Should I go to Europe or South America next?

Dork · Post by **Dork** » Sat Apr 03, 2010 10:11 am

Sorry for the completely off-topic post but I'm really having trouble with a decision and only have a few weeks left to make it. I've decided to continue wandering the world, spending a few weeks in each city playing live poker to support myself. I need to decide what region to spend June through October-ish. I've been wanting to go to SA, but it will be Winter and a non-ideal time in many places.

An obvious choice would be Europe, but it will be a lot more expensive and it may be harder to book things on the fly during the busy season. I really don't like planning specifics more than a couple of weeks in advance. Bonus is it should be easier to move around with the Euro, the trains, and all of that.

Can anyone offer me any suggestions? As I mentioned, most of my time will be spent in larger cities, staying a few weeks on average in each. The only foreign language I know is a little Spanish, which I'm brushing up on now.

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Sat Apr 03, 2010 10:12 am

I love eastern Europe, the Baltic region and such.......usually pretty affordable, too......

Trishntek · Post by **Trishntek** » Sat Apr 03, 2010 9:23 pm

We spent the last week of September and first half of October in Italy, Spain and Croatia. It was the perfect time to be there reference weather and crowds. We especially fell in love with Croatia. The people there are sincerely friendly and look you in the eye. They are just the most refreshing and genuine people you would ever want to meet. And many of them know enough english to get you through without much problem.

Northern Italy is much more friendly than the South. Rome is bigger than you can imagine as far as ancient architecture is concerned. Find the little out of the way cafes and have the most refreshingly FRESH cooked Italian food that is so pure and full of flavor!

South America intrigues us. But we will never regret going to Europe first.

Thecatman · Post by **Thecatman** » Sat Apr 03, 2010 10:40 pm

Would give my right arm to have been able to spend more then measlly 12 days in Germany, Austria and Switzerland in 2000.
Most of the time was spent in Hiedelberg and Munchen

Token · Post by **Token** » Sat Apr 03, 2010 11:40 pm

Europe, no doubt about it.

Just start cruising the Mediterranean from Spain to France to Italy, Greace then Cyprus. Istanbul is also very cool.

Leave the rest Of Europe for next year.

Token · Post by **Token** » Sat Apr 03, 2010 11:44 pm

Just dawned uppon me ... See if any of the Bummer crew knows where Jose might be. He was planning on getting a sail boat. Might be a cool ride for a slick card shark like yourself.

can't sit still · Post by **can't sit still** » Sun Apr 04, 2010 7:51 am

Dork, while the Med area is great, I would think that you need to go where there is lots of loose money. South America is doing a lot better than most of Europe. Spain is about 25 % unemployment, for example.
Chile and Argentina have great growth in their stock markets. Uruguay [Punta del Este] has lots of loose money too.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punta_del_Este
Panama has attracted LOTS of money. The rich Colombians are based there.
Have you seen 'Havana"? Pretty cool movie with Robert Redford as a gambler.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099747/

Dork · Post by **Dork** » Sun Apr 04, 2010 9:44 am

I hadn't considered the economy. Still, though, assuming I don't go broke in the next 6 months (which very well could happen, but hopefully won't) I can go to SA after this. Culture may be just as important as economy, though - people who place a high value on luck and displays of wealth tend to be easy pickings. That might still favor parts of SA, I'm not sure.

can't sit still · Post by **can't sit still** » Sun Apr 04, 2010 10:21 am

Brazil might have good weather now. Their stock market is going crazy and their bonds were rated much higher lately. One would expect Brazilians to throw money around of anybody does.

ALICEtheGOON · Post by **ALICEtheGOON** » Mon Apr 05, 2010 7:59 pm

two words

COSTA RICA!!!!!!!!!

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Mon Apr 05, 2010 8:29 pm

can't sit still wrote:Brazil might have good weather now. Their stock market is going crazy and their bonds were rated much higher lately. One would expect Brazilians to throw money around of anybody does.

aren't they all bald?

can't sit still · Post by **can't sit still** » Mon Apr 05, 2010 8:31 pm

bald people gamble too !

Mojojita · Post by **Mojojita** » Tue Apr 06, 2010 11:14 am

The Spanish Costa Del Sol is FULL of northern europeans and norteamericanos on vacation. I don't know how easily that demographic lets go of its cash but ??????? The Malaga area has a lot of very wealthy conclaves.......

Dork · Post by **Dork** » Tue Apr 06, 2010 12:02 pm

I should be clear - I'm NOT picking my destination based on my likelihood of making money. I'm picking it based on which would be the most enjoyable and not overly expensive or too much of a pain to visit on a flexible schedule. Except in the few places gambling is still illegal, games are easy to find. Where they're too underground for me to want to seek them out, I can just do the tourist thing.

Mojojita · Post by **Mojojita** » Tue Apr 06, 2010 12:28 pm

Dork wrote:I should be clear - I'm NOT picking my destination based on my likelihood of making money. I'm picking it based on which would be the most enjoyable and not overly expensive or too much of a pain to visit on a flexible schedule. Except in the few places gambling is still illegal, games are easy to find. Where they're too underground for me to want to seek them out, I can just do the tourist thing.

Then Costa Del Sol is likely NOT a good option because the public transport is not great - hard to get around without a rental car.

can't sit still · Post by **can't sit still** » Tue Apr 06, 2010 6:38 pm

That settles it Dork. You should go knock around the coast of Turkey and Greece. Don't miss Bodrum. http://www.bodrum-info.org/ Second would be the Amalfi coast. Don't miss Capri. Third would be the Dalmatian coast. Don't miss Neum.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neum