Cities you'd never return to

Balmed Out

force eleven wrote: »

Cairo. Dusty, hot & overcrowded, with suicidal drivers.

All very true. Id never live there. BUT

Nearly everywhere ive been id be happy to go back to but probably wont as id prefer to see somewhere new. Having spent about two weeks in Cairo nearly 15 years ago I know that when the kids are raised it is one city I will definitely go back to.

Im not sure ive ever been somewhere that just felt so foreign. Everything was so different. The sights, the sounds, the smells, the culture. Loved it.

More sights then New york, more history then Rome and as cheap as chips.

El Siglo

Kolkata (Calcutta).

Dirty, hot, lots of poverty, no craic whatsoever. I haven't been to any other Indian cities but it's pretty bad.

homemadecider

El Siglo wrote: »

Kolkata (Calcutta).

Dirty, hot, lots of poverty, no craic whatsoever. I haven't been to any other Indian cities but it's pretty bad.

I actually really enjoyed Kolkata. I had been living in a much smaller town in India for the guts of a year and Kolkata was like a dream come true; proper shops, ice cream, a nice park to walk in, I could even order beef in a restaurant! However if you'd never been to a ****ty town in India before then I could see how Kolkata would drive you demented. The heat and traffic alone are maddening.

eisenberg1

dimcoin wrote: »

Chicago. I have been to many cities in more than a dozen countries, yet I never felt as unsafe as I did in Chicago.

I suppose it depends what part ( like most cities I suppose), I was there a couple of times and found the complete opposite to you, very safe ( I was in city centre which may account for that) even walking around in the very early morning when I could not sleep.

keithclancy

Prague, complete and utter dodgy sh1thole with scammers and illegal taxis all over the place

Warsaw, concrete fake looking boring

Limerick, I don't care if there are nice people there, i'd prefer to drive through it rather than stop in it.

Sligo, people with major drinking / gambling problems in that place

Glasgow - Rough ... just plain rough

Venlo, the only positive thing with Venlo is the train station to get out of the place

Rotterdam - pretty much the same deal as Warsaw.

anto9

Am presently in Savanaket .What a complete **** hole .Am only here for 2 days to get a long term Thai visa .Its hot 40c ,and the only thing keeping me sane is that I stay at a decent hotel and the local beer Lao is excellent .Plus I have an internet connection .lol

CountingClocks

Moscow, once was more than enough. Unless I have the misfortune to be sent there for work again, I'll be avoiding.

1stimpressions

anto9 wrote: »

Am presently in Savanaket .What a complete **** hole .Am only here for 2 days to get a long term Thai visa .Its hot 40c ,and the only thing keeping me sane is that I stay at a decent hotel and the local beer Lao is excellent .Plus I have an internet connection .lol

I did that exact same trip there for the same reason this year. If you feel like venturing outside the hotel, turn right and walk a kilometre or two and there is a very friendly monk who speaks English at his temple. The town itself is a complete right off and closes down early too.

SpaceTime

I would have to say Oslo.

I really liked Norway. Bergen was absolutely beautiful but Oslo was just somewhat soulless or something.

It wasn't at all what I was expecting.

I couldn't say it was a bad experience just that I wouldn't be rushing back.

eisenberg1

Daveysil15 wrote: »

From what I've seen, yes it is. I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree.

Well you seem to be in a minority. Yes there are pickpockets....you get them everywhere almost. To compare to Barcelona is crazy, everyone knows someone who has had a pocket picked in Barcelona. I lived in Dublin, I know LOTS of people there, and I don't know ANYONE who has had a pocket picked.

anto9

1stimpressions wrote: »

I did that exact same trip there for the same reason this year. If you feel like venturing outside the hotel, turn right and walk a kilometre or two and there is a very friendly monk who speaks English at his temple. The town itself is a complete right off and closes down early too.

You give directions ,without knowing what hotel I stay at .lol. Anyway another problem here is that some of the street dogs are very aggressive. When I was walking to the Thai Consulate this morning I came across a pack of 4 dogs who were going to attack even though I got a 2 by 4 piece of wood in hand .Only for the owner calling them back I would have been attacked .I never came across such aggressive street dogs in Thailand .(they are just laid back and sleepy there for the most part).

anto9

>> walk a kilometre or two and there is a very friendly monk who speaks English at his temple<<

He is one of the few then that can speak English here .I even met a Lao /Usa person today whos home is now America for 35 years and his English is dire .

