Nations Which are Considered Amazing, But Are Basically Crap Places.

hyperborean

Australia and France, both full of ozzies and frogs...dreadfull

Duckworth_Luas

Pottler wrote: »

Narnia. Lion was off sick, there was no snow and a burger was €50. Worst of all were the queues getting there and back.They seriously need to invest in a better border crossing. Feckin litter and signs everywhere as well. Hated it.

Pretty sure the upgraded to Sliderobes a few years back!

OneArt

Pottler wrote: »

Narnia. Lion was off sick, there was no snow and a burger was €50. Worst of all were the queues getting there and back.They seriously need to invest in a better border crossing. Feckin litter and signs everywhere as well. Hated it.

You can also use paintings. But then you usually have to get a ferry to the mainland which is a bit of a pain.

Cool_CM

LivelineDipso wrote: »

Switzerland

You've obviously not spent much time there.
What's so crap about it?

sparrowcar

LivelineDipso wrote: »

Switzerland
Australia

Dafuq?

Switzerland is probably the most amazing place on earth... Are you a pill bunny who thinks Magaluf is a top spot

/thread

ruthloss

Duckworth_Luas wrote: »

Countries like Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia & the U.S.S.R. should be wiped off the map for ever!

They have not been the same for ages.;)

aaabbbb

Squ wrote: »

How much is a big mac meal here?

Round €6

mandrake04

LivelineDipso wrote: »

Switzerland
Australia

eh...funny you should mention those two.

They got 1 and 2


https://us.v-cdn.net/6034073/

Pottler

Duckworth_Luas wrote: »

Pretty sure the upgraded to Sliderobes a few years back!

Yeah, fair enough, but due to overinvestment in failed property development, they could only stretch to a 2'6" one. They should spend more on the cash-rich tourist and less on the feckin locals if they ever want to get a bit of life going in the place. Getting a Taxi after a night out was a disaster as well. Good scenery in places, but some of the locals were downright aggressive. It was like Wales, but without the good roads..

Duggys Housemate

Squ wrote: »

How much is a big mac meal here?

Big Mac alone is

tree fiddy

or thereabouts.

Cienciano

LivelineDipso wrote: »

Switzerland
Australia

Larbre34 wrote: »

Thailand, China, Mexico, Israel.

The film forum has a great rule. No lists.

Jelly 292

Duggys Housemate wrote: »

Goa is one of the richest parts of India, that much I know. Are you sure you are not equating poverty with culture.

Goa is great because it has quite strong Christian /European /Portuguese associations. This means its quite liberal in attitude to the rest of the country,

i.e. if you are a woman you can were a bikini with no problems. You cannot do this generally in the rest of India.

Goa was stunning decades ago, it is now an overdeveloped hole, full of beer gutted Brits /Germans and Israelis getting off their faces. Package hols and high rises.

Yes Goa has a higher income per capita compared to the rest of India but give me the Sunderbans, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Kerela any day. Poorer, yes but not solely built to accommodate a 10 day pi$$ up.

Palolem beach was the nicest place there but after a week of it I just headed south to Karnataka which actually is what everyone thinks Goa is - chilled out and unspoilt.

And - No, I don't equate poverty with culture, how glib.

speedboatchase

Jelly 292 wrote: »

Yes Goa has a higher income per capitia compared to the rest of India but give me the Sunderbans, Rajasthan, sikkim, Kerela any day. Poorer, yes but not sooley built to accomidate a 10 day pi$$ up.

KARAK TEA!

Solair

In Europe, I think the Netherlands can come across as a bit overrated.

Amsterdam's more seedy and a bit scary than it is cool these days and the rest of the cities I was in seemed really organised, high-density and boring.

Landscape's interesting in so far as it's totally artificial and flat, but once you've seen one chunk of it, the rest is more or less identical so you get a bit bored very quickly.

I think Italy's actually under-rated. I spent a few weeks in Tuscany, and drove around the North a bit and it's almost impossible not to see something amazing. Scenery's stunning, architecture's stunning, roman ruins everywhere, fine art just randomly plonked on the street, everyone's always animated and generally very friendly / happy go lucky. Food's fantastic, wine's cheap and fantastic, weather's fantastic...

OK, it might be really bad at managing its finances and somewhat run by the Mafia, and have issues with petty crime but still, it's cool! I still prefer it to a boring place.

Spain's quite amazing in spots too. Although, it tends to be destroyed by ugly, ugly, ugly blocks of apartments everywhere and sometimes by really grumpy customer service in certain places.

ScumLord

Spain, I like Spain and visit there a good bit to see family but one thing I can't accept is that Spain is a beautiful country (although I've only seen some parts of it, south, east coast Madrid, north may be more my cup of tea).

