# If you could live anywhere.......



## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Excluding any political factors. Based strictly on geography and culture. Where would you settle in?


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## puckhead (Sep 8, 2008)

my first crack at it would be French Polynesia. 











I'm not sure whether Island Living would drive me nuts after a while.
If that doesn't pan out, there is a town on the Cote d'Azure that seems nice, and it is at least within reach of civilization if I need it.


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## Cartcanuck (Oct 30, 2012)

I'd likely have to go with a nice shoreline town in southern Italy. Red wine, pasta, fattening meats and cheeses..... what more can you ask for. Of course there would be a Ferrari in the driveway.


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## Accept2 (Jan 1, 2006)

Small town in Switzerland or Liechtenstein. Everything is close, mountains have fresh air and water.........


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## TWRC (Apr 22, 2011)

New York City or London UK. I'm a big metropolis kind of guy which is funny because I live in Edmonton.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

GuitarsCanada said:


> Excluding any political factors. Based strictly on geography and culture. Where would you settle in?



I have no idea.


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

Switzerland. Loved Geneva and Vever. My wife works for a large Swiss company, so there's actually a chance we could get relocated there.
although I'd prefer someplace tropical, there are very few places that come to mind where poverty isn't so rampant that I wouldn't be fearful of crime/ danger. maybe Australia would be as close as you could get to that ideal.
heck if it weren't for the poverty and political instability, s. Africa would be an amazing place to live.


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## cheezyridr (Jun 8, 2009)

i once lived right in the great smoky mtns of tennessee. it was a beautiful place. the food was good, and the people were friendly. i only left because the work was feast or famine. but hell, if we're gonna make wishes, then i wanna be some mega rich dude and own huge swaches of land like ted turner.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

I love traveling and I do it often, but to be perfectly honest, I can't think of anyplace I'd rather live than right here.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

If money were not an issue I would choose one of the dutch islands, possibly Curacao and if it were in the States it would be in the Seattle area.


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## davetcan (Feb 27, 2006)

A village in the Yorkshire Dales. Clapham maybe?


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## Guest (Jan 11, 2014)

The other side of the Santa Cruz mountains: Monterey or Carmel. Or a little further north of Half Moon Bay in Aptos.


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## marcos (Jan 13, 2009)

I have never travelled and I would like to live in Scotland, Ireland close to golf courses. I have a thing for rolling hills, damp cold rainy weather I guess. My wife picked Portugal because of the climate. Go figure!!!


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

Milkman said:


> I love traveling and I do it often, but to be perfectly honest, I can't think of anyplace I'd rather live than right here.


This pretty much sums up my thoughts too. Though admittedly, I can't help but take politics into consideration. 

Having said that, some of the Scandinavian countries hold some appeal; and I think I could live in New Zealand, though I would miss the seasons.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

I've been looking at acreage near our family summer place on the Bruce Peninsula. Other places I only want to visit.

Peace, Mooh.


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## fredyfreeloader (Dec 11, 2010)

I don't know about those exotic places. I mean right here in goofy land we have the highest taxes,wackiest politics, highest house prices, highest rent, highest gas prices, most protesters per square inch, hell who could ask for anything more HUH! Oh yeah I forgot totally whacked out hockey crazy people. Ya gotta love it. #1 B. C.


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## smorgdonkey (Jun 23, 2008)

I think that's too wide open for me to answer. I think many of the realities in life are going to force me to move within the calendar year so maybe that is clouding my vision on the question. I used to think that the Herron Islands would be nice. I like a lot of the socially advanced ways of Europe. It is a big world and I am sure that there are many great places to live.


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## Ship of fools (Nov 17, 2007)

Me to fredy, I have been to a lot of places in my life and I mean a lot but I always ended up coming back to here the lower mainland with in a few hours we have everything that the rest of the world has. Beach's mountains fresh water lakes deserts skiing water skiing swimming hiking fishing everything that the world has to offer and some of the best places to see and hunting with a camera or a gun, and did I mention the fishing.
And for those who indulge the third place in the worlds for some of the best indoor grown herbs, hell who wouldn't want to live here


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## Lincoln (Jun 2, 2008)

GuitarsCanada said:


> Excluding any political factors. Based strictly on geography and culture. Where would you settle in?


Anywhere that gets less of a winter than Alberta would be good. Wife & I are starting to look around......2 years to retirement.


