I know Johny and remember the DJ , he had a collection of 80's stuff and would play the Toy Doll's and the like . I guess the Red Lion was , for me , like a time warp ,with the decrepit lounge at the back of the 60's era bar and all those old dragon ladys . I used to get up with the band and murder shakin all over every now and then . Ever frequent the Winestube ?

Was that (Winestube) on Pratt?

You'll need to give us all a rendition of "Shakin' all over every now and then". For a German pub I would go to the basement of the Miramar shopping centre atrium (or was it the Kimberley? - just opposite the Kimberley hotel, and there was a cinema adjacent. I'm sure it was the Miramar Centre), and drink outside, almost. They used to have a beer buffet of an evening, and it was almost like drinking outside.

Happy days, and happier evenings, as I recall.

SC

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hey...I saw an asian bagpipe band at the annual 'Scottish Games' in Jakarta in 1993 and good they were too...could they have been the HK police band?

me and the irish born/Glasgow raised old lady cracked up...bagpipe music in Jakarta...

Edited by tutsiwarrior
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they useta have great concerts at Barrowlands across from the 'Saraheid' but I never did attend...over 40 and a bit past it...

my ex remembered an old cinema near downtown that was the rockingest place in Scotland if not in the entire UK in late 60s and early 70s...it got torn down...stinkin' property developers...

great music scene in Glasgow...

Sounds like she is talking about, Greens Playhouse, later named The Apollo, torn down and now is some poxy multi screen cinema.

Heads should have rolled over that, the place was an institution, the upper circle bouncing up an down, some great live albums recorded there.

Just across the road was Lauders.

The best of the lot was The (Burns) Howff, how many remember "The Michelin Man" big fat knacker bouncer who used to wedge himself in the enterance door so the police couldnt get in.

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...

I was more likely to end up in the Red Lion next door to Ned's ( sadly gone too) , I never was in the squirrel on Hart but used to frequent the Stag's Head instead .

Nowadays I been visiting the Old china Hand but not with much success as my boozing abilities are hitting an all time low , sadly .

I went into the Red Lion with a friend who said "I've not been here for about five years" and to be honest, I don't know why he hurried back. The Stag was my favourite; our office was nearby, just opposite the Knight's, where beer was $13 a pint in Happy Hour. It had a little wooden bridge over a stream as you came in, as I recollect. In those days the Stag had a Happy Hour 3-4 for the staff from the other pubs, if I recall correctly. The place I had the Deuchars IPA was on the other side of the road, up towards Cameron.

Nowadays I go over to the White Hart to see Johnnie from the Stag's, though I've not been there for some time. I don't know if the DJ from Kilmarnock is still working in HK - he used to do Friday night in the Stag's; presumably that's you ...

I suppose HK would rate in my top few of places to live, and in terms of bagpipe music, I would rate it no lower than second.

SC

True about the pipes , the polis band in their white tunics and kilts , many of them schooled in Glasgow , Otago street . I know Johny and remember the DJ , he had a collection of 80's stuff and would play the Toy Doll's and the like . I guess the Red Lion was , for me , like a time warp ,with the decrepit lounge at the back of the 60's era bar and all those old dragon ladys . I used to get up with the band and murder shakin all over every now and then . Ever frequent the Winestube ?

Was that (Winestube) on Pratt?

You'll need to give us all a rendition of "Shakin' all over every now and then". For a German pub I would go to the basement of the Miramar shopping centre atrium (or was it the Kimberley? - just opposite the Kimberley hotel, and there was a cinema adjacent. I'm sure it was the Miramar Centre), and drink outside, almost. They used to have a beer buffet of an evening, and it was almost like drinking outside.

Happy days, and happier evenings, as I recall.

SC

Winestube upstairs on Ashley across from tNed Kelly's . I remember a micro brewery in the basement of Mirimar that had an outside feel . Airconditioned outsideness.

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hey...I saw an asian bagpipe band at the annual 'Scottish Games' in Jakarta and good they were too...

How can you tell when a bagpipe band is good?

well, you know...the pipers usually front the men into battle and these guys looked quite fearsome/fearless...and I would've yelled and swung my sword and ran forward to kill as many of the enemy as possible...

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hey...I saw an asian bagpipe band at the annual 'Scottish Games' in Jakarta in 1993 and good they were too...could they have been the HK police band?

me and the irish born/Glasgow raised old lady cracked up...bagpipe music in Jakarta...

My first morning in HK and I stumbled down with my hangover to Northpoint, past the Chinese medicine shops selling stuff that you were clearly intended to eat, but I had no idea why... and there, above the clanking of the trams, the sound of pipes...

So I followed the sound of the pipes to see the HK Ambulance Corp pipe band on a Sunday morning practice.

