European socialising

Emp_Fab

I’ve been strolling around the ancient town of Ciutadella in Menorca this evening.  Wow.  What a place.  Endless cobbled streets and alleys filled with cafes and tapas bars.  Thousands of locals, families with kids, all sitting in the open air, drinking, eating, laughing.  Nobody’s getting shitfaced and trying to start a fight.  Everyone is chilled out.  It’s wonderful.

It’s also occurred to me that this isn’t really down to any special ‘Mediterranean culture’, but the weather.  Try this in Derby and your tapas dish would be full of rain and your family would be getting hypothermia.

Britain sucks.  We spend our lives locked away in isolation in our living rooms, watching people fight on TV soaps.

I’m emigrating as soon as I can.

I should have done it decades ago.

@evilmags has got it sussed.

Grangousier

Emp_Fab said:

I’m emigrating as soon as I can.

I don't think you can any more. Brexit. 

Emp_Fab

You don’t really believe that do you?

WiresDreamDisasters

Mate, you should try Japan! Makes Menorca look like Booze Britain!

Emp_Fab

No thanks.  I can't stand fish, obsessive respect for authority, crazy game shows or pachinko.

Or the weather.

TheMarlin

Emp_Fab said:

No thanks.  I can't stand fish, obsessive respect for authority, crazy game shows or pachinko.

Or the weather.

Or the nuclear fallout from Fukushima...

Bridgehouse

Did the locals think you were a weirdo when you spent most of the afternoon on the swings?

ThePrettyDamned

Part of it is food affordability I think - although I'm regurgitating info second hand from continental friends I work with. They say that local cafes, bars and restaurants are much more affordable than British ones and so it's perfectly normal for a family to go out for the evening rather than staying at home.

In southern Italy, apparently there are restaurants where they just cook a bulk meal - so no menu - and everyone just eats whatever it is they cooked that day. Sounds great

Again, all second hand info... 

Sassafras

Try Magaluf or Benidorm.

57Deluxe

Emp_Fab said:

No thanks.  I can't stand fish, obsessive respect for authority, crazy game shows or pachinko.

Or the weather.

+ badly regulated teeth...

brooom

ThePrettyDamned said:

Part of it is food affordability I think - although I'm regurgitating info second hand from continental friends I work with. They say that local cafes, bars and restaurants are much more affordable than British ones and so it's perfectly normal for a family to go out for the evening rather than staying at home.

In southern Italy, apparently there are restaurants where they just cook a bulk meal - so no menu - and everyone just eats whatever it is they cooked that day. Sounds great

Again, all second hand info... 

They're affordable, if you have a UK salary, sure...

ronnyb

So you'll be looking for a left hand drive car when you get back then?

ThePrettyDamned

brooom said:

ThePrettyDamned said:

Part of it is food affordability I think - although I'm regurgitating info second hand from continental friends I work with. They say that local cafes, bars and restaurants are much more affordable than British ones and so it's perfectly normal for a family to go out for the evening rather than staying at home.

In southern Italy, apparently there are restaurants where they just cook a bulk meal - so no menu - and everyone just eats whatever it is they cooked that day. Sounds great

Again, all second hand info... 

They're affordable, if you have a UK salary, sure...

I did say this was second hand from colleagues and friends from Europe. I don't claim to know - merely discussing. 

RaymondLin

It’s  not the weather, it’s the culture.

ask any Aussie and they will they you the Poms still banging on about the weather.  The brits will moan about the weather anywhere they go.  It’s their thing, same with everything else.  The brits will get pissed whether it’s sunny or grey sky, it won’t stop them. It’s the culture, not the weather.

i love the weather in England, I love the seasons, I love the colours.  Travel enough and you’ll see some places that looks the same all year round, it gets boring very quickly.  I like a cold crisp winter morning as much as a glorious summer’s day or an golden sun set autumn. 

brooom

ThePrettyDamned said:

brooom said:

ThePrettyDamned said:

Part of it is food affordability I think - although I'm regurgitating info second hand from continental friends I work with. They say that local cafes, bars and restaurants are much more affordable than British ones and so it's perfectly normal for a family to go out for the evening rather than staying at home.

In southern Italy, apparently there are restaurants where they just cook a bulk meal - so no menu - and everyone just eats whatever it is they cooked that day. Sounds great

Again, all second hand info... 

They're affordable, if you have a UK salary, sure...

I did say this was second hand from colleagues and friends from Europe. I don't claim to know - merely discussing. 

Absolutely, I got that, not really making an accusation or stating you're wrong, just making an observation... Especially because it's an observation of a reality I'm quite familiar with.

ToneControl

ThePrettyDamned said:

Part of it is food affordability I think - although I'm regurgitating info second hand from continental friends I work with. They say that local cafes, bars and restaurants are much more affordable than British ones and so it's perfectly normal for a family to go out for the evening rather than staying at home.

In southern Italy, apparently there are restaurants where they just cook a bulk meal - so no menu - and everyone just eats whatever it is they cooked that day. Sounds great

Again, all second hand info... 

According to Peter Mayle, the same used to be true in Provence: all the local tradesmen turning up for lunch  everyday with no menu