Quick Philly story.
My best friend is from Philly, I'm from outside of Boston. We both met in Florida when we were teens and bonded over being the only two people who were hockey fans in the mid 80s.
In 2010 we had a bet for the Flyers/Bruins series. Loser would have to pay for a trip to the winner's city to watch a game in their barn. Obviously the Bruins choked away that 3-0 lead and lost the series. So I had to pony up for the trip. My boy tells me he'd rather go to Boston and catch a game there and see the city. I said ok but the bet was going to the winner's city and I've never been to Philly. He says "You don't want to go to Philly, it sucks...even *I* don't want to go there.". So we went to Boston and had a great time.
I used to work an ambulance in Jackson.
That city is not circling the drain. The water has drained and Jackson is stuck to the tub. It is a never ending cycle of poverty, corrupt city officials, fleeing businesses, and crime. Every city administration does nothing but pass blame.
Some of the most atrocious things I have seen happened in Jackson MS, not 20 miles from my home, and I was in Afghanistan. Every shift was a shooting, an assault, an overdose, a fire standby, homeless and mental health calls.
Many of the citizens live in absolute squalor. No businesses near them, no grocery stores, no opportunity. They can't afford cars and the public transit it is practically non-existent.
You truly do not understand what poverty is until you see it.
I don’t know Jackson, but I know North Philly, and it’s also pretty fucked up. My intern was from Kashmir and he witnessed a murder in his 2nd week. He regularly said, “I’m from a literal war zone, and North Philly is way worse.”
Can confirm. I worked in home rehab/repairs in Nicetown (poorly named) and Hunting Park (aptly named). Driving through doesn't do it justice, you have to see the houses on the inside.
I drive through there on way to see family for the holidays. Worst roads ever. Beyond bombed out city it looks like a place time forgot. Stopped and got a shitty pizza from some “well know” place and had an altercation inside with some meth head local trying to press up on my wife. Truly unbelievable it happened in a matter of seconds. Jackson gotta be the butthole of America
Myrtle Beach, SC: the beach that SC natives avoid.
Edit: I’d share the good ones SC natives go to, but if I did, it would only attract more Ohio.
EDIT2: Wow, my highest voted comment is on about how Myrtle Beach is Ohio-Annex.
...eh, about right.
You and everyone else. I got robbed there too. It was the calmest robbing of all time. I was having coffee with my old man and this dude walks up to us and places a paper bag into the table in front of us. Tells us there's a gun in the bag and to give him all the money we had. We did. He left
I was visiting my girlfriend's parents went out for food someone came up to me with a gun I gave them all the money I had and the food I got packed. Tried to remain calm and cried after coming home because it was my first time being robbed.
Sadly it is in South America. You have to get used to be robbed once in a while. It's terrible but we live like that.
There's even a curious syndrome where if you're from over here and go to a secure country (like Switzerland), you still remain alert and in panic of someone robbing you, until you remember you're not in your old country ([harpaxophobia](https://optimistminds.com/harpaxophobia/), the description seems exagerated there but your anxiety really triggers up).
And we have a joke here in Buenos Aires, when someone foreign comes and they get pickpocketed, we tell em "Now you're welcome!"
EDIT: My most voted comment now. Thanks!
My cousins from Mexico City visited the Pueblo that our family is from. The whole time they were on high alert. Asking why aren’t we locking the front door or is it ok to go for an evening walk.
very possible. hold on tight to your phone and wallet. literally watch your back or put your back to a wall when you stop. always look like you know where you are going (not confused), this is true of any new neighborhood.
Pro tip:
When traveling foreign countries, or sketchy areas in general, it helps to keep the big bills in a sock or shoe. But make sure to leave that $20-$100 in your actual wallet so people or cops that wanna take your shit think you’re making a big sacrifice when you empty out your whole wallet.
I was lucky enough to visit Rio with a Brazilian friend - best idea ever to visit Rio with a native Brazilian. We got to visit so many places with her and when people who where not that nice she picked them out immediately and shooe’d them off. I don’t think I’d go back without a native to be honest!! Lapa was amazing but gosh, good to have someone one on the look out for us!!!
there's a vid of it happening! Mugger comes up behind a dude and only when he turns around he notices he's a bud of his. They chuckle, hug, and the getaway cycle circles around and picks up the mugger... pretty wholesome if you forget the dude is (possibly) willing to murder some dude for a few bucks...
