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San damn Francisco
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Atlanta and Seattle, in the U.S. These are not "world-class" cities, or anything close to it. Their citizens think they are, though. I also agree about Barcelona being over-rated.
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Originally Posted by Darren
Whereas I agree with you as far as making judgments before actually visiting, I have been to Sydney (twice) and found it to be generally dull. I didn't, and still don't, get the hype. I left with the feeling that it's "exotic" enough to be kinda cool for non-adventurous travelers, but not so exotic as to be difficult to deal with. My first trip I was there for three days and felt like I didn't miss much that I had wanted to see (and I did do my research). I was even there during Mardi Gras so things were pretty jumping throughout the city. My second trip, I did the museums and whatnot and hung out at the beach
If I had to pick the 2nd unfriendliest country to encounter immigration officers after the U.S., I'd definately pick Australia (In particular the SYD team). Kiwi immigration is so much friendlier and professional. |
Originally Posted by Rejuvenated
If I had to pick the 2nd unfriendliest country to encounter immigration officers after the U.S., I'd definately pick Australia (In particular the SYD team). Kiwi immigration is so much friendlier and professional.
Overrated city for me: Los Angeles. What a dump..... |
Originally Posted by Darren
Whereas I agree with you as far as making judgments before actually visiting, I have been to Sydney (twice) and found it to be generally dull. I didn't, and still don't, get the hype. I left with the feeling that it's "exotic" enough to be kinda cool for non-adventurous travelers, but not so exotic as to be difficult to deal with. My first trip I was there for three days and felt like I didn't miss much that I had wanted to see (and I did do my research). I was even there during Mardi Gras so things were pretty jumping throughout the city. My second trip, I did the museums and whatnot and hung out at the beach. Honestly, I was living in LA at the time of both trips, and I could have done what I did in Sydney at home. At the end of being there, I went to Asia, which I found to be exponentially more interesting, fun, and worthy of visiting.
You have to understand though that for the over whelming majority of Sydney the Mardi Gras is a non-event, and in recent years it has certainly become less and less of an event, thankfully. There are alot of things to do in Sydney but many of them are not in guidebooks and compared to alot of cities Sydney is not overly designed for tourists. *If* you come again post in the Australia forum you'll get some great tips ;)
Originally Posted by Darren
Every time I voice my opinion about Australia, people generally complain. How could you not like Australia! (I did) It's so exotic! (Sydney isn't) They have great beer! (I don't drink) Did you go to the Rocks?!?!? (yes, see previous) Note: I enjoyed Australia very much. People were friendly (less so in Sydney, more so in Perth), it was very pretty, and the ferry from the CBD to Manley is in itself worth a visit to Sydney. Exiting Sydney harbour has to be one of the best city scenes I have ever experienced. I just don't get the fascination with Sydney. It's a lovely place to visit, but given a choice, it would be quite far in the bottom half of places I would visit if I had an opportunity.
Anyway sometimes cities and people just don't click. I have had the same feeling with Milan and New York. Favourites would have to be, Austin, Hong Kong, Beijing and Buenos Aires oh and Como, although I think thats better enjoyed with a member of the fairer sex and I was there with two male friends :( |
I don't get all of the buzz about Berlin. It's interesting in that "recovering from the Cold War" kind of way, but two days and I was done. Still, I must have been missing something, because people love it.
Hmm. I don't. |
Glasgow--Home of the Two Greatest Pro Sports Stadia
Originally Posted by flyrights
SYDNEY, without a doubt. The harbor is nice, that is the SETTING is nice, but outside of that, it's a BIG ZERO. I went through three guidebooks, trying to find something, ANYTHING that would make me want to stay longer than 24 hours, and there is nothing. And some were saying the people were rude... which I'm not buying that they are any more rude, any less rude than anywhere else... but as far as tourist sights, I just can't find anything worth spending $150 a night in a hotel to see.
