campionesidd

Senior Member
Mar 16, 2013
18,739

Martin

Senior Member
Dec 31, 2000
56,978
It will be 8 years within a month.

I still really like it, despite a handful of Americans coming here since then that I tried to get away from. :seven:

I love the laid back culture, its values, and the people. And it's the right kind of patience... enough to slow you down and be more present and deliberate. While simultaneously annoying all the annoying people.

It also suits me where I am in life at the moment... it would be different if I was an aspiring 22-year-old trying to prove myself.

And as of this month, I am officially a Portugal citizen too now. :baus:

So "for good" is hard to say when your country can get nuked at any given moment these days. :rambo: But for now, yes, no plans on being anywhere else right now.

How about you and Oz?
That's awesome to hear!

I've been here for 9+ years now and I feel very settled.
 

Alen

It's time to stay!!
Apr 2, 2007
54,888
If you had to visit one of these cities for the first time in the summer, which would you pick and why?

Rome
Madrid
Lisbon
another European city
Vancouver
Never been to Vancouver, but there is hardly a European city I haven't visited. What are you looking for? I've been to all three in the summer. Too hot in Rome and Madrid. Lisbon hot, but windy in most places. If you're running away from heat, then Central Europe or northern. If heat doesn't bother you, then very very veryyy tough choice between Rome and Madrid.
 

Quetzalcoatl

It ain't hard to tell
Aug 22, 2007
67,337
Never been to Vancouver, but there is hardly a European city I haven't visited. What are you looking for? I've been to all three in the summer. Too hot in Rome and Madrid. Lisbon hot, but windy in most places. If you're running away from heat, then Central Europe or northern. If heat doesn't bother you, then very very veryyy tough choice between Rome and Madrid.
I'm okay with the heat.

Looking for somewhere with things to do: nightlife, natural/cultural/historical sites, walkable, good looking women lol.

Oh yeah and this would be during the World Cup in June.
 

Alen

It's time to stay!!
Apr 2, 2007
54,888
I'm okay with the heat.

Looking for somewhere with things to do: nightlife, natural/cultural/historical sites, walkable, good looking women lol.

Oh yeah and this would be during the World Cup in June.
Then you win with both Madrid and Rome. If I had to go there for the first time, I'd say Rome, but it's gonna be crowded and overwhelming. Tourism level in Madrid is high, but not extreme.
Is it July or August? Locals leave Rome in August, but tourists more than compensate. Locals massively leave Madrid in August, and tourists don't replace them like in Rome. July is a massacre, especially in Rome.

Ahhh, you said during WC, so forget August.
June?

Damn, you already said June :D
 

Quetzalcoatl

It ain't hard to tell
Aug 22, 2007
67,337
Then you win with both Madrid and Rome. If I had to go there for the first time, I'd say Rome, but it's gonna be crowded and overwhelming. Tourism level in Madrid is high, but not extreme.
Is it July or August? Locals leave Rome in August, but tourists more than compensate. Locals massively leave Madrid in August, and tourists don't replace them like in Rome. July is a massacre, especially in Rome.

Ahhh, you said during WC, so forget August.
June?

Damn, you already said June :D
Yeah June :D

Rome was my first choice but Madrid is good too, especially with the language barrier.

Have you been to Europe before?
Nope
 

Alen

It's time to stay!!
Apr 2, 2007
54,888
Btw, I was in Lisbon during the 2016 EURO. I was there until like 6 PM on the EURO final day (Portugal-France). I boarded a cruiser and watched the final there, but I completely missed the atmosphere in Lisbon after Portugal's win :(

I expect Spain to go further of them all, so Madrid would be a nice choice for this trip of yours.
 

ALC

Ohaulick
Oct 28, 2010
47,163
Yeah June :D

Rome was my first choice but Madrid is good too, especially with the language barrier.


Nope
in that case, I think somewhere in Spain or Italy would be a good place to start.

I’d go somewhere with a beach if I were you tho, in the Mediterranean preferably. Might as well since it’s June.

if you had been to Europe before, I’d recommend a smaller city like Tirana and it’s only an hour from the beach lol. But I’m biased.
 

Alen

It's time to stay!!
Apr 2, 2007
54,888
if you had been to Europe before, I’d recommend a smaller city like Tirana and it’s only an hour from the beach lol. But I’m biased.
You might be biased, but I was in Tirana in 2024 and I can't believe what happened to that city. I was impressed. Especially since I visited it before in the 1990s and I could see the difference.
But I don't think Tirana is what a first time visitor in Europe is looking for :D
 

ALC

Ohaulick
Oct 28, 2010
47,163
You might be biased, but I was in Tirana in 2024 and I can't believe what happened to that city. I was impressed. Especially since I visited it before in the 1990s and I could see the difference.
But I don't think Tirana is what a first time visitor in Europe is looking for :D
agreed on your last point, he’s better off in Spain

- - - Updated - - -

Oh shit Dubrovnik would be sick
 

Quetzalcoatl

It ain't hard to tell
Aug 22, 2007
67,337
in that case, I think somewhere in Spain or Italy would be a good place to start.

I’d go somewhere with a beach if I were you tho, in the Mediterranean preferably. Might as well since it’s June.

if you had been to Europe before, I’d recommend a smaller city like Tirana and it’s only an hour from the beach lol. But I’m biased.
Yeah Albanian may be a bit tough to work with, maybe next time :D

Somewhere like Barcelona, Valencia, Málaga?


Btw, I was in Lisbon during the 2016 EURO. I was there until like 6 PM on the EURO final day (Portugal-France). I boarded a cruiser and watched the final there, but I completely missed the atmosphere in Lisbon after Portugal's win :(

I expect Spain to go further of them all, so Madrid would be a nice choice for this trip of yours.
Maybe you unjinxed them by taking the cruise

True, the world cup atmosphere in Madrid would add a lot

Not so sure about Rome :seven:
 

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