For the most part Spain is just dry, hard dirt with nothing but the most miserable trees and grass growing sporadically. When I'm presented with their so called views of orange nothingness it's makes me appreciate just how much atmosphere a bit of mist can bring to a scene.

Spain's coastline has been destroyed. They have few small towns so their countryside is either barren or full of farms growing the same thing. When you do get to a small town it's like it's been left at the turn of the century.

They have no concept of health and safety at all, I wouldn't trust them to wire a plug looking at what's acceptable publicly.

It's hardly a crap country though. For the most part everything else is great. As long as you don't live there and have to put up with what they call public services.

Solair

Public safety and technical standards vary enormously north-south in Spain.
If you check out the cities in the Basque Country, Navarra, Galicia, Asturias etc they're all really neat, tidy, safe and organised with excellent provisions for pedestrians etc etc.

When you hit the south it's all sun, sea, chaos and bad wiring

The North of Spain can feel a bit like you've just stepped into Germany or something at times. It doesn't feel like the Spain we all know and holiday in.

Rolling green countryside, cows, sheep, tidy towns, excellent facilities, properly wired plugs ...

Chuck Stone

Got to be Abu Dhabi and places like that surely?

Loads of wealth and expensive shops an shit but **** all fun, no western style freedoms, and scenery that amounts to desert and sea.

Give me Kerry Ireland and a hape of turf any day, I reckon.

aaabbbb

Solair wrote: »

In Europe, I think the Netherlands can come across as a bit overrated.

Amsterdam's more seedy and a bit scary than it is cool these days and the rest of the cities I was in seemed really organised, high-density and boring.

I found Amsterdam to be in some ways alot like Dublin actually but in a kind of better chilled out way. Like the lack of cars absolutely everywhere was refreshing and the general pace of life.

IMO no where is truly a **** hole , I think everywhere has it's own unique charms and attributes going for it even if they are very minor they're still there.

Fattes

Originally Posted by LivelineDipso
Switzerland

Do you have mental problems? By far one of the most outstanding places I have ever visited, Geneva and Zurich I could take or leave but the rest of it is spectacular with warm and welcoming people with a reliable and functioning Public transport system that delivers every time.

Some of the landscapes and culture available is unmatched anywhere in the world.

Overrated = Mauritius, Shockingly bad in every way.

italodisco

I agree , Mauritius is crap. Would also say Amsterdam is overrated. It's great if u rent a push bike and cycle all the routes etc but around the central parts its all pimps, Nigerian and middle eastern oddballs and just creepy after dark.

Dublin is underrated. Apart from the junkies its a top city .

Poland is also underrated, what a great place to spend a few weeks travelling in the summer

ScumLord

Solair wrote: »

The North of Spain can feel a bit like you've just stepped into Germany or something at times. It doesn't feel like the Spain we all know and holiday in.

Rolling green countryside, cows, sheep, tidy towns, excellent facilities, properly wired plugs ...

And now legal weed in a Basque region.

token101

Bolivia. Other than the Salt Flats, it seems like a complete hole.

md23040

Chuck Stone wrote: »

Got to be Abu Dhabi and places like that surely?

Loads of wealth and expensive shops an shit but **** all fun, no western style freedoms, and scenery that amounts to desert and sea.

Bollocks, these place are clean, safe and scumbag free....

Ush1

ScumLord wrote: »

Spain, I like Spain and visit there a good bit to see family but one thing I can't accept is that Spain is a beautiful country (although I've only seen some parts of it, south, east coast Madrid, north may be more my cup of tea).

For the most part Spain is just dry, hard dirt with nothing but the most miserable trees and grass growing sporadically. When I'm presented with their so called views of orange nothingness it's makes me appreciate just how much atmosphere a bit of mist can bring to a scene.

Spain's coastline has been destroyed. They have few small towns so their countryside is either barren or full of farms growing the same thing. When you do get to a small town it's like it's been left at the turn of the century.

They have no concept of health and safety at all, I wouldn't trust them to wire a plug looking at what's acceptable publicly.

It's hardly a crap country though. For the most part everything else is great. As long as you don't live there and have to put up with what they call public services.

The Costa Del Sol is miserable as hell the last few years. Loads of ghost towns and abandoned buildings. I agree on a lot of the workmanship also, shoddy doesn't begin to describe it.

token101

md23040 wrote: »

Bollocks, these place are clean, safe and scumbag free....

Yeah your handbag might be safe, but the place has been built by slaves FFS. They have enough money to pay the workers, but just choose not to. Absolute scum of the highest order.

Sh1tbag OToole

The 'good ole' US of A. Poverty ridden backward dump of a place. People suffering day in day out because of the rich and powerful holding onto ideals the rest of the world gave up on years ago.

enda1

dd972 wrote: »

Brussels is a city that you have to persevere with, 2 or 3 visits uncovers superb nightlife

Rubbish. Lived there for 4 years. Its awful.

smurgen

East coast of the U.S-after visiting now a few times I just really don't see the appeal at all,boring,congested and full of wanker$. the west coast is brilliant though,i'd live there tomorrow.