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## Scotty (Jan 30, 2013)

on a secluded lake in Northern Ontario


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## bagpipe (Sep 19, 2006)

Scotty said:


> on a secluded lake in Northern Ontario


during the Winter ?


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## bluzfish (Mar 12, 2011)

Ship of fools said:


> Me to fredy, I have been to a lot of places in my life and I mean a lot but I always ended up coming back to here the lower mainland with in a few hours we have everything that the rest of the world has. Beach's mountains fresh water lakes deserts skiing water skiing swimming hiking fishing everything that the world has to offer and some of the best places to see and hunting with a camera or a gun, and did I mention the fishing.
> And for those who indulge the third place in the worlds for some of the best indoor grown herbs, hell *who wouldn't want to live here*


******sigh*****


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## Scotty (Jan 30, 2013)

You bet. Thats what sleds are for


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

A couple of hrs up the road from fredy and ship. Best riding roads anywhere, on some of the best lakes and for those who indulge, plenty of young and friendly blondes, brunettes and red heads....not to mention other colors. And when I'm not riding I'll look for the Ogopogo.


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## Guest (Jan 12, 2014)

my wife wants a hobbit home (built to human spec).
I want an island like dr.no. without the world 
domination things though.


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## pattste (Dec 30, 2007)

If I could live anywhere, I'd live in New York City. In fact, I've often considered moving there, assuming I could get the proper visa / sponsorship. What's always held me back is that while the jobs are usually in Manhattan (where I'd want to be) the salary is more in line with an appartment in some rundown neighbourhood in New Jersey. Thanks but no thanks.


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## Scotty (Jan 30, 2013)

Electraglide said:


> A couple of hrs up the road from fredy and ship. Best riding roads anywhere, on some of the best lakes and for those who indulge, plenty of young and friendly blondes, brunettes and red heads....not to mention other colors. And when I'm not riding I'll look for the Ogopogo.



Where is that??


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## dcole (Oct 8, 2008)

In Hobbiton or in the same town as my parents.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Milkman said:


> I love traveling and I do it often, but to be perfectly honest, I can't think of anyplace I'd rather live than right here.


I don't travel very often, but I agree-I can't think of anyplace I'd rather live than right here.
(Although my right here is not the same right here.)

I'd be okay with being in the same home or a different one.


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

Scotty said:


> Where is that??


Ogopogo....the Okanagan's version of Nessy. Just the right thing to look for on a warm, moonlit night in the company of a young blonde, brunette or red head....or any other color.


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## cheezyridr (Jun 8, 2009)

there are islands one can buy if they have the dough. i could prolly accomplish the same thing on my own island that i could on a giant pc of land. all i want is to be (mostly) free of government intrusion. a place where i can do what i want without some yahoo tellin me it's against some retarded law i don't agree with. a place where i don't listen to the susurration of tires, endlessly, 24/7. have a vegetable garden, bass pond, and a long pc of straight flat road i can use as a private dragstrip and a runway. play my guitar on the back porch cranked up however i might like. but in this idyllic place, the temps rarely vary outside 50-85°F, plenty of sunshine, and just enough rain. no hurricanes, earthquakes, tornados, tsunamis, wildfires, or floods, and no bugs/snakes/creatures that sting, bite, are poisonous or want to kill me and or eat me. no crazy crap like pirates or military guys or weird/violent/repressive stuff.


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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

I was originally going to type, 'the funny thing is...', but opted for the below:

The *sad *thing is that that about 5 years ago, I was under the impression that an investment I had made was going to come to fruition MUCH sooner than expected. It did not (and hasn't yet - and may not). 

Anyhow, I quickly realized that daydreaming about where to live and what to do over _actually_ trying to decide what you'll be doing is VERY different. I suspect this thread is more about 'where do you think your favourite place to live would be' OR ' where is the best place you've been - as opposed to 'where would you go based on your current situation in life'.

For example, *I* loved Luxembourg, but I couldn't pack up and go with my family (it would be nuts). My *family* loves Paradise Island in the Bahamas, but, again, how would this work? It would be an interesting exercise to see if your places would change, if you had to choose with this in mind (it is obvious that some your choices are currently feasible).

Ultimately, after discussing things with the wife, it was a nice home on lake simcoe to accommodate our child's education with a beach house in the southern states somewhere. 