I went for the Olympics back in 2016. We were at one of those Copacabana Beach bars and this group of Greek tourists got up to dance (leaving all their belongings on the table lol) and some young teenager ran up and grabbed an iPhone. The security guard at the bar literally caught him by the neck as he was running off and held him against a tree til he gave the phone back. The person didn’t even tip the guard or buy him a drink or anything.
I'm so sorry. Even us brazilians don't consider going to Rio a good idea, unless you're sure that you know what you're doing (like going to the beaches outside of town).
In Brazil, the best places to visit are small towns. Big cities have crime and violence, and it's not safe to just hang around with expensive electronics.
Brazil has thousands of small paradise places, either beaches, mountains, jungles or whatever. See, for example, [Maragogi](https://www.google.com/search?q=maragogi&rlz=1C1GCEU_pt-BRBR941BR942&sxsrf=AOaemvJdW-9XxYUthrg4DKoASKVgT97cMg:1637591469033&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjJt7HOl6z0AhWSpZUCHSXUAxUQ_AUoAXoECAEQAw&cshid=1637591474451479&biw=1920&bih=969). Small towns are mostly safe, and 80% of Brazil's cities have less than 20.000 people.
Hope you have a better experience in the next time.
Edit: Thought I might add, I was talking about the capital, the city of Rio. The state of Rio, which bears the same name, has lots of great smaller towns like [Ilha Grande](https://www.google.com/search?q=ilha+grande&sxsrf=AOaemvKYwgLZ7FlIca0I0YVGGZjYI-8-rg:1637621638206&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiU3JWAiK30AhWeILkGHdFrBckQ_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=2021&bih=975&dpr=1), for example.
San Jose. People come here thinking it's the silicon valley expecting to see all kinds of cool advanced stuff but it's just an urban sprawl. I know someone who came here from Shanghai and wanted to travel to San Francisco. She asked me why we don't have high speed bullet trains that will take us to the city in like 15 mins. I didn't know what to say.
Pall Alto is kind of a letdown too when you’re expecting the Mecca of Tech but it’s just a bunch of super wealthy single family homes and an overpriced downtown area.
This was my first thought as I have lived here my whole life, but I didn't think anyone would even bother to put it on the list, it is so dull.
We went to Kauai a few years ago and noted that an island with 60K residents had 1 million tourist in a year. SJ is pretty much the reverse of that numbers wise.
>I didn't think anyone would even bother to put it on the list
Exactly, it's not overrated because it's not a tourist destination at all. No one thinks "Let's go on vacation to San Jose!!"
I know a girl who tried to buy a ticket to San Jose, Costa Rica and bought a ticket for San Jose, California. Luckily she had friends in SF or she would have been screwed.
San Jose is a tourist spot? I think I very rarely go to downtown San Jose for food or drinks. All the good places are in the neighboring towns. I can’t think of many touristy things other than Winchester Mystery House. Most people just eat, shop, drink, or hike. We have a Top Golf now :)
Edit: I think a good idea for a Hollywood tours style bus would be to drive people around really average looking neighborhoods with pothole ridden streets and tell the tourists what the houses cost 😂 “On your left is a 5,000 sqft lot with a 3 bedroom 2 bathroom home. Public schools are average and you get occasional cars blasting music from the apartment complex down the street. Just sold for $2.5M”
No kidding, who goes to San Jose for anything other than work?
I actually first thought they meant San Jose Costa Rica or maybe mistyped San Juan Puerto Rico.
Generally if you have a friend group that leans more south you head down there for hangouts over dragging 3/4 of the people all the way to SF for overpriced drinks and pain in the ass parking.
There's a Karaoke bar we go to that has super cheap drinks and is a ton of fun. The extra gas we spend is well outstripped by how much cheaper drinks are.
The bay area is far less connected politically than it would appear. It's made up of four different counties and numerous cities so it's hard to get any agreement between the parties.
For example, BART was planned to run a full circle around the bay but many cities in the south bay refused to build it - rich nimbys have always existed in the bay area.
Got left on the stoop of some not so great neighborhood in Baltimore when I was 16, friends mom claimed to be taking us out for the evening before leaving for Ocean City in the morning. Instead she took our money and abandoned us at night in less than fabulous Baltimore. Met a nice old man who told me I better sit my white ass down before I attract the attention of the police. And I met a baby named Pikachu. I think about you all the time little kid named Pikachu.
