Hey everyone,

My partner and I managed to snag some extremely cheap tickets to Tokyo in January, however it seems like regardless of COVID-19 there's a good chance Japan doesn't let Muricans in by then...so if we can't go we are planning on going to the EU instead.

Now considering the US sucks by pretty much every metric compared to other first world countries, I'd love to see a few places (thinking 1-2 week total trip time) that while maybe not being explicitly leftist, have much better public transit (no car needed), healthcare, work/life balance, and other positives that if the opportunity presented itself would love to move there. Anyone have recommendations? I was thinking Amsterdam/The Netherlands, as well as Scandinavian countries. My partner is obssessed with London but considering the UK is trying it's hardest to beat America for worst first world country I'd prefer to pass on it.

Obviously if COVID is at a point where even vaccinated individuals are being irresponsible traveling, even while masked, we will hold off on any traveling until things are better.

Thanks!

  • AcidSmiley [she/her]
    ·
    3 years ago

    Amsterdam, at least from an infrastructure and urban planning standpoint, has always felt like “the good future” to me. So much green, bike lanes, trains, walkable streets, cozy canals.

    Amsterdam always feels like the world's largest village to me. It's incredibly chill for a city that large, and you always end up randomly walking into interestingly weird stuff like an entire neighborhood that's built entirely out of house boats. I def agree that Amsterdam is very walkable even by European standards, as long as you don't mind dodging incredibly fast cyclists until you get used to who uses which sidewalk lane. I'd say the best way to get around in the city is either by bike or by tram (tickets for the entire day aren't that expensive), although some locals are also really fond of scooters (the so-called bromfietsen, that translates to "hummingbikes"), which use the bike lanes as well. For sightseeing, renting a pedal boat and going on a tour through the grachten (canals) is also nice.