To each his own, but I am heading to the Great Wall for an 8th time in April. It is one of my top 10 travel experiences (along with Angkor Wat and Machu Picchu) in my life. Few things can beat imagining there is a Mongol attack on the wall and then scaring some unsuspecting tourist.
I believe that the poster meant the Badaling section, not the Great Wall in general. I have never been to that section as the descriptions really scared me off. Other sections however did live up to my expectations and didn't have the chain restaurants and tourist attractions that Badaling apparently has.
I have lived 20 miles from the four corners monument since 1981 and have never been there. I often wonder why or what people expect that go see it. I mean, its a border of 4 states. Did you expect belly dancers, prime rib, and explosions?
Programs: US DM Silver, PC Gold, HiltonHonors Gold
Posts: 240
Terra Cotta Warriors, but let me explain. We went to Xi'an just to see them. We were trying to save money by taking the train from Beijing. 20 hot hours later, we were there, tired and a bit miserable. This was late June and it was bloody hot! Had we either paid for a sleeper car or airplane ticket (or had the train be on time), I believe we would have had a totally different experience. We struggled to be excited about them.
I have lived 20 miles from the four corners monument since 1981 and have never been there. I often wonder why or what people expect that go see it. I mean, its a border of 4 states. Did you expect belly dancers, prime rib, and explosions?
Exactly. It's an arbitrary point in the middle of a desert. Exactly which expectations are being let down here?
My overrated tourist destination has got to be Temple Bar in Dublin. What a horrible place. Sweaty, loud, dark, dingy, crowded and overpriced bars that all serve Guinness to drunk tourists. I just don't get it.
My overrated tourist destination has got to be Temple Bar in Dublin. What a horrible place. Sweaty, loud, dark, dingy, crowded and overpriced bars that all serve Guinness to drunk tourists. I just don't get it.
On that sort of score, I could cite the Hard Rock Café phenomenon of (I guess) the 1990s. I used to look in bewilderment at the enormous queues of people outside the one in London, often waiting for what must have been a couple of hours in all weathers.
Through some friend of a friend who "knew someone" (I can't now recall the details), I went there once and we were whisked in past the waiting hordes. It was quite fun, and a moderately enjoyable evening, but there's no way I would have thought it worth waiting outside for a couple of hours on a drizzly, nearly icy London winter evening...
Not that I was personally disappointed, since I had no particular expectations, but I suppose it suggests that some places (restaurants, night clubs, general tourist attractions, even sometimes long-running plays) just become famous for being famous.
Exactly. It's an arbitrary point in the middle of a desert. Exactly which expectations are being let down here?
I believe the Four Corners area was the site of the first recognized hantavirus outbreak, so that's something. "I traveled all that way and my lungs didn't even dissolve!"
Programs: UA 1K, AA, Delta, Thai, Lufthansa, Swiss, Air France, BA
Posts: 179
Quote:
Originally Posted by rjw242
I believe the Four Corners area was the site of the first recognized hantavirus outbreak, so that's something. "I traveled all that way and my lungs didn't even dissolve!"
haha- Mouse poop. To this day I hold my breath when I go in my shed to get the lawn mower out.
I believe that the poster meant the Badaling section, not the Great Wall in general. I have never been to that section as the descriptions really scared me off. Other sections however did live up to my expectations and didn't have the chain restaurants and tourist attractions that Badaling apparently has.
I agree - Badaling isn't worth it. Go to one of the more "original" sections of the Wall.
Magnetic Hill in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada. Not only have they made it difficult to access--one would think it was Stonehenge--but you leave feeling like a moron for wasting $5.00 for the "experience."
Last edited by Dasia; Feb 21, 11 at 10:33 pm..
Reason: To add the name of the country
Programs: Flying Blue, Aviation Sans Frontières Ambassador, MilePoint Gold
Posts: 921
Quote:
Originally Posted by k_malm
Terra Cotta Warriors, but let me explain. We went to Xi'an just to see them. We were trying to save money by taking the train from Beijing. 20 hot hours later, we were there, tired and a bit miserable. This was late June and it was bloody hot! Had we either paid for a sleeper car or airplane ticket (or had the train be on time), I believe we would have had a totally different experience. We struggled to be excited about them.
i was highly disapointed as well after my visit... and i had a good night sleep at the Sofitel.
Oahu was a big disappointment, expensive, so-so food, and crowded. Waikiki felt like a city beach. Only the Pearl Harbor Memorial moved me. The "Polynesian Cultural Center" was a complete joke.
I did like the H3, however.
Programs: LH SEN, BA Gold, BMI Gold, CO Platinum, Hyatt Diamond, Starwood Platinum, Hhonors Silver
Posts: 163
With a very few exceptions, pretty much any city. I just don't get the fascination for cities.
Paris, London, Tokyo, Vancouver, Sydney, Melbourne, etc. etc., been there, done that, and couldn't care less.
IMO, there is hardly anything manmade that can compete with nature's wonders such as mountains, lakes, beaches, glaciers, fjords, bays, the underwater world, beautiful women (the latter are, I admit, easier to spot in big cities).
Slightly unrelated, when I was on a flight to LAS, I overheard a flight attendant chatting to some passengers, and on the question "why are you coming here", the answer was "for our honeymoon". For some reason, I just cringed. It would be one of the last places I'd consider for a honeymoon.
and i had a good night sleep at the Sofitel.