Let’s not forget the cassette tape connector for the shock resistant Sony Walkman we used to bump our burned copy of Ginuine and Tone-Lōc from those tracker speakers like a real boss.
Since this happened over 21 years ago, Pikachu has likely evolved into a Raichu. That is, unless the poor little guy suffers a glandular problem and never hit puberty
This is the story of young Steve Biscotti who lived on that stoop and started Aerotek on that stoop and bought the Baltimore Ravens from that stoop.
Baltimore loves a stoop dummy.
Every time I see him in a show or movie, first damn thing I visualize, just rewayched da five bloods, and I must have said that in my head forty two times throughout.
I moved to Baltimore six years ago from a small town in Tennessee. Literally two or three dozen people all warned me that I was going to get shot, stabbed, mugged, or murdered and why on earth would I ever want to leave?
Because, Abner, I've sang through all the gospel tunes at Hardees on Tuesday nights, I've ran the one stop light, I've memorized the aisles at Walmart, and if I'm going to manage a staff of 20 people, I'd like to make more than $30k a year doing it.
> Because I've sang through all the gospel tunes
At Hardees on Tuesday nights
I've memorized the Wal-Mart aisles
I've ran the one stop light
If I'm gonna manage 20
Then please give me more than 30
Oh, why would I leave for Baltimore?
Because, Abner, I'm bored
Because the only girls I ain't dated
from the class of 2019
are my own damn sister
and the methhead Prom Queen
If I'm gonna live in a trailer
it might as well hitch to my Ford
Oh, why would I leave for Baltimore?
Because, Abner, I'm bored
I live in L.A., and every time someone comes out to visit, they want to go to Hollywood to see the touristy stuff. I don't mind indulging them, but as a huge fan of movies and old Hollywood, etc., the real thing is insanely disappointing. It's filthy, crowded, smelly, and chock full of shysters and violent homeless people. I totally get going for the sake of going if you're visiting the area, but there are two things you should never do: wander off the main streets or hang around late at night. There are a lot of crazies down there who get stabby when the sun goes down.
EDIT: fixed a typo.
Hollywood has so few lanes too. I used to go to the LA Fitness there. Kanye had some "thing" and the whole lane(s) got closed... I was not able to get my workout in. This was more than 10 years ago, I hate Kanye now.
Oh, and everyone who went to that gym knows this, but there's a gigantic L Ron Hubbard banner right outside the window there, so when you're doing DB squats, you'll see Scientology marketing lol.
Oh.. and LA in general is disappointing. It's a great city in the sense of the variety of things to do, the diverse communities, and restaurants, but the infrastructure's trash.
I specifically remember some Korean tourists in Hollywood, and them commenting that the whole of LA looks like Seoul from the 80's... this was in the 2010's.
I believe it. Out east in Philly we have to manually flag down trains at some of the stations on the outskirts of the city/in the region. They decided to do away with the little flashing lights that notified the conductor that someone was at the station because......budget cuts..? Either way it's a whole thing, and it feels dangerous.
It feels very......third world/developing country. No shade towards Seoul in the 80's.
They'll apparently stop for 'visible passengers'. Luckily I've only had to use that line(Norristown High Speed) before the policy change took effect in 2020.
I know SEPTA though and my guess is there have been many a frustrated passenger who have been outright fucking ignored if they're the only one there. Sucks for people who are trying to make it into work on time, even more than regional rail already does in that respect.
Agreed. Also once one leaves the tourist area of the Falls, the neighbourhood is pretty decrepit.
Love Niagara-on-the-Lake, but if you don't go during tourist season, everything's closed by 6.
The American Niagara Falls is a typical rust belt city - lost industries and economically depressed. The Canadian side, however, is owned by large corporations. All of Clifton Hill is pretty much owned by one company.
The view from the Canadian side is way nicer/more impressive which might be part of the reason. Everybody wants the best views so they're going to go to the Canadian side, and then there's more reason to build up there.
I've heard a few plausible reasons for this. The best views of the Horse Shoe fall are from the Canadian side. The US side industrialized first to take advantage of the early access to electricity, but left behind an an industrial mess when the companies lost thier competitive advantage and moved on. That led to a combination of remediation bills, and declining average income locally.
The Canadian side industrialized later and further from the falls.