FouxDaFaFa

I can't really think of anywhere I would never return to. Some rough experiences but nowhere I would write off.

Helsinki was a little lifeless but it was a short impression.

San Fran is more dangerous than people realise, so many homeless and there are areas like something out of the Walking Dead with meth-heads. Had a man nearly crash his car telling me to gtfo of a particular street because I "shouldn't be here" and a tourist was shot dead about 3 minutes from our accommodation but I loved the city itself. People were friendly and had a sense of humour to them. It's a kind of weird city so I obviously fit right in.

Tijuana was seedy and there were guns and drugs everywhere. One of the girls I was with found a partially-dissolved pill floating in her drink and one of the guys was drugged, had to be carried back over the border to San Diego. He didn't stop screaming and flailing for hours.

Las Vegas was full of panhandlers in cahoots with the police so they could get away with murder in open view of the cops. The casinos are grim if you're not a gambler. No windows, no clocks on the walls so you lose your concept of time and spend longer in there. Downtown gave off the impression of a once-functioning area that had slowly succumbed to the strip but I hear it's experiencing a real revival in terms of new business.

Downtown LA was probably the most depressing place I've ever been. There were entire streets where every single building was derelict and everyone on the street besides you was off their heads on meth and heroin. These people were just shells. I had so many junkies try to listlessly mug me that it got to the point where it didn't even register anymore, I would just walk off. (They're not hard to outpace).

Then you turn a corner and you meet people who are shells of a different kind. Hollywood.They'll be super nice to you, all the while looking over your shoulder for someone richer/better looking/better connected to arrive. They look down on the meth addicts around the corner but they're on cocaine just to function.There's a hollowness to any social nicety to the point where you wonder if anyone is genuine or if they're just after tips or a leg-up you might be able to give them in the future. I think I would go insane if I had to live there. People talk about there being a simmering mania under Glasgow. No. It's enveloping LA.

OldNotWIse

Budapest.

Vojera

whisky_galore wrote: »

It wouldn't kill you to know small phrases and words like 'please' and 'thank you'.

I did know those phrases and the older Portuguese people still weren't happy with it. I tried using my pidgin Portuguese everywhere and most places it was enough.

Saying that, my having to revert to English wasn't as bad as another guy who was visiting another lab in the same institute as me who insisted on speaking Spanish to everyone he met. He couldn't understand why people found that really insulting.

Blitzkrieger

whisky_galore wrote: »

It wouldn't kill you to know small phrases and words like 'please' and 'thank you'.

You're assuming I don't, but tbh that's not far off all I do learn.

xalot

Havana. Similar to Prague for me in that the locals really ruin the experience. Plus I have a problem with any country that has a 'special' currency specifically to fleece tourists.

Love Barcelona - just stay away from las ramblas.

restive

Brazilia, boring government designed city in a beautiful country.

Dublin, got to be the single most overrated city ever!

I love these threads.

People from some godawful bog in Offaly or wherever telling the world they think Paris, Barcelona, Copenhagen(!?!), Venice, Amsterdam, Prague, San Francisco etc are 'kips'

I know it's all about opinions but all you are showing is your own ignorance.

Have any of those calling Glasgow a kip spent a sunny afternoon in the West End? Did people who don't like Amsterdam get out of the centre and spend time around the canals? three blocks west of the city centre I think Amsterdam is possibly the most beautiful city on the planet! Hamburg - boring? You are doing it wrong. Paris? LOL. Paris is a vast city. Its attractions are pretty much limitless and I've never found the people there particularly rude. Barcelona is an amazing city and fantastic fun if you don't spend all day walking up and down las ramblas.

Agree about Birmingham though.

gg2

Seattle. Weirdest place I've ever been, no atmosphere in it, just a **** hole. It was lovely visiting Pike Place market and the Space Needle, there's great shops and they have a beautiful theatre if there is a show on (also a Cheesecake Factory and who doesn't love a Cheesecake Factory!!??!!) but I still hated the place and wouldn't return there if I was paid.

I am pie

Mystified by people saying that Barcelona, New York and Berlin are boring? Amazed even....!!

OK, I can understand that some people find these places intimidating or that potential to be pickpocketed is a pain (more in Barca), but boring!! Any number of completely stunning museums in all 3, fascinating history (wars, communism, facism, important artistic and political movements, melting pot of all cultures, all 3 you can pretty much dance, dine and drink the night away, all manner of shops and varieties of food), boring? Boring?

