Where do you feel most at home?

[wafflycat]

I thought I was the only person I know who does not like Italy, for the same reasons as you mentionned. Bus drivers, train ticket inspectors seem to mistake me for a German, .

On the way back from Florence to where Family Wafflycat were staying, I was waiting at Florence bus station for the bus back to Colli Val d'Elsa. I was joined by a young American couple. Of the couple, he was in the American forces and had been stationed in Italy some years previously. This particular summer, he & his wife were doing a tour of Italy starting in the south & working north. They could both speak passable Italian. They said that during their tour, they's seen 'let's verbally abuse the tourists who can't speak Italian' so many times on Italian public transport, that they were wondering if it was the new national sport.

I'd gone off to Florence for the day to do the art galleries, architecture & the science museum (and those things I adored), and the day was spoiled for me by the experience of the quite nasty bus conductor.

 

[Kirstie]

Wafflycat I am the same as you about Italy. I've never been to a place where people are so blatantly trying to rip you off. I hope never to go there again.

 

[Fnaar]

Wafflycat I am the same as you about Italy. I've never been to a place where people are so blatantly trying to rip you off. I hope never to go there again.

Ma che dici?... Italia e bellissima, and rip-offs happen al over the place.... ever been to Oxford Street? Marrakesh? New York?

 

[Kirstie]

Ma che dici?... Italia e bellissima, and rip-offs happen al over the place.... ever been to Oxford Street? Marrakesh? New York?

Never had a problem with the former, never been to the latter two. Even one of my friends who is Italian, says its as corrupt as hell and trying to get any business done there or resolve any kind of dispute is nigh on impossible.

 

[Fnaar]

Never had a problem with the former, never been to the latter two. Even one of my friends who is Italian, says its as corrupt as hell and trying to get any business done there or resolve any kind of dispute is nigh on impossible.

Fair enough, but I still love the place, food, wine, animated people, history, ice-cream... the thing I really DON'T like about Italy is the renting out of sun loungers etc on beaches. Such a rubbish idea!

 

[GaryA]

I feel most at home outdoors, every time...it does not have to be in nice countryside though that helps, it can be in quiet forgotton urban areas, the relic haunts of my childhood near the shipyards or on the bike in darkest midwinter night on the coastal path when everyone else is huddled by their fires
But i'm most at home in decidious woods and forests well away from people or the scurge of any traffic noise...i belong here...i feel like Ive always belonged here

 

[Kirstie]

Fair enough, but I still love the place, food, wine, animated people, history, ice-cream...

Yeah I can see that but to me it's ruined by the corruption and people wanting to pull a fast one all the time. Doesn't make me want to engage with it at all.

 

[wafflycat]

Never had a problem with the former, never been to the latter two. Even one of my friends who is Italian, says its as corrupt as hell and trying to get any business done there or resolve any kind of dispute is nigh on impossible.

That's basically it. Yes, there's rip-off everywhere to a certain extent, but in Italy it was so blatant and so *nasty* that even though it was a minority part of the holiday, it was a big enough minority for it to have a detrimental effect on the enjoyment of the holiday. Lovely country scenically, met some lovely people and I loved the chance to visit some places I long wanted to go to, but I'm not exactly jumping with excitement to plan another visit...

 

[Renard]

Mea casa...

 

[NickM]

...i'm most at home in decidious woods and forests well away from people or the scurge of any traffic noise...i belong here...i feel like Ive always belonged here

Just make sure you keep moving, Gary - or else you might put down roots

 

[gbb]

I feel most at home in Weymouth....i adore going there if i holiday in this country.
Possibly feel at home cos ive been there so many times, i know the place like the back of my hand

 

[Milo]

London.

 

[Chris James]

Any mountainous area - despite originally coming from the flatlands of Cheshire.

All mountainous areas I have been to (Uk, Alps, Dolomites) have a similar feeling, presumably because people go there for the same reasons - climbing, mountaineering, biking, walking etc and so most people there have a similar outlook.

Plus mountains look nice.