General Chat

I mentioned a few days ago to people that I am now acclimatised to Spain and can't imagine being in the cold of the UK again. Where as Brits I know are in such flimsy clothing it makes me shudder.
It made me think about the climate we all live in ..Now I personally could not live in Russia or other cold countries but have you ever thought how our countries must seem to them.

According to an English visitor who has lived in another Continent of 18 months, England is humid, even when it is warm(ish) and dry.

And a few years ago, a Japanese visitor had the overwhelming odour of butter when he disembarked from the plane. (Japan at that time smelt Fishy to a non resident)

DET I had never thought about how countries must smell, but now you mention it I remember venice smelling dank and wet. ( I know see that as decay but is that because I know it is decaying) I used to think of Spain as fish as it was when I was a child, who hated fish.
France to me was always of old people and closed in smells ( probably garlic) and switzerland / Austria was fresh and cold.

It's funny you should say about Russia being too cold. A neighbour of mine came here from Russia about 4 years ago. One day I was asking her how she liked it here. Her answer was that it is far too hot here in summer, but far colder than it is in Russia in winter. While we all just wear a casual anorak style jacket or whatever, she is in full skiing type clothes just to go to the end of the street to pick her little one up from school - and she is still shivering violently.

Dianne xx

My sons travelled to Russia, Germany & Poland in Dec 2007 & they said that each country had its own smell. They also mentioned that even though it was 10below in Moscow you didn't really feel that cold.

Some of it is perception. If we go to a country that is 'supposed' to be hot, and it isn't, we somehow feel much colder! I went to Athens years ago to visit a friend - it was Nov/Dec but weather had been very mild. Then they had freak storms, plane had 2 aborted landings and we eventually landed to floods and gales. It was FREEZING - have a photo of us at the Acropolis in the snow!! I also think it feels less cold when it's dry rather then damp, and less hot when humidity is low.

I visited Tokyo a few years ago.We went on Nov 5th.I spent most of the time there in short sleeves,whilst all the Japanese were in their winter clothes.I think it was about 16degrees.I got the most strange looks and old ladies would rub my arms and shiver lol
I love France ,but a whiff of a smelly drain reminds me of there.I say oh oh French drains.
Italy the smell of herbs
I don't know what Britain smells like to other people.
Venice has never smelled when I have been.I think probably as it was not in the summer and the heat.