How many countries have you visited?

[Ray]

Big & Bashful - [panto] oh no it’s not! [\panto] Having a queen (or in your case, sharing one) doesn’t make you a sovereign state. England isn’t a sovereign state. Nor is Scotland. Nor is Gibraltar.

Good list though, even though you’re cheating to get the numbers up

(Note to all - I included the term sovereign state so that e.g Greenland doesn’t count as a country. It’s part of Denmark - like England is part of the UK. Proper countries please! - although fun descriptions like B&B above are too good to miss)

[Uncle Al]

OK, here's my $0.2 worth

USA
Canada
UK
France
Malta

To Ray -> What is [panto] [\panto]

Uncle Al

[Fred in Skirts]

Ah lets see at 76 years old where all have I been........

Lets start with the good ole USA, and lets stop there as well.

I have never left the country as I have never been able to find a way to do it or afford it. I however have visited many of the independent states the make up the country.

So I have no answers for the other two questions.

Fred

[Kirbstone]

Stevie,
I sit corrected. While I love to visit Yorkshire, alas all too rare nowadays, my knowledge of what part is what is sadly lacking and I almost share the typical Londoner's view of said County.......A1/M1 great North roads extending upwards under the permafrost which starts at Watford/St Albans. These lead up to two little sort-of rabbit ears, one being Scotland, the other being Yorkshire.

Anyway, that Lacrosse venue alluded to is in 'Arrigit, populated mostly by gentle folk, I must admit.

Tom

[Ray]

Uncle Al - pantomime. A slapstick play - like Cinderella. My little joke - where cast shout “oh no it’s not” and the audience roar back “oh yes it is!”

Repeat for several exchanges until hilarity and/or boredom ensues.

[Ray]

Stevie - how could you have missed Iceland - and with your background too!

What an amazing place. It's just full of geological marvels, and the people are terrific.

It is, however, a touch pricy!

Ray

[dillon]

US (native)
Canada
Mexico
Spain
Ethiopia
Argentina
Uruguay
Chile
Ecuador
Brazil

We have a long trip planned for 2020 to Italy and Croatia. But mostly I want to see the parts of the US that I have never visited, like the upper Midwest. And I want to follow the Lewis and Clark route. I really like west Texas and New Mexico. I intend to return to Ethiopia; it was fascinating. Also intend to visit Cuba at some point. I’d love to travel Turkey and Iran, but doubt the region will regain any stability in my lifetime.

[Ray]

Turkey is fine as long as you don’t wander over to the Iraq border. I was there in June.

[john62]

I have been to Australia
Tasmania,
New Zealand,
Fiji,
US of A,
Canada,
England and Scotland,
Iceland,
Germany,
Austria.

The two best were Iceland and Germany.

John

[Sinned]

Sorry, Ray, but England is a Sovereign state as is the UK. Each unit of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales is a country in its own right each with some degree of autonomy. Which is why in some sports events each country in the UK can compete in its own right and in others we compete as a single entity. It's also why Scotland, and to a degree Wales, who have defined borders, could devolve and become separate politically and financially. If they weren't separate states then this couldn't happen. I presume, but don't actually know, whether if either were to devolve the Queen would no longer be their Head of State or not. It may depend on the terms of devolution I suppose much as Brexit is to us now and maybe descend into as much chaos. I hope not.

[Stu]

In my case:

UK (England, Wales and Scotland, but never Ireland)
Denmark
Sweden
Norway
Iceland
Germany
Belgium
Netherlands
Portugal
Spain
Italy (& the Vatican)
Czech Republic
Greenland
Namibia
South Africa
Canada
USA

[Ray]

You are incorrect.

England has no parliament, no standing army, no separate tax raising powers. It has no passport, no representation at the United Nations (you need to be a sovereign state to be a member), no uninterrupted international border. England has no ability to negotiate or entreat with other sovereign states.

I could go on but I won’t. It’s hard fact. None of England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland are countries using the international definition (which is, broadly, a sovereign state). They have devolved powers, yes, (Scotland, for example has a parliament with limited rights on taxes and law) but so do states of the USA.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sovereign_state

The UK is the sovereign state, the international country if you will. The elements aren’t. Why we have separate teams is illogical and dumb. Ditto a bank called Bank of England (it should be the UK Central bank) but given the way by which this country is currently run, I’m not exactly surprised!

Anyway, back to lists!

[Ray]

Stu

Good list!

How was Greenland?

[Stu]

Amazing, Ray. Highly scenic and lots to see. There are social issues there, like appalling alcoholism and some violence. It's also expensive to get to (Greenlandair flights from Copenhagen are very costly). Hotels are pricy and the only supermarket chain there, called "Pisiffic", was about three times as expensive for everything compared to what you would pay in Sainsbury's.

Worth a visit - but it will cost you.

[Ray]

It sounds wild, vibrant and different. I loved Iceland - only two times the price! Worth it though, and by the sounds of it, there are some similarities.