friendliest countries and those not so much

metho

My hubby and I will be touring next year from Amersterdam to Bucharest. We have traveled a good bit in western Europe and parts of Scandanavia, and realizing that a store clerk and other service personnel can have a bad day, in what countries and/or stops were you the most comfortable and those not so? I know a smile and a thank you in the native tongue is always helpful, and where ever one travels it is possible to have a rude experience, but some places require a little higher alert and awareness of ones location. I'd love to hear lots of feedback on this, and I'll take into account "the bad day" ppossibilities. I'd even be interested in shops at stops that were delightful, they so often are the memories we never lose. Many thanks!

nyfeds

Great topic. I am not sure if you are asking specifically about European countries or countries all over the world. If you mean all over the world, I would have to say New Zealand is far and away the most friendly, helpful and hospitable country we've had the pleasure to visit. Regardless of which city we visited within New Zealand, people were absolutely fantastic. The worst city - Athens, Greece. IMHO, Athens is a filthy city and people were continually trying their best to scam us at every turn.

jdurkin

I always find that extreme hardship can expose different things in different people. New Zealand, particularly the South Island, is still suffering the devastating effects of the Christchurch earthquake. Indeed the after shocks, some quite severe, continue still. Imagine how that would wear you down. After the second year of shocks you would probably want to give up and run away. In such a small country, all the people have been effected... people have left to find a home and a job somewhere else in the country. Many have left for overseas. Greece, and particularly Athens, is suffering through a terrible depression, probably worse than the Great Depression of the late 20s and 30s. To say the people are depressed, too, is an understatement. I'm glad the Kiwis were able to make you feel "special", nyfeds. Perhaps the Athenians were not as happy because so many have no jobs, they have lost their homes, they are giving their children up for adoption in an attempt to give them some chance because the parents don't know where to look for any hope for the future. Maybe they thought you looked as though you could afford the "scam". As I said, people react differently in times of crisis. Hardship brings out the best and worst in people, all over the world.

nyfeds

jdurkin wrote:

I always find that extreme hardship can expose different things in different people. New Zealand, particularly the South Island, is still suffering the devastating effects of the Christchurch earthquake. Indeed the after shocks, some quite severe, continue still. Imagine how that would wear you down. After the second year of shocks you would probably want to give up and run away. In such a small country, all the people have been effected... people have left to find a home and a job somewhere else in the country. Many have left for overseas. Greece, and particularly Athens, is suffering through a terrible depression, probably worse than the Great Depression of the late 20s and 30s. To say the people are depressed, too, is an understatement. I'm glad the Kiwis were able to make you feel "special", nyfeds. Perhaps the Athenians were not as happy because so many have no jobs, they have lost their homes, they are giving their children up for adoption in an attempt to give them some chance because the parents don't know where to look for any hope for the future. Maybe they thought you looked as though you could afford the "scam". As I said, people react differently in times of crisis. Hardship brings out the best and worst in people, all over the world.

Hi,

We visited New Zealand/Christchurch with Tauck in 2010. Christchurch had just suffered the horrible jolts of its first earthquake and there was some real damage; however, not to the awful extent it suffered, afterwards. Christchurch is such a lovely and charming city. It saddened us to see further devastation and destruction. The terrible toll it takes, as well, on its citizens. Living in SOCAL, aka: "Earthquake Country" we can really relate and sympathize. The lack of control and empowerment, continually bracing ones self for the next possible event and outcome makes one terribly weary. Contending with the destruction is so hard to comprehend and picking up the pieces afterwards is dreadful and draining.

Our visit and experiences in Athens occured in 2004, well before the economic disaster was in full swing, as it is now, and "crisis mode" wasn't a factor at that time. At that time, all in our group felt the same - if we and they never returned to Athens, that would be perfectly fine. We did, however, love our visit to the Acropolis and Archaeological Museum. Two jewels in Athens, for sure. Sadly, Greece is now greatly suffering and I do feel for all it's citizens who are so badly impacted.

Hardship does, indeed, bring out the worst and best in all of us. Travelling does give us a full and better understanding, whether our visit occurs during the best or worst of times.