egafd.com

Giles, every city in Europe has its homeless and it's beggars. Even in Belgium. We do travel a lot and naturally compare. We take a house in Bruges most years and travel to Ghent and Antwerp and if you go to the right areas it's full of 'em. And Amsterdam ! One of the cruddiest cities in Europe.

You're dead right about one thing though ; their train systems are very, very good.

We visit Prague and Vienna regularly also and the events of 1989 have meant swathes of Eastern European and Russian economic migrants hit their streets. The same goes for the cities of Southern Spain. We go to Granada and Seville and it's full of North Africans.

And the food across Europe ? Well that's another story altogether.

I lived in Europe a fair bit, and, yes, they seem to have a bit more 'civic pride', for want of a better term. And the food is better on the whole.
But they have crime and vandalism, just like we do. And having seen first-hand the behaviour of certain nations' police, my sympathies lie with the beggars............

And Amsterdam ! One of the cruddiest cities in Europe.
> But some of the nicest people. Even their druggies are polite.
You're dead right about one thing though ; their train systems are very, very good.
> Common factors? Vertical integration, or still completely nationalised. When will our lot learn there are some things that are inherently unprivatisable- the NHS, public transport?

Non parlez Anglais

Like you jj I lived and worked in Europe for some time. I think you're absolutely right about the politeness of the people, even the lowlife. Their social and commercial systems such as health, transport and education DO work better than ours but the reasons are complex.

'But some of the nicest people. Even their druggies are polite.'

'....there are some things that are inherently unprivatisable- the NHS, public transport?'

The transport system for example in Vienna is remarkable for its efficiency and value. Karlsplatz is the main switching point on the 'U' (underground) and has an area festooned with junkies and winos day and night. And they never seem to bother you at all.

There are lots more examples and if Blair is serious about being at the heart of Europe, then it's about time he started taking their good ideas instead of the half-baked Thatcherism and warmed over Reagonomics from his buddy Dubya.

And if anyone has any tips for good restaurants or bars in any part of Europe, I'll gladly take 'em.