If I had to answer what I _think_ was being asked, it would be New Zealand.


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## smorgdonkey (Jun 23, 2008)

adcandour said:


> The *sad *thing is that that about 5 years ago, I was under the impression that an investment I had made was going to come to fruition MUCH sooner than expected. It did not (and hasn't yet - and may not).


I know all about that. Back about 1999 I took my savings and invested in a private company. I knew it was high risk so it is all on me, but I will never see any of that money. The company didn't 'steal' my money or other investors' money but they lost a patent protection case which they probably should have won (oh, the courts) and that really put them (and us) in a bad position. 

So, just day-to-day operations and the cost of the legal stuff pretty much sunk the company. Last I had heard was there was no staff left other than the CEO who was working his azz off trying to get something going out of it but that was a while ago and I imagine that it has degraded or completely disappeared since then.


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## bzrkrage (Mar 20, 2011)

Mullumbimby, NSW, Australia. On the side of the mountain, veggie garden out back, kids running around chasing chickens, great music room & close enough to the beach for day trips.










Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - All Round Nice Guy.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Criteria to be met: four seasons but not too hot or too cold, democracy, gun-free, water nearby (but beaches not required), no legacy of colonization, not punishingly bright in the summer or punishingly dark in the winter, reasonable access to electronic components.

We liked Victoria, BC very much, and a return to there would not be rejected out of hand. I suppose there are other places of equivalent characteristics, but I have no idea what or where they are. I probably wouldn't want to leave Canada, anyway.

There are places where I would NOT want to live, but most places are okay. As long as it's not summer all the time or winter all the time, I don't particularly care. And people are generally nice everywhere.


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## Jim DaddyO (Mar 20, 2009)

Well, I was raised near Sudbury and not well traveled. I know that here in south western Ontario is not it for me. I would like to go back north. I guess home is home, but there is a lot of different areas that I like north of Parry Sound.

Like here









or here


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## Krelf (Jul 3, 2012)

Many Canadians have grown to hate the winter weather and tend to prefer tropical areas. I still enjoy the change of seasons, but I would rather avoid the extreme heat and the frigid winters.

I like both the Algarve area of Southern Portugal and Adelaide Australia. Both have mild winters, and summers that are not overly hot. The only wrinkle is that both their winters are a bit rainy...but at least you don't have to shovel it!


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Krelf said:


> Many Canadians have grown to hate the winter weather and tend to prefer tropical areas. I still enjoy the change of seasons, but I would rather avoid the extreme heat and the frigid winters.
> 
> I like both the Algarve area of Southern Portugal and Adelaide Australia. Both have mild winters, and summers that are not overly hot. The only wrinkle is that both their winters are a bit rainy...but at least you don't have to shovel it!


I would rather put up with blizzards than tropical storms.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

I'm another one that likes it fine right where I am.


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## mrmatt1972 (Apr 3, 2008)

Scotty said:


> on a secluded lake in Northern Ontario


I'm about 1/2 an hour away from that reality. I'm hoping to move into a 4 season cottage/house on a lake on Manitoulin Island before too long. that or a vineyard in Italy.


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## Krelf (Jul 3, 2012)

Neither the Algarve area of Portugal nor Adelaide are tropical. They both have Mediterranean climates, so unlikely to get many tropical storms.


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## Cartcanuck (Oct 30, 2012)

nkjanssen said:


> Austin, Texas.


 You know, I almost said Austin, but decided to go all out "fantasy" for my choice. 

I got to visit Austin for the first time about 1.5 years ago and loved the city. The music scene blew my mind. Running the river pathway system was beautiful. The mexican food and BBQ were so good I didn't eat for more that 24 hours after I left I was so overstuffed with food. Nice new race track  The countryside is beautiful and it's so perfectly located in the State. It's big, but not too big. The cost of living is reasonable (for what I paid for my home in Brandon Manitoba, I could have got a home 20 years newer, 50% bigger in Austin) and the people I met there were fantastic. Its definitely one of the better cities I've visited in the US and one of the few I would consider leaving the Great White North for, if it wasn't for work visa's and the joy of trying to immigrate to the US. 

I have a friend in the US who is seriously considering moving to Austin, and I hope he does so I have free accommodations for the F1 race, SXSW music festival, and general family vacations 

And yes, while in Austin, on my run around the river, I stopped and paid homage to the SRV monument.


