Best Places to Live
January 8th, 2010 at 12:43 pm by David FarrarThe Herald reports:
TOP TEN
1. France
2. Australia
3. Switzerland
4. Germany
5. New Zealand
6. Luxembourg
7. United States
8. Belgium
9. Canada
10. Italy
Pleased NZ is No 5 but Luxembourg at 6? Sure they have high wages but it is such a boring place. Maybe it gets marks for being so small you can walk into France for a picnic.
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January 8th, 2010 at 1:01 pm
I suspect the people of Luxembourg are saying something very similar DPF.
Unless you like bush and farm paddocks there is bugger all to do here.
Vote:January 8th, 2010 at 2:10 pm
France number 1 – Who new that going to the land of cheese-eating surrender monkeys would be so popular.
Vote:January 8th, 2010 at 2:42 pm
Arrogance addicts might like France. Uruguay gets my vote.
Vote:January 8th, 2010 at 2:46 pm
Uruguay, after NZ that is.
Vote:January 8th, 2010 at 2:52 pm
Five of these are EU countries meaning that there are no immigration problems between them. A fairly significant number of people would be able to get a EU passport through patriality with one or other EU country (note – grandchildren of Irish born people can get Irish EU passports, this includes grandparents born in Northern Ireland). Thus it is probably not surprising they are high on the list. A person in Luxembourg could get to France, Germany or Belgium probably with less difficulty than a person in Wellington can get to Masterton. It is also quicker and easier to go from London to Paris than from Wellington to Christchurch (possibly apart from direct flights).
Perhaps Switzerland admits anyone who plonks enough money into a Swiss bank account.
Therefore it is probably not surprising that these countries are in the top 10.
Vote:January 8th, 2010 at 3:05 pm
I’ve only spent a morning in Luxembourg. But it seemed like a lot longer.
Vote:January 8th, 2010 at 3:22 pm
France ??????????????? I would have never guessed an Islamic state would be so popular.
Vote:Probably nice in winter, one can sit around burning cars to keep warm.
January 8th, 2010 at 3:54 pm
How on earth did Frogland end up as Number One?!?!?!
I strongly suspect the chappie compiling the list has never visited any of these places or he would know what dirty b**tards the Frogs are, how unpleasant the Australian climate is and picked up quite a few problems with Switzerland and Germany and have eliminated them from consideration.
http://www.nightcitytrader.blogspot.com
Vote:January 8th, 2010 at 4:35 pm
side show bob 3:22 pm,
I was going to say how interesting it was that no Muslim countries made the top ten. But as Bob points out; France (as well as much of Europe) won’t have long to wait until they become majority Muslim nations.
Of course, once they become Muslim nations no doubt their appeal may drop anyway – hence they will likely no longer be amongst the top ten.
It always intrigues me that many Muslims desire to leave their home country and emigrate to the West for a better standard of living. But when they get here they go about pushing to transform their host nation into an Islamic nation – go figure.
Vote:January 8th, 2010 at 5:52 pm
Great to see France and Australia at the top. Two lots of very arrogant people- the French would be the rudest I have struck while the Australians have an astronomically high opinion of themselves.
Vote:Good to see the US down a bit as they seem to see themselves as the only bastion of freedom. Bloody arrogant and very ignorant in some cases.
However, home is home to everyone !!!!!!!!!!
January 8th, 2010 at 10:42 pm
I believe most of this is location, location, location. Europe has more gorgeous locations to get lost in than NZ, great food and hot women. I’m more surprised Canada is in there than France. The French countryside is beautiful.
Vote:January 8th, 2010 at 11:43 pm
If food and wine were the main criteria Italy would win hands down. Australia- because it has lots of italians who know how to cook would be a close second.
Personally I’d put the Cook Islands no 1 overall. Where would you rather be at the moment Raro or in the snow in Paris?
Why Belgium and not The Netherlands or Denmark.
Vote:January 8th, 2010 at 11:48 pm
wonderful post for
Vote:dog whistling for the sad
xenophobes, david!
January 8th, 2010 at 11:49 pm
I spent a weekend in Luxembourg and the mountain biking was awesome. Beautiful castle and square in the middle of the city with great people watching.
Seriously people if you travel to loads of other peoples countries and you some several of them ‘boring’ maybe the common fact is you.
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January 9th, 2010 at 12:08 am
Those surveys are for people who can pick the eyes out of the real estate. People at the other end who could once retire quietly to a beach settlement have found that these have become too expensive; for most of us it costs an arm and a leg to find somewhere that doesn’t assault our senses.
Vote:January 9th, 2010 at 7:43 am
Haiku Dave:
Xenophobe? I think not.
Vote:There is a difference between disliking or opposing something (with good reason), and being afraid of it.
January 9th, 2010 at 8:55 am
“I’m more surprised Canada is in there than France.”
It’s probably because of Quebec. Also, like France, full of hot woman and terrible labour laws.
Vote:January 9th, 2010 at 9:05 am
KiwiGreg
I imagine that in order to get through a Canadian winter a hot woman is particularly valued.
Vote:January 10th, 2010 at 9:34 am
“Great to see France and Australia at the top. Two lots of very arrogant people- the French would be the rudest I have struck while the Australians have an astronomically high opinion of themselves.
Good to see the US down a bit as they seem to see themselves as the only bastion of freedom. Bloody arrogant and very ignorant in some cases.
However, home is home to everyone !!!!!!!!!!”
Most arrogant post I have seen in ages…
Vote:January 10th, 2010 at 11:16 am
Interesting to see that Spain is not listed….. I had the great fortune of traveling to 20 plus countries per year, until avergaing 300 flights per year did my head and Barcelona is the city I would live in at the drop of a hat if I didnt have family here in NZ…… As I have said many times, the fact that NZ is esthetically pleasing doesnt cut the mustard anymore for a good many people…. It seems we will have to get permission to fart soon in NZ….
Vote:January 10th, 2010 at 5:07 pm
Having lived in the UK and visited much of Europe I have to agree that France makes sense at No.1 – excellent food and good quality inexpensive wine, nice climate (en Provence), attractive women (who know how to dress – by and large NZ women dont), fast efficient trains, appreciation for architecture and engineering, separation of church and state, good skiing, work life balance, family centric culture. Not much to dislike really.
Whafe, Barcelona is OK but obviously you didnt get mugged which is a very common tourist experience in that city! My favourite Spanish cities were Seville and Granada.
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