Well holy fck...what would you consider not boring? Big cities don't open their arms and welcome you in, you have to grab hold of whats there and take advantage. It's not them, it's you!

Miaireland

I would not go back to Naples. I felt really unsafe there and the city was piled high with rubbish.

I am pie

Deleted User wrote: »

I love these threads.

People from some godawful bog in Offaly or wherever telling the world they think Paris, Barcelona, Copenhagen(!?!), Venice, Amsterdam, Prague, San Francisco etc are 'kips'

I know it's all about opinions but all you are showing is your own ignorance.

Have any of those calling Glasgow a kip spent a sunny afternoon in the West End? Did people who don't like Amsterdam get out of the centre and spend time around the canals? three blocks west of the city centre I think Amsterdam is possibly the most beautiful city on the planet! Hamburg - boring? You are doing it wrong. Paris? LOL. Paris is a vast city. Its attractions are pretty much limitless and I've never found the people there particularly rude. Barcelona is an amazing city and fantastic fun if you don't spend all day walking up and down las ramblas.

Agree about Birmingham though.

Agree with all the above, except Hamburg and Germany outside of Berlin in general. Having been in almost every country in the EU, many in south america, a handful in africa and asia I can safely say that I do not like Hamburg or the personality of the city and it's inhabitants!...so there.

I've too much love for chaos and spontaneity to really take to it, it's me, not Hamburg I accept but I found it very conservative and structured as opposed to the wild abandon of Berlin.

fricatus

Deleted User wrote: »

People from some godawful bog in Offaly or wherever...

... are not entitled to an opinion?

eisenberg1

Deleted User wrote: »

I love these threads.

People from some godawful bog in Offaly or wherever telling the world they think Paris, Barcelona, Copenhagen(!?!), Venice, Amsterdam, Prague, San Francisco etc are 'kips'

I know it's all about opinions but all you are showing is your own ignorance.

Have any of those calling Glasgow a kip spent a sunny afternoon in the West End? Did people who don't like Amsterdam get out of the centre and spend time around the canals? three blocks west of the city centre I think Amsterdam is possibly the most beautiful city on the planet! Hamburg - boring? You are doing it wrong. Paris? LOL. Paris is a vast city. Its attractions are pretty much limitless and I've never found the people there particularly rude. Barcelona is an amazing city and fantastic fun if you don't spend all day walking up and down las ramblas.

Agree about Birmingham though.

To be fair, its people giving their opinion, based on their experience, of a city they did not like and will not be returning to.....

Venturing off the beaten track a little......mmmm, that's an idea. I am sure most would not have thought of that;)

Seriously though, a lot of the opinions may be based on a 2-3 day weekend, in which case, most veer towards the tourist traps, unless you have been before. If you have more time, you will probably find some redeeming feature in a lot of places (maybe not Birmingham :eek:)

By the by, I enjoyed Las Ramblas.....................

I am pie

fricatus wrote: »

... are not entitled to an opinion?

...if they can back it up with some reason they of course are.

New York is boring ? Can you just throw that out there and not expect a certain amout of comeback?

Tony EH

Naples.

annascott

Limerick.

tonto24

Kusadasi! Dirty, run down, horrible sleazy men. Went there on a lads holiday which is always gonna be manic, but this place was just crap. Bad nightlife and generally just crap!

turnikett1

tonto24 wrote: »

Kusadasi! Dirty, run down, horrible sleazy men. Went there on a lads holiday which is always gonna be manic, but this place was just crap. Bad nightlife and generally just crap!

Well to be honest Muslim countries aren't exactly the prime locations to go for "lads holidays"...!

uch

Barcelona, Dirty smelly shíthole

Frog Song

Was really disappointed with San Francisco. Thought I'd love it. American cities in general actually, their homeless situation is depressing and Americans are the most annoying creatures on this planet. Not all but a hell of a lot! Hated Las Vegas with a passion. Though I liked New York, I'd go back there again.

Cairo and Naples were dodgy.

The most unsafe I've ever felt was Nairobi. I couldn't wait to get out of there.

Sunny Beach in Bulgaria, anywhere that thinks it's entertainment to make a poor, half dead Bear dance for tourists is in my bad books. I know this isn't the only place that does it but it's the only place I've personally seen it. And it's meant to be illegal. Disgusting carry on.

