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Originally Posted by flyrights
Alright, yesterday I bought TWO Sydney guidebooks... read through them both, just to see if I was crazy, and if I was all wrong about Sydney.
I hardly think anyone is going to see anything in Sydney, and be moved to tears. Listen: Sydney, and Australia, have taken the California lifestyle - beaches, surfing, swimming, athletics, body beautiful, good healthy adventurous eating, ethnic cuisines, modern architecture, I could go on for quite a while, and elevated it to the next level. It's Southern California before it became a polluted and overpopulated, barely livable dump. |
Shanghai is a Dump
Unless you are into modern buildings Shanghai has absolutely nothing to offer. It is definitely the most overhyped city in the world. When I hear people in immigration lines all over the world talking about how they've heard "what an amazing place Shanghai is, I've got to get there" I think to myself...wow they are gonna be let down big time.
Total waste of time if you spend even more than 1 day there. I also think Singapore is a bit overrated. |
Not particulariliy regarded highly, or rated at all.
But I just have to mention it because I hate it so much.... Phoenix, Arizona One giant sprawling suburban hellhole - no culture, no life - nothing. And hotter then hell!!! |
Los Angeles and Barcelona without doubt in the western world.
I also dislike Miami, Yerevan and Baku just sucked but that was pretty much expected ;) |
:td: Los Angeles, Madrid, and Venezia
^ Hong Kong, Brussels, Antwerp, Florence, and Chicago |
Wow, I plan to move to LA soon, as I want to find a job there and live there and find it surprising how so many people think it's overrated. I still want to go there. It's a huge city with a diverse people and beaches and if you want to go out of town there's Santa Barbara and San Diego is 2 hours away. I guess this most overrated city thing depends if you are going to live in a city or just visit. Like New Orleans, I think it is overrated if you are going to live there and I have lived there for 7 years. But if you are just visiting I guess it is great to experience what it has to offer for a few days. But to live, I'm glad I'm out of there.
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Originally Posted by cj001f
You've never been to Sydney but claim there's nothing to see. You've never been to Sydney but defend LA.
Listen: Sydney, and Australia, have taken the California lifestyle - beaches, surfing, swimming, athletics, body beautiful, good healthy adventurous eating, ethnic cuisines, modern architecture, I could go on for quite a while, and elevated it to the next level. It's Southern California before it became a polluted and overpopulated, barely livable dump. |
I find this thread a bit decieving as cities should not be viewed as theme parks for travellers.
You will get more out of a city if you enter it wanting to see it from the local's perspective. |
Originally Posted by izzik
I'd have to say Miami and Vegas are pretty overrated.
Singapore comes close.. its only saving grace is probably the food. :p |
I remember going to London for the 1st time and thinking "Is this it?" and that was in 1984 before the prices there got outrageous. One positive comment about the place is one too many.
Bangkok has deteriorated over the years to the point where it has how outpriced its worth. If you want nice nightlife at a reasonable cost or decently priced shopping go to Manila. If you want money grubbers and $3 drinks Bangkok is for you. |
When I was 16 I hated Paris on my first visit. I went back at 30 and fell in love with the city. I liked London on visits at 20 and 25, but disliked it at 37, but now have family in England and the Royal Ballet is on an upswing so I am going often. My own idiosyncracy, but there's a high correlation between the quality of city's ballet company and how much I like the place.
Buenos Aires was love at first sight for me, so go figure. I loved the crumbling elegance. Toronto is less interesting than other world cities, but as in London, I have so many friends there now that I have very fond associations with the city. I've only been to LA once and it was not a great visit. For me, the city I've been to more than once and never ended up liking is, believe it or not, Amsterdam. I never felt in tune with the place; didn't find it particularly pretty in comparison to Copenhagen or even Brussels. Go figure. |
Originally Posted by FlyBalletGuy
When I was 16 I hated Paris on my first visit. I went back at 30 and fell in love with the city. I liked London on visits at 20 and 25, but disliked it at 37, but now have family in England and the Royal Ballet is on an upswing so I am going often. My own idiosyncracy, but there's a high correlation between the quality of city's ballet company and how much I like the place.
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Originally Posted by flyrights
Alright, yesterday I bought TWO Sydney guidebooks... read through them both, just to see if I was crazy, and if I was all wrong about Sydney.
VERDICT: there is still virtually NOTHING of interest in Sydney. It's VERY funny!!! |
please sir, may I have more...
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. From your pronouncement above, I won't be expecting you to arrive in Sydney or Melbourne, nor any US city away from the coasts. They're not LA! NO sets, glamour, film industry, restaurants, history, multiculturalism, fun, tourism, hot womenas you are accustomed :eek: What a bore. Will you take requests for guidebook reviews of overrated cities! :) Can you please start with Dublin? Apparently some people like this place! :mad: Thanks to all who've posted! ^ :D The most fun thread this week! :p |
Originally Posted by flyrights
VERDICT: there is still virtually NOTHING of interest in Sydney. No magnificent buildings, no great museums worthy of a 10 hour flight from Bangkok, no great shopping, no real historic great hotels, no real attractions, no great neighborhoods to wander through, nothing really truly historical that I could find ... When I looked at the list of the "top 10 tourist sights in Sydney", there wasn't ANYTHING that looked even remotely interesting, except a view of the harbor. The beaches nearby look like city beaches, so there's no interest there either. I'm sure there is good food there, I'm sure the people are nicer than the message boards indicate, I'm sure you can get a nice hotel, but I am truly at a loss to understand what the attraction of SYDNEY is. I just don't get it.
Shopping : I also dont know what you constitute as "great shopping". If you are looking for a Chatuchak kind of shopping, you probably wont find it here. However, if you are a conventional shopper you wont be disappointed with Pitt Street Mall, Paddington or The Rocks Market. Historic Hotels : Nobody rates a city on based on historical hotel . Sydney is not a historical city, and most top hotels here are sleek and modern. Would you then rate Singapore as a great city just because of the Raffles Hotel ? Real Attractions : Isnt the Sydney Opera House or the Harbour Bridge "real" attractions ? The Sydney Aquarium is one of the most impressive aquarium in the world, and I enjoy walking through the Botanical Gardens more than New York's Central Park. The Blue Mountains also makes a good day trip. History : Admittedly The Rocks connot be compared with The Forum in Rome . However, I can assure you that its a lot more interesting than Olvera Street in Los Angeles ;) Beaches : Bondi Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. If you are looking for something more suburban, then you will probably like Bronte Beach. And how about one of the northern beaches ? Its almost unbelievable that you would complain about the beaches in Sydney which is a city well known for its beaches :confused: Great Neighbourhood : Go to Double Bay if you want a Rodeo Drive experience, or to Manly if you enjoy a seaside evening stroll, or to Balmain if you want a quaint Victorian feel. If history is all that you are interested in, then go to Greece or Italy. Nobody go to Australia for its history just like nobody visits the US for its history. And you dont need a guidebook for a major city like Sydney (Do you need a guidebook for New york City ?). Just go there and discover the city for youself. I have been there more than 15 times, and each time I pay a visit I discover something new and interesting. |
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