Wompa1

The Canary Island are such a hole

Australia, This one is likely because it had been hyped so much before I went. The Great Barrier Reef was not worth the effort to get there. Sydney was ok but I didn't think it was anything special. Bondi Beach is way over-rated. Then when I look at what I didn't do like Ayers Rock and Fraser Island...I don't get the appeal of the place. It's crazy expensive, It seemed like there was racially driven attacks mentioned on the news every day. Cairns is a complete tourist trap, it looks like one of the crappy resort place in the Canary Islands.

Grass between the tracks

It is an over rated sh1thole built by and established by criminals.

Wibbs

Solair wrote: »

Public safety and technical standards vary enormously north-south in Spain.
If you check out the cities in the Basque Country, Navarra, Galicia, Asturias etc they're all really neat, tidy, safe and organised with excellent provisions for pedestrians etc etc.

When you hit the south it's all sun, sea, chaos and bad wiring

The North of Spain can feel a bit like you've just stepped into Germany or something at times. It doesn't feel like the Spain we all know and holiday in.

Rolling green countryside, cows, sheep, tidy towns, excellent facilities, properly wired plugs ...

This in a big way. They're like two different countries. North Spain is gorgeous and that region would be a more prosperous neck of the woods than the rest of the place too. Empty(pretty much) of crass tourists too. Seem to have a different mentality too. Weather is damn near perfect. Not so hot your head fries, but not so cold you're bits snap off and not as damp as here.

Workmanship? Yes better than the costas alright, but still not so great in places. Last time I was in the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao you wouldn't want to look too closely at the fixtures and fittings. Bit ropey. Strangely Spanish thing I found. Gorgeous world class and funky architecture, but when you get up close you're thinking "oh they've had some cowboys here". Madrid airport a good example. I was one of the first flights into the new terminal 4. Very cool looking, automated underground trains all very blade runner. A couple of years later and their were cracks all over the place in the marble etc.

token101

Wompa1 wrote: »

Sydney was ok but I didn't think it was anything special. Bondi Beach is way over-rated

Sydney is consistently voted in the top ten most liveable cities in the world, along with Melbourne. But the hype over Bondi is ridiculous, it's not even the best beach in Sydney! Coogee is better in almost every way.

EdenHazard

France and the USA. I love both of them but they're not the countries people think they are. -People in Ireland seem to think life in USA is like a permanent J1, and France, especially in north, is closer to some crap midlands town in mindset and ways of life than it would be to Paris

Super-Rush

Has the op said why they hate Switzerland and Australia yet?

Grass between the tracks

Sir Alex Ferguson wrote: »

Has the op said why they hate Switzerland and Australia yet?

Nope.

ScumLord

Ush1 wrote: »

The Costa Del Sol is miserable as hell the last few years. Loads of ghost towns and abandoned buildings. I agree on a lot of the workmanship also, shoddy doesn't begin to describe it.

Their neighbours the Portuguese don't seem to suffer from the same problems though. I was in one of their holiday home estates that was mostly finished, people had been moved in for a while at one end and they where still completing houses at the other end.

I found the quality of the houses to be second to none, everything was done to the highest of standards and I didn't notice as much rambling power lines in the town. Although I could see guys building the houses down the road and they really took their time doing everything. One guy was taking a shovel of dirt from a barrow at the front of the house and walking with it to the back of the house dumping it and walking back with a chat in between each shovel of dirt.

gobnaitolunacy

Sir Alex Ferguson wrote: »

Has the op said why they hate Switzerland and Australia yet?

More importantly, has the op been to either?

If you critique a country you haven't been to you're kinda talking out your arse IMO.

The Aussie

Sir Alex Ferguson wrote: »

Has the op said why they hate Switzerland and Australia yet?

At a guess. Because he is a Economic Refugee who can't Ski. :pac:

Chuck Stone

md23040 wrote: »

Bollocks, these place are clean, safe and scumbag free....

I'd rather live with a bit of risk and in freedom than live in a sterile anti-democratic anti-civil liberty ****-hole.

Anyone

Sir Alex Ferguson wrote: »

Has the op said why they hate Switzerland and Australia yet?

Swiss Army Boomerangs.

Lollipops23

md23040 wrote: »

Bollocks, these place are clean, safe and scumbag free....

That's what a tour guide told us about Egypt-3 years later they had a revolution and various sex crimes were reported on Western women (inc a news correspondent from the US).

patmac

Scotland crap weather, full of bigots and mane hooers.

WoollyRedHat

Rasheed wrote: »

The only place I was really looking forward to going, and was subsequently disappointed was Brussels. I found the city very expensive,the people rude and the night life was shyte.