In general I try to find the best in any place I go so I haven't really truly hated anywhere I've been. Except Bulgaria!

fricatus

Frog Song wrote: »

Sunny Beach in Bulgaria, anywhere that thinks it's entertainment to make a poor, half dead Bear dance for tourists is in my bad books. I know this isn't the only place that does it but it's the only place I've personally seen it. And it's meant to be illegal. Disgusting carry on.

:eek:

I was there and found it grand... I never would have gone if I thought that sort of thing went on. When were you there?

It's like something out of Borat... "we heff dencink bear show - you buy teecket???"

Tony EH

Yeh, agree on San Francisco.

It's just fake. Fake atmosphere, fake positivity, fake everything...except for their homeless problem.

It was utterly depressing to see the sheer amount of homeless people on the streets of San Francisco. Going to work in the morning, looking at people in 10,000 dollar suits on Market street strolling by old Chinese ladies searching bins for a bit of food.

It was absolutely disgusting, and a striking symbol of everything that wrong with American society.

The vast majority of the homeless are there because they're mentally handicapped, but without the ability to pay for their care, they end up on the streets, left to die.

The only thing worth seeing in San Francisco is the USS Pampanito.

smurgen

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I love these threads.

People from some godawful bog in Offaly or wherever telling the world they think Paris, Barcelona, Copenhagen(!?!), Venice, Amsterdam, Prague, San Francisco etc are 'kips'

I know it's all about opinions but all you are showing is your own ignorance.

Have any of those calling Glasgow a kip spent a sunny afternoon in the West End? Did people who don't like Amsterdam get out of the centre and spend time around the canals? three blocks west of the city centre I think Amsterdam is possibly the most beautiful city on the planet! Hamburg - boring? You are doing it wrong. Paris? LOL. Paris is a vast city. Its attractions are pretty much limitless and I've never found the people there particularly rude. Barcelona is an amazing city and fantastic fun if you don't spend all day walking up and down las ramblas.

Agree about Birmingham though.

Paris is a dump overall in my opinion.i''ve been there about 20 times as some of my friends are from there.it's very dirty in parts and can be very dangerous too.I also done all the touristy things there.so yeah in my opinion it's a dump.do not understand the romanticism associated with it.some good clubs there though.

Lollipops23

Cairo would be top of list of "places I'll never go back to". Actually, all of Egypt.

I'm glad I saw Egypt, but would never see myself returning. The fact that all tourists get ill when visiting (in my case, pretty seriously) due to the lack of hygiene is suggestive of how they see their tourism industry. I full understand that it's a different world and there's a huge amount of poverty, but the assumption that we all came from a wealthy background got annoying VERY fast. Myself and my mate scrimped and saved to be able to travel there.

And the fact that men thought it was ok to perv on us openly made us uncomfortable from the off. Again, if much of your income comes from western tourists, learn what they deem to be inappropriate and upsetting.

Bogger77

ElChe32 wrote: »

TBH while they are incredibly attractive they are a bit standoffish mainly because Swedish guys are utterly useless as picking them up unless they are beyond drunk.
Turn up there with the Irish accent and a bit of charm and it does wonders! WONDERS I TELL YE

there's my summer holidays sorted

Frog Song

fricatus wrote: »

:eek:

I was there and found it grand... I never would have gone if I thought that sort of thing went on. When were you there?

It's like something out of Borat... "we heff dencink bear show - you buy teecket???"

Must have been about 7 years ago now. I'm not sure if it still goes on or not but friends of mine were there more recently (maybe 3 years ago?) and saw it too. It really put me off the place, so upsetting, the bear had its teeth and claws removed too. I'd say the poor creature is dead by now, I hope he is to release him from that cruelty When I came home I donated to a charity that helps the bears and were trying to stop it, it got to me so much. The British and Irish tourists clapping along with their kids was even more depressing

Maybe things have changed, I hope so. But I'll never have fond memories of it thanks to that.

Lollipops23

Bogger77 wrote: »

there's my summer holidays sorted

It's true, I had a male mate living in Sweden and he was scoring like a Jedi.

Frog Song

Tony EH wrote: »

Yeh, agree on San Francisco.

It's just fake. Fake atmosphere, fake positivity, fake everything...except for their homeless problem.

It was utterly depressing to see the sheer amount of homeless people on the streets of San Francisco. Going to work in the morning, looking at people in 10,000 dollar suits on Market street strolling by old Chinese ladies searching bins for a bit of food.

It was absolutely disgusting, and a striking symbol of everything that wrong with American society.

