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My reasoning for listing these countries is that these are all countries I have visited or are researching with the possibility of visiting. I do not want to visit countries that are not fully developed or come across as "poor". No offense to anyone, any country or their traveling opinions. However, those are mine and I feel strongly about them. Therefore, I would like some feedback into them. I loved Vienna by the way and plan to see more of Austria.
How developed a country is overall isn't necessarily a guide to whether you encounter poverty or poor infrastructure on a trip there. For example, rural Latvia, when I visited a few years ago, was still quite physically undeveloped, with many unpaved roads. But central Riga was a sleek, Scandinavian-esque city that would put many British or American counterparts to shame. Greece might be on the brink of meltdown, but Athens still has better public transport than you'll find in any Italian city, or indeed any British or American city apart from New York or London. Meanwhile, New York City's subway still looks like it was recently put back into service after an armed conflict, and London and Paris both have very evident poverty within spitting distance of tourist areas.
I would like to know too. I have been to Spain , ended up breaking an ankle & seen doctors there. Even did an MRI. No hitches at all. If you go to places like Puero Beunos you are sure to run into a world famous billionaire. Granted the economy is not good now but for years Spain was the playground of millionaires across Europe. If you go to places like Marbella there is hardly any Spanish spoken in a lot of high end condos or apartments as they are all called there. That's because they are second homes to a lot of Brits & Dutch people.
If I were to rephrase OP's post I'd say that in some first world countries even if you were a billionaire it would be harder to enjoy life than in others. I can't tell you of how many countries in Europe where something as simple as going outside to hail a cab is not possible, but in or like some have mentioned, you might have money to burn and all stores are closed etc.
Also, I would not call Eastern European countries like Slovenia and Croatia first world countries.
I think this classification of first, second and third world is currently nonsense. We are not in the times of the Cold War. Nowadays we have developed countries, developing countries and underdeveloped countries. And even the developing countries have huge differences; one cannot state Mexico and Iran, for example, are in the same level of development.
Also, I would not call Eastern European countries like Slovenia and Croatia first world countries.
Actually, Slovenia is one of the most developed former Eastern bloc countries, quite similar to the German-speaking Alpine countries. Much more developed than most parts of Poland, Slovakia or Lithuania.
They have their own culture. They practice Siesta in the afternoon. They don't have to follow how towns in other countries look like.
I can say their infrastructure is okay.
Also, they are the maker of many famous clothing lines like Zara, Mango, Bershka, Massimo Dutti, Stradivarius, Blanco etc. And their El Corte Ingles is like the UK's Debenhams.
Yes they do but it is a bit out of line for the modern world.
That's right but that is also the case for e.g. the UK. Dorset, for instance, is totally different from Strathclyde in that regard.
It is normal in plenty of European countries to have "non-comercial" Sundays. That's the case for Germany, France, Austria and Italy as far as I'm concerned.
Closing shops down from 2.pm. till 6 p.m. is also a typically Southern European tradition. A lot of shops do "siesta" during the afternoon; thats because of the extreme summer heat during these hours where the one rather takes a break in the cold, air-conditioned apartment than getting a sun burn (like the tourists would do) or continue working in a hot, "humid" office. They enjoy the evening hours instead. However, in large financial and trade centres like Madrid and Barcelona, the "siesta" isn't that prevalent at all. It's different in rural Andalusia, though.
Hmm they are clean and nice, but they probably also lack a bit of "soul", don't they? Not typically "Spanish. They seem to be similar to the American suburbia and the gated communities....
Well I would have to disagree there. In the UK we do have poor areas but in the poor areas people are given houses for free. In Spain poor houses are basically brick huts. In The UK we also get our healthcare free aswell.
As for siesta each to their own, but I think that the Spanish should be used to the heat by now not to have to have a siesta. In the modern world siestas don't go well.
K, all the people who are citing Spain and Portugal, please provide your country of origin and then a list of the times and places you have actually visited in either of these countries.
It makes no sense to me why people think they are poor or something. They are having a hard time economically right now, but that doesn't make it non-first world. I don't even know if any country on that list could be classified as anything but fairly developed.
Areas do not speak for the whole country either. Like others have said, what about places like Detroit or rural MS in the USA? Those don't drag the status of the whole country down. I don't think anyone making these claims has been to these countries, or at least has a chip on their shoulder for some reason.
Unless you are being sarcastic, all I see is a well-signposted, maintained road and a house...?
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