'Welcome to HK' I thought...

SC

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My two favourite country . . . where I have lived . . .

Japan and New Zealand

For both the following are applicable:

Very friendly and nice people

Excellent food

Countryside you'd die for

Yup, I can see ourselves living in NZ after a few more years here in Malaysia, permits no problem . . . and Japan twice a year for summer and winter holidays.

Ah, that leaves the problem of hot, hot, hot weather . . .

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hi. you ever been to Ireland

fantastic food

Not to be argumentative, but food? After bacon, coddle (OK that has bacon), butter, and some seafood, I don't find Irish food to be that amazing.

I love Ireland (and me Irish roots), but I don't put Irish food at the top of the list.

What do you mean???

Best spuds in the world!

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hey...I saw an asian bagpipe band at the annual 'Scottish Games' in Jakarta in 1993 and good they were too...could they have been the HK police band?

me and the irish born/Glasgow raised old lady cracked up...bagpipe music in Jakarta...

In Dubai many many years ago they had the Dubai police band playing at the Sevens and the Darjeeling cricket competitions, mostly Somalis decked out in full Scottish kit and playing the bagpipes.

They were probably at the Higland Games there too.

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hey...I saw an asian bagpipe band at the annual 'Scottish Games' in Jakarta in 1993 and good they were too...could they have been the HK police band?

me and the irish born/Glasgow raised old lady cracked up...bagpipe music in Jakarta...

My first morning in HK and I stumbled down with my hangover to Northpoint, past the Chinese medicine shops selling stuff that you were clearly intended to eat, but I had no idea why... and there, above the clanking of the trams, the sound of pipes...

So I followed the sound of the pipes to see the HK Ambulance Corp pipe band on a Sunday morning practice.

'Welcome to HK' I thought...

SC

that sounds like an episode of Dr Who that I watched one Saturday morning when terminally hung over and hallucinating...bagpipes?...Hong Kong?...and then a sinister <deleted> Manchu character appears and sneers: 'not what you expected, is it bubbie?...'

I screamed and then my 5'11" girlfriend with legs up to here wanted to take me the local hospital ER to be sedated...then we had sex and I calmed down...then I said that I could do with another half pint of voddy 'to take the edge off' and she said: 'oh, you bastard...'

Edited by tutsiwarrior
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hey...I saw an asian bagpipe band at the annual 'Scottish Games' in Jakarta in 1993 and good they were too...could they have been the HK police band?

me and the irish born/Glasgow raised old lady cracked up...bagpipe music in Jakarta...

My first morning in HK and I stumbled down with my hangover to Northpoint, past the Chinese medicine shops selling stuff that you were clearly intended to eat, but I had no idea why... and there, above the clanking of the trams, the sound of pipes...

So I followed the sound of the pipes to see the HK Ambulance Corp pipe band on a Sunday morning practice.

'Welcome to HK' I thought...

SC

that sounds like an episode of Dr Who that I watched one Saturday morning when terminally hung over and hallucinating...bagpipes?...Hong Kong?...and then a sinister <deleted> Manchu character appears with: 'not what you expected, is it bubbie...'

On the night preceding, our inscrutable Chinese waiter took our orders, and then, bafflingly, said

"So where's yezallfae? Ah'm faefife"

Just kidding - he said Dunfermline.

SC

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Interesting how many people are saying Japan, in view of the constant rants against The status of farangs in Thailand as second-class citizens, unable to be accepted into society, etc.

Is there any place in Asia where you more clearly will never be accepted than Japan? Where you will be blocked from patronizing a large number of bars, saunas, and hotels, and where you will always be seen as an outsider?

I don't think so.

Don't get me wrong, I love to visit Japan...but I think this facet of it would really get under my skin if I had to live there long-term.

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Is there any place in Asia where you more clearly will never be accepted than Japan? Where you will be blocked from patronizing a large number of bars, saunas, and hotels, and where you will always be seen as an outsider?

Korea....

Yes, possibly. Agree with that. Though some have listed Korea among their favorites, too.

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I am really surprised by people’s answers and it wasn’t what I expected to hear.

I’m curious to know what other members think of Thailand surrounding countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam etc?

I am originally from Australia and find the country deadly boring that every day that ticks by there I consider another wasted day of my life. Same said about Singapore where I lived for way too long.

Hong Kong and China were pretty cool which I liked because the culture was very foreign and I was always discovering new ways of doing things.

I lived in the USA last year and don’t get me wrong, there’s a lot to love but I’ve never met so many swindlers, scammers and cheap skates in my life.

I lived in Bangladesh and have never felt more in danger in my life- but I am a young, attractive white female.

We can all say that, on the internet...

I don't understand your meaning. Please clarify?

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