The score up til now:

Nitpickers-34
Answer the question and get on with my life-5

"But isn't this thread just an opportunity to humble brag"

Absolutely!

the friendliest people I have encountered are the Hatitians who seem so honoured to scrub the bottom of my triple deck when in its dry harbour in The Bahamas.

I had a real laugh and a giggle with them whilst having a single Malt with Sean Connery on deck.

Lovely people those Haitians.

You were jogging with bags? Multiple bags? Jogging? Pretty odd, if not suspicious...>

naw I should have said all my personal belongings, clothes, pockets, etc. I was jogging for exercise - I had a beard then and oine flic said "Attention aux barbe" (sp?) - be careful of wearing a beard - that was one of the things making me a suspect for perhaps having broken into some store or house.

"Attention aux barbe", that's very funny!

(I was just poking fun about jogging with your bags. When we lived in Bonn, there was a local man who jogged around and around a park near our apartment; one of our neighbors thought he should be arrested for his own health and safety, and she also said "he's not even American!" :-D )

Not in Europe, but since I'm in Canada now, I must add Canadians as among the friendliest and most polite! Colduphere should be proud!

<< The score up til now:

Nitpickers-34
Answer the question and get on with my life-5 >>

I want a re-count as I saw 9.66 posts that complied (not counting cold's Sally in London as I agree that Sally was probably easy, not friendly, although she was a good picker of men). O'Reilly gets 2 out of 3 (.66) as he doesn't know that Manitoba is not in Europe.

HappyTrvlr - I would have sworn I read you saying on another thread that you were in Canada, but now I can't find it. It must be the effects of the hike I was just on with two 15 year olds (fast). I am now delirious.

I think we are petty friendly and polite, especially to friendly and polite people.

Adrienne - it says right on the receipt she gave me - fast, friendly service!

"I think we are petty friendly and polite..."

Petty sometimes, but I meant pretty.

Now the count has increased to 10.66 as cold has a receipt so his entry is valid!

Outside of Europe I vote for:

Japan
Canada
Jordan

In Europe:

Ireland
UK
Italy

Until earlier this year I would not have counted the Italians, but on my recent trip I got very sick and I couldn't believe how so many people went out of their way to help me.

All of the above made my "friendly" list by a very slim margin. I have found that people treat you like you treat them.. I approach everyone with a smile on my face, hence I've met a lot of friendly people in every country.

Cold, I have never seen so many polite people as in Canada!

I really like Italians.
I see the Irish as engaging, but not necessarily the friendliest. It simply may be that they don't suffer fools gladly. That is understandable.
I loved my Labrador retriever. I guess he was Canadian.
I have to get to more places.

Melbourne recently voted world's most friendly city. Sydney fifth. Several southern US cities ranked in there too.

So I'm going - Australia, US, Ireland

Brits have always seemed so friendly to me - perhaps it is the lack of a language barrier that makes it seem that way - but most Brits always seem to like Americans though they may lampoon the way we are sometimes same as we do them.

Ask Europeans and many will chime in 'Americans are so so friendly' - they even say hello to us when we pass on the street, etc.

Scotland, hands down, has the friendliest locals I've ever met as a tourist, Glasgow in particular. They even beat the Irish, in my estimation!

I have just come back from a vacation in Portugal (Oporto and Lisbon).

I have to call out the Portuguese: friendly, polite, cheerful, charming, engaging, always going above and beyond to help the tourist. Love 'em!