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## Option1 (May 26, 2012)

iaresee said:


> The other side of the Santa Cruz mountains: Monterey or Carmel. Or a little further north of Half Moon Bay in Aptos.


I used to live in Santa Cruz and Aptos. Nice area, but still too dominated by the car making walking anywhere a pain. Plus I hated living in the US, hence why I'm now in Ottawa.



bzrkrage said:


> Mullumbimby, NSW, Australia. On the side of the mountain, veggie garden out back, kids running around chasing chickens, great music room & close enough to the beach for day trips.


Again, I used to live in Brisbane for much of my life and Mullumbimby is a beautiful area. In the end though I'm happy to have moved from Australia simply because it's so geographically remote from the rest of the world. Having said that, there's advantages to being so remote (a main one being that because of that remoteness I tend to think Australians are much more outward looking than many in the rest of the world - they're keen to know what's happening out there). I haven't ruled out moving back there one day.

However, to go back to the original question, I have always had a very strong desire to live in Europe. By preference, it would be somewhere like Austria, Switzerland or the Czech Republic - simply because of the physical beauty. However, there's also a desire to experience living in rural England or France.

Neil


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## doriangrey (Mar 29, 2011)

hard to say, but I might pick somewhere right here in BC...maybe Crescent Beach or somewhere near Victoria...Southern Utah is really nice too...fell in love with the area when I went there a couple years ago...Ideally I would spend 8 months of the year up here on the west coast and then go south for 3 or 4 months...


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## Roryfan (Apr 19, 2010)

If the PQ would disband I'd move to Mont Tremblant (les maudits batard m'ont chassé de Montreal en '97). 

My mother is Scandinavian & I actually enjoy winter but I'd miss the lack of diversity. Switzerland would be a good alternative: mountains, lakes, 4 seasons, hockey, no guns & a quick flight to anywhere in Europe.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Krelf said:


> Neither the Algarve area of Portugal nor Adelaide are tropical. They both have Mediterranean climates, so unlikely to get many tropical storms.


Well I was referring to your comment about Canadians preferring tropical areas. not your preference--no tropical storms is a good thing.


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## Guest (Jan 14, 2014)

Option1 said:


> I used to live in Santa Cruz and Aptos. Nice area, but still too dominated by the car making walking anywhere a pain. Plus I hated living in the US, hence why I'm now in Ottawa.


I have mixed feelings about here -- it's not Canada, that's for sure. As long as you're gainfully employed it's okay. I'd hate to be unemployed here. Also: my choice is determined entirely by the assumption I wouldn't have to work. If I had to travel over the hill for work forget about it. I'd end up over a cliff at some point if I did that drive twice a day. That's just rolling the dice IMO.

But Aptos/Capitola/Santa Cruz -- they've got that nice city-by-the-ocean thing going on that I love. Enough happening to not be bored, but still: OCEAN. In a pinch I'd settle for something near Moss Beach. Maybe a nice place right down by the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve. Oh my.

We spend far too much time on that side of the hills for people who live in Santa Clara.


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## bluzfish (Mar 12, 2011)

laristotle said:


> *my wife wants a hobbit home (built to human spec).*
> I want an island like dr.no. without the world
> domination things though.


If you ever want to test your wife's desire to live in a hobbit home and you are going to Jasper, try a stay a Becker's Chalets. My bud and I stayed there on our road trip last October. It has a truly gourmet restaurant ("exotic" local wild boar, deer, etc. elegantly prepared and served by friendly, fun staff). But the charm is in the log cabins the guests stay in. My first thought as I entered the cabin was of Gandolf in a hobbit house. Everything felt to me like being inside Bilbo Baggins' home. Beautifully finished log construction with a nice fireplace in the main living room with the other rooms branching off of that, all at a slightly smaller scale than normal. Pretty cool place.


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## Guest (Jan 14, 2014)

Second choice: some place in the south of France near Arles.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

If possible I'd live off grid as much as possible too. Paying the bastard utility ogres pisses me off.

Peace, Mooh.


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## bluzfish (Mar 12, 2011)

Future Me:


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## Guest (Jan 14, 2014)

bluzfish said:


> If you ever want to test your wife's desire to live in a hobbit home and you are going to Jasper, try a stay a Becker's Chalets.


did a google. nice.
my wife's hobbit home dream is more of a hillside home.