From what I can tell, the runner up for most overrated city could be Melbourne, or any city in the U.S. not located on the east or west coast... other possibilities might include Dublin, Shanghai, Tel Aviv, Frankfurt... and perhaps Glasgow. |
Atlanta AKA East Alabama
Big country Town. But the Hillbillies don't know it. Miami Do people really visit Miami? I think they confuse Miami with Miami Beach Houston Yeee - awn Tampa/Ft. Lauderdale AKA Ft. Liquordale/Pheonix/Columbus/San Diego Cities that look like sprawling boring SUBURBS, with no real urban appeal Las Vegas AKA Lost Wages You decided...there just so much wrong this place New Orleans How many people REALLY knew what the city looked like OUTSIDE of the French Quarter San Juan, PR Seattle :confused: |
Originally Posted by Business as usual
(Post 6760875)
I don't get all of the buzz about Berlin. It's interesting in that "recovering from the Cold War" kind of way, but two days and I was done. Still, I must have been missing something, because people love it.
Hmm. I don't. Potsdam is a nice side-excursion, though. |
Virginia City, Nevada, for its deceptive advertising: I expect all cities that I visit to have at least 10,000 residents. :mad:
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Originally Posted by gilpin
(Post 6104678)
Oddly the disillusion that engenders is a fundamental aspect of understanding Hollywood though.
Originally Posted by kdinino
(Post 6105495)
no history like these other big cities but I realize its a youn city
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Venice, Atlanta, and Miami are truly awful, while Stonehenge is probably the most overrated place in the world.
Budapest is vastly underappreciated. |
Originally Posted by mecabq
(Post 6740754)
Atlanta and Seattle, in the U.S. These are not "world-class" cities, or anything close to it. Their citizens think they are, though. I also agree about Barcelona being over-rated.
The benefit of loving a) FlyerTalk and b) Couchsurfing.com/Hostelling International is that I don't have to stay in my non-world-class city. I can go anywhere in the wide wonderful world, with cost barely an issue, and return home to my pleasant life in Seattle, a land of cool mornings, great running trails, good employment (MSFT, Boeing, the University of Washington) and no income tax. New York City, Vancouver, London, Rome, Istanbul, Paris, and Tokyo are among the great cities of the world. They set the bar. Their volume is turned to "11". These places amaze me with their beauty and diversity. No shame that a parochial little place like Seattle, with Burgermaster and the Cinerama among the greatest of its wonders, cannot compete with these places. We shouldn't even try. -KF |
Can't believe it hasn't been mentioned yet
KUALA LUMPUR!
None of the charm of Asia, could be any Western city just add extra neon and a couple of hundred mosques. We even went to the tourist office and asked what there was to do and they said "shopping, lots and lots of shopping". Now if I want H&M, Marks & Spencer or US designers, I don't have to go all the way to Asia for it! Only saving grace was dinner in the revolving restaurant in the Menara KL, and the Mandarin Oriental, what a hotel! In defence of Dublin, it's a city of heritage and its people. We have fantastic restaurants, they just don't all make it into the guidebooks. The nightlife depends on what you're looking for, it's not a city of Superclubs. As for attractions, yes you can tick the boxes of the more famous in a day but really you're only scratching the surface. And if you think Dublin's expensive, don't go to Scandinavia! |
Vegas. Corporate everything. It's overpriced and unless you like gambling (aka giving away your money for no good reason) it's not that exciting. The usual US over 21 rules to drink really ruin it too.
"Atlanta and Seattle, in the U.S. These are not "world-class" cities, or anything close to it. Their citizens think they are, though. I also agree about Barcelona being over-rated." I don't recall anyone I know talking about Seattle as being a world city. It's a cool city in a great state. We have some of the lowest taxes in the country, the air is clean, you can go boating, swimming, fishing, skiing, mountain biking, hiking, and a ton of other outdoor activities all in the one day. It is also a very business friendly city, has a good airport, direct flights to many cities such as New York, LA, Dallas, Anchorage, Narita (Tokyo), Orlando, Chicago, Houston, etc. It also has the Seahawks and the Mariners. There are great restaurants, great seafood, lots of quirky little neighborhoods and the summers here are about the best in the country (75-80 every day, no wind, no humidity) and there is no snow. I haven't heard anyone compare Seattle to New York, LA, London or Paris. Most people are happy to live in a smaller big city though. Whether you think it is overrated is a relative thing, but it's a cool place. |
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