The vast majority of the homeless are there because they're mentally handicapped, but without the ability to pay for their care, they end up on the streets, left to die.

The only thing worth seeing in San Francisco is the USS Pampanito.

Completely agree with every word of this! It's appalling. I don't know how people can enjoy the city when that's everywhere you turn! It's not something I could overlook.

bodice ripper

Barcelona and Orlando. I just hated being there.

thrashmetalfan

Tony EH wrote: »

Yeh, agree on San Francisco.

It's just fake. Fake atmosphere, fake positivity, fake everything...except for their homeless problem.

It was utterly depressing to see the sheer amount of homeless people on the streets of San Francisco. Going to work in the morning, looking at people in 10,000 dollar suits on Market street strolling by old Chinese ladies searching bins for a bit of food.

It was absolutely disgusting, and a striking symbol of everything that wrong with American society.

The vast majority of the homeless are there because they're mentally handicapped, but without the ability to pay for their care, they end up on the streets, left to die.

The only thing worth seeing in San Francisco is the USS Pampanito.

I saw all that too when I was in san fran. lots of poor homeless that need looking after because of course they are mentally ill. the only good thing was haight street. lots of cool record stores there at the time I was there in 1998, amoeba music is mental what with the amount of stock they have. to be quite blunt after reading all the horror stories, a nice weekend in Termonfeckin would do me grand!!

fricatus

Frog Song wrote: »

The British and Irish tourists clapping along with their kids was even more depressing

Jeez, you'd have thought ourselves and the Brits would be fairly turned off by that sort of thing in this day and age! :mad:

Frog Song

fricatus wrote: »

Jeez, you'd have thought ourselves and the Brits would be fairly turned off by that sort of thing in this day and age! :mad:

Afraid not. If they were the guy wouldn't be doing it.

Bogger77

Olive8585 wrote: »

Really? I found it quite nice. Boring as fcuk though.

Nice and boring, but train station area smells of wee, and was one of the few places I didn't feel safe in.

City center was ok, again not ultra exciting. I don't plan to go back, but I wouldn't avoid it either. it's less than 90mins by train from Vienna/Wien, and a 2 day return ticket with public transport in Bratislava included was less than 16e last summer.

Bogger77

purplecow1977 wrote: »

Prague, Krakow, Budapest (Yes I know they appeared!) Ljubljana, Zadar, Split, Mostar, Sarajevo, Dubrovnik

been to the first 3, if you're travelling on the night train between Krakow and Prague/Praha, I found that to be a brutal trip

bring water, and your own pillow and sheet, if you can pay an agency to book you a cabin, the couchettes are brutal, very soviet.

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

whackjob

Anywhere in Croatia, riga, blenheim NZ( not a city) derby,vittoria ....belfast
I will surely think of a few more !!

Mensch Maschine

Borderfox wrote: »

Prague, beautiful city but the people in it are wan**r's!!

That's funny you say that because I was bought a shot by some guy in a bar. Turns out they were criminals (according to a friend who was local), smartly dressed, rough looking dudes. Anyway, I said "why?" and he just said that he wants us to gave a good memory of Prague and Czech people.

Happened again in another club but it was enough for a joint. Guy collecting his gf at a club overheard me talking about smoking. He came back and said "here, have this." I was skeptical again. I asked "how much" but he just said "no, take it" and said something along the lines of wanting us to have a good memory of Prague.

But then again, I'm friendly and people talk to me all the time and vice versa.

So, you know I do the same when I come across tourists. I go out of the way to give them directions, take them to a bar they'd like and just generally make them feel welcome. You can be in a **** city but if the people are nice, you'll go back.

dj jarvis

Spring Onion wrote: »

Your exact line was "you think Dublin city has a junkie problem ??? go to ANY major German city , go to the main train station of that city , and sit back and enjoy the zombie show"

I am not disputing any other German cities, I am saying Leipzig is a huge train station and has no junkie problem in it or around it. A simple apology will suffice.

LOL , will it now !!! an apology you say

So you are asking us to believe that ONE city has managed to wipe out the zombie and drunk infestation ? HALLELUJAH !!!
but , why dont the rest of the German city's just copy this panacea that Leipzig has managed , or maybe the reality is your talking out the top of your hat.

and really , even if ONE city did manage it , that makes your point more valid and mine less? ????

RRRIGGGHHHHTTTT BOSCO !!!!!

pedants - dont you just LOVE them , missing the bigger picture since forever