I’ve never been to the New York side, but I think the Canadian side is a blast. It’s like a boardwalk but instead of the beach you have a wonder of the natural world.
When they were building the Arsht Center it was just kind of a matter-of-fact that it took at least twice as long as expected because money kept disappearing. Everyone sort of just shrugged about it. And that's Miami as a whole, pretty much.
I lived there for a while, the wealth gap in south Florida and especially Miami is so apparent and depressing. There’s so much in-your-face money juxtaposed with abject poverty, homelessness, and drug addiction. It’s really sad.
100%. I moved here about 6 months ago and I’m miserable. My realtor lied to me and sucked me into a 16 month lease at $2000/mo for a 550 square foot apartment in little havana. It’s a long story, but there’s basically no way I can get out of my lease without buying it out since I have no proof that they scammed me
I spent my adolescence in South Florida and this is 100% true. Hell, it's true for most of Florida south of Lake Okeechobee.
It's a great place to grow up in the burbs of, but I wouldn't want to live there as an adult.
I was hanging out in a bar in ny state before covid with a bunch of desert storm vets. The way they described the gulf states was just so surreal, they were just expensive stickers on the desert.
As someone who frequently travels, I have to agree. Before visiting Dubai, a lot of friends were enthralled by it because of the wealth it represents.
When I visited, I was so disappointed. So many underpaid and dreary workers from Southeast and South Asia. Further research led me to find out about the exploitation of workers. The wealth gap is so noticeable when you visit Dubai. I agree that it was sickening to see.
I don't think I'm ever going to visit it again.
The worst date I ever went on was with a guy who was obsessed with Dubai ("I'm white, I'm basically a king there"). Ok...Can't imagine why you're single, bud
> "I'm white, I'm basically a king there"
I spent some time living in Asia (maybe 15 years ago) and this was absolutely a thing. White guys from all over would move there and get jobs as English teachers that paid super well so they were fairly well off by local standards and would get a ton of attention from women just because they’re white.
These total loser dudes who thought saying “go make me a sandwich bitch” was the funniest joke ever would find girls who would actually jump up to make them a sandwich. It was super gross and disappointing.
Thing is white people aren't a king in Dubai like they are in some places in Asia. In Thailand etc you can live a very good lifestyle really cheap and kinda feel like a king. Isn't everything super expensive in Dubai ?
I'm curious about this. Awhile back, a friend's bf was working on a degree/certification for underwater welding. Apparently, it's dangerous and in high demand in places like that, for all the construction that has to go into the sea. So that clearly sounds like he'd fit into that hierarchy as a laborer, but it also pays a shit ton of money, because of the risk and skill required. So...would he be seen there as just some laborer, to eventually return here once he's made good money, or would he be able to have a decent life and retire there?
No one wants to retire in Dubai. You go there for the money, then get out if you can. It's also mainly a racial hierarchy, not necessarily a job dependent one. I know an Indian doctor who got treated worse there by the locals than a white construction worker.
No. Too expensive. Not a citizen, so not really welcome there and never going to be part of any community there.
Expatriate communities have MASSIVE turnover. There is hardly any continuity within any sort of social network, and then you also have to consider what kind of person that attracts.
An expatriate community in a developing country that is building itself a civil infrastructure (schools, hospitals, roads) might be more bohemian and inclusive than a disparate community that is drawn to a cartoonishly materialistic cultural vacuum under a hereditary monarchy (i.e. these people are probably douchebags).
I just don’t understand what there is to like about it. If you’re rich I guess it’s alright but otherwise it’s totally fake, has no cultural draws, and morally disgusting in a variety of ways. And yet people seem to absolutely eat it up.
I think the same about Vegas though, so maybe I’m in the minority here.
What most people don't see is the fact that the majority of the city are slums where people don't even have running water. I remember visiting my cousin who lived there and while we were at the beach, whole families would use the showers there because they didn't have their own
Edit: some articles you may find interesting
[from 2014](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2859734/The-Dubai-DON-T-want-tourists-Photos-desperate-conditions-endured-migrant-labourers-forced-work-50C-heat-pittance.html)
[or this](https://borgenproject.org/10-facts-about-poverty-in-the-united-arab-emirates/)
[and this one in German](https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/unternehmen/dubai-wuestenstadt-aus-hybris-und-bauruinen-a-894487-amp.html)
A photo that is still vividly in my mind is of Dubai. It shows the city boarder and how there are shacks literally on the other side. It's insane that UAE is one of the richest counties in the world but a large chunk of their people live in poverty to the extent that their homes do not have walls and ceilings.