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## Option1 (May 26, 2012)

iaresee said:


> I have mixed feelings about here -- it's not Canada, that's for sure. As long as you're gainfully employed it's okay. I'd hate to be unemployed here. Also: my choice is determined entirely by the assumption I wouldn't have to work. If I had to travel over the hill for work forget about it. I'd end up over a cliff at some point if I did that drive twice a day. That's just rolling the dice IMO.
> 
> But Aptos/Capitola/Santa Cruz -- they've got that nice city-by-the-ocean thing going on that I love. Enough happening to not be bored, but still: OCEAN. In a pinch I'd settle for something near Moss Beach. Maybe a nice place right down by the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve. Oh my.
> 
> We spend far too much time on that side of the hills for people who live in Santa Clara.


And therein lies part of the problem with the Santa Cruz area, because of the ocean it has pretty much become a bedroom community for the wealthy wannabe hippies (insert wink smiley here) who work over the hill in Silicon Valley. With that it means buying a house in the area has become nigh on impossible. Some of the most expensive housing on the planet. But yeh, it is a beautiful area in parts.

Neil


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## Ti-Ron (Mar 21, 2007)

Roryfan said:


> If the PQ would disband I'd move to Mont Tremblant (les maudits batard m'ont chassé de Montreal en '97).
> 
> My mother is Scandinavian & I actually enjoy winter but I'd miss the lack of diversity. Switzerland would be a good alternative: mountains, lakes, 4 seasons, hockey, no guns & a quick flight to anywhere in Europe.


What happened in '97? 

Don't loose time/energy on PQ, not worth it at all.


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## hardasmum (Apr 23, 2008)

I was lucky enough to live in London for a couple of years in the mid 90's so I have a very soft spot in my heart for England. 

These days though, if I didn't have to work, I could easily spend the rest of my days in Dubrovnik. Possibly the most beautiful place I have ever been with the most amazing food. 










P.S. the water really is that blue!


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## Cartcanuck (Oct 30, 2012)

I'd never heard of Dubrovnik, and had to look it up on Google maps. And I just spent the last hour looking at pictures and finding some videos of the place. It looks AMAZING! I had no idea.


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## hardasmum (Apr 23, 2008)

Cartcanuck said:


> I'd never heard of Dubrovnik, and had to look it up on Google maps. And I just spent the last hour looking at pictures and finding some videos of the place. It looks AMAZING! I had no idea.


Croatia and Slovenia weren't on my list of places to ever visit. I went with my wife a couple of years back to help her find some long lost relatives. I expected to see little old ladies milking cows in the barren fields. I very was mistaken.

Both countries are incredibly beautiful. Slovenia has a very "Bavarian" feel with the Julian Alps to the north. They're very big on hiking and skiing as a result.

Travelling to the south of Croatia it was very Mediterranean with olive and palm trees and stunning blue water.

We came upon what I thought was a toll booth on the highway. We were asked for our passports which were buried somewhere in our suitcases in the trunk. He told us not to bother and moved us along. A few minutes later we saw signs welcoming us to Bosnia-Herzegovina, a piece of which juts out into Croatia. Now there's a place I never thought I'd visit in my lifetime!!


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## John Kingma (Jan 30, 2008)

I'd spend June, July and August in Iceland and the rest of the year in the Okanagan Valley.


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## rhh7 (Mar 14, 2008)

*Calgary, Alberta, Canada*

I live literally just a few minutes walk from the Glenmore Reservoir. I love to sit on a bench, and watch the wildlife, sailboats, ...and gaze at the Rockies! Love the people, love the climate!


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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

Blue water can be found a couple hours outside of Toronto too:








I always forget about this little gem.

Sent from my SM-N900W8 using Tapatalk


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## doriangrey (Mar 29, 2011)

adcandour said:


> Blue water can be found a couple hours outside of Toronto too:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Beautiful water! Where is that? Georgian Bay? That water is freezing cold though sin't it?


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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

doriangrey said:


> Beautiful water! Where is that? Georgian Bay? That water is freezing cold though sin't it?


Georgian bay/ Hudson bay. Yeah, it's pretty cold. Refreshing though - and stunning. I go to Tobermory once every couple of years. I love it out there.


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