Can't say I hated the whole of Belgium because I didn't visit it all.

Chocolate

WesternZulu

No one mentioned the UK yet?

Some parts are great but for the most part it seems like a more overcrowded, industrial, and chavier version of Ireland.

Wompa1

token101 wrote: »

Sydney is consistently voted in the top ten most liveable cities in the world, along with Melbourne. But the hype over Bondi is ridiculous, it's not even the best beach in Sydney! Coogee is better in almost every way.

Do you not find it very expensive? It seemed like there was no grocery stores for miles, only convenience stores that charge out the ass. Then I found a grocery store eventually and it was still really expensive.

I like the Harbor bridge and Darling Harbor. But it didn't seem to have anything over any other major cities I have been to.

ScumLord

ScumLord wrote: »

Spain, I like Spain and visit there a good bit to see family but one thing I can't accept is that Spain is a beautiful country (although I've only seen some parts of it, south, east coast Madrid, north may be more my cup of tea).

For the most part Spain is just dry, hard dirt with nothing but the most miserable trees and grass growing sporadically. When I'm presented with their so called views of orange nothingness it's makes me appreciate just how much atmosphere a bit of mist can bring to a scene.

Spain's coastline has been destroyed. They have few small towns so their countryside is either barren or full of farms growing the same thing. When you do get to a small town it's like it's been left at the turn of the century.

They have no concept of health and safety at all, I wouldn't trust them to wire a plug looking at what's acceptable publicly.

It's hardly a crap country though. For the most part everything else is great. As long as you don't live there and have to put up with what they call public services.

Most of Spain's towns and cities are beautiful, IMO. I'll really miss my current city when I return to the characterless high streets full of chain shops you get in the UK. A lot of the coastline is still beautiful and unspoiled. There are loads of gorgeous national parks to visit with stunning beaches. Yes, it's quite arid and I do miss seeing trees and grass, but I don't think it's ugly. I think you've only seen the crap bits, to be honest. The Costa del Sol and Benidorm aren't representative of Spain. The place does my head in but I do think it's a nice country, on the whole.

I find most places a bit overrated tbh. I hate Amsterdam. Any charm it has in the day is ruined by it becoming a dangerous, seedy sh*thole at night. I hate anywhere where the men ogle you and treat you like a piece of meat, so I didn't really enjoy Morocco. Sweden is generally nice, but the awful weather makes it a bit crap. Luxembourg is beautiful but really boring. I think everywhere has its own list of negative points. I've lived, worked and travelled quite a lot and I've never been anywhere where I'd be totally happy to live.

gobnaitolunacy

patmac wrote: »

Scotland crap weather, full of bigots and mane hooers.

The trouble with Scotland is, it's full of Scots.

My name is URL

I'd have to say the US. And that's as someone who has lived there for 2.5 years and whose father is American born.

Honestly can't understand why it's considered to be the most developed and freest nation on Earth. More people in jail per capita than the next 20 odd countries combined. Tens of thousands serving life sentences for being caught with negligibly more drugs than felony laws allow for, despite them never having caused harm or damage to another person or their property.

Talk of having armed police at every school (already happening in parts of New Jersey)... ffs, even some of the most conflict prone and war torn regions on Earth haven't resorted to doing that. The fact that people are entitled to a free attorney if they can't afford one; yet if they can't afford medical treatment they are left to rot, speaks volumes about the place.

Having said all of that, I lived in San Francisco and really enjoyed my time there, but mainly because I knew it wasn't going to be my home permanently.

Grass between the tracks

My name is URL wrote: »

I'd have to say the US. And that's as someone who has lived there for 2.5 years and whose father is American born.

Honestly can't understand why it's considered to be the most developed and freest nation on Earth. More people in jail per capita than the next 20 odd countries combined. Tens of thousands serving life sentences for being caught with negligibly more drugs than felony laws allow for, despite them never having caused harm or damage to another person or their property.

Talk of having armed police at every school (already happening in parts of New Jersey)... ffs, even some of the most conflict prone and war torn regions on Earth haven't resorted to doing that. The fact that people are entitled to a free attorney if they can't afford one; yet if they can't afford medical treatment they are left to rot, speaks volumes about the place.

Having said all of that, I lived in San Francisco and really enjoyed my time there, but mainly because I knew it wasn't going to be my home permanently.

The east and west coasts are poles apart.

conorhal

smurgen wrote: »

this is how I feel about Switzerland,I was home for the Xmas and one crappy lane in Cork seemed to be filled with more character than the whole of Geneva.

Pretty much.
Geneva is an awful place filled with exactly the sort of people that you expect to live there for the sole reasons of avoiding paying any tax.
It's full of greedy, rude, label obsessed snobs that will call the police if you flush the toilet after 11pm, awful, awful place.