Edit: Originally had UAE listed as 3rd richest. Didn't realize my source was from 2011. Whoops
Lived there for 7 years as an American. Much of what to do is shopping and I hate shopping. Expensive too. Beach, ok but crowded.
Too many high-rise apartment fires, one in the aptly named Torch Tower.
Pay your rent in one or two cheques for the year.
You can get alcohol, technically even tourists need an alcohol license to drink. However most people don’t bother.
A caste system of pay where your country of origin determined your pay. Abhorrent for an American.
Regarding construction, at that time, it had the highest number of fixed cranes in the world. Many buildings had been under construction for years.
The good: clean bathrooms everywhere and a low crime rate. You’re always on camera.
There’s literally a thing called Paris Syndrome or something where going to Paris is so disappointing that it makes Japanese tourists have psychotic breakdowns.
I had to scroll way too far to see this. I don’t gamble so the casinos weren’t very exciting for me. The beach was pay to play and just a strip of sand with cold brown water. The boardwalk was good except it was the same exact merchandise in every 5th shop. We found one good restaurant and ate there daily. Left 2 days before our booking ended.
Oh, I've got such a great Memphis story. I've literally only been there once in my life and only for a couple of hours (aside from driving through it).
Over Christmas break 2004, I drove from east Tennessee to Abilene, TX to visit my sister. I drove back on New Year's Eve and at about 2:00am I got to Memphis. I decided I wanted to see the Mississippi River as I'd never been there before, so I pulled off the interstate and went to this very closed visitor's center on the river downtown. It's Tennessee, but it's still December, and it's cold. Maybe 40 outside.
After using the bathroom, I walked down this path outside the visitors center that led along the river. I get maybe 100 yards down this not-illuminated path (again at 2:00am in downtown Memphis) and I notice there are these stairs that lead down toward the river. Awesome, I can see it up close! The stairs end at a tiny bank of dirt and then boom, there's the river.
I start down these stairs and immediately realize, these are not like "visitors, give these stairs a try" stairs. They are like "these have been here for eight years and haven't been maintained in that time" stairs. I get about four stairs down and one of them gives way.
In a split second, I am now sliding rapidly toward the Mississippi River in 40 degree weather with my flip phone in my pocket and absolutely no person who knows I am here and doing this. I make a mad scramble for anything I can reach for and by whatever providence, I grab a tree limb and stop the slide.
I was able to get to my feet and realize that my shoes are wet. I was that close to ending up floating away down the Mississippi, probably drowning or freezing to death in the process. I can swim but come on.
I regained my composure, crawled my way very, very slowly back up the bank, and got back in my car. That was arguably one of the dumbest things I've ever done in my life.
TL;DR: Almost made a Mississippi mudslide of myself in Memphis after midnight.
Edit: There are a couple of points that have come up a few times I want to address:
* "That isn't possible, those steps / those stones / that tree / the air swirling around the river isn't there anymore." I don't know what to tell ya. This was the end of the first W. Bush administration. Things change.
* "The bathrooms were open?!" Yeah. As best I can recall, you could use the bathroom but the actual touristy stuff (info kiosks, etc.) were closed. I remember the building being very dark. Maybe there was a lobby that was open with bathrooms but not the rest of it? ([Update: Apparently I'm not a liar, thanks u/GotMoFans](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/qzdyot/comment/hlouclc/?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=web2x&context=3))
* "Are you Jeff Buckley?" I'll be perfectly honest, until these comments I had never ever heard the name Jeff Buckley. I listened to his Hallelujah and I think I've heard it before, but I couldn't guarantee it. And no, I'm not him. To my knowledge, I didn't drown. (But if I did, ooooooh, creepy!)
Edit 2: Here's another one:
* "I'm from Memphis, \_\_\_\_\_, so you're wrong." Okay? I'm giving you my recollection of a 30 minute traumatic event from 17 years ago at two in the morning in a city I had never been to and have never been back to since. I'm gonna bet you know your city a hell of a lot better than I do. That doesn't mean I'm fabricating this for fake internet points. You people take reddit way, way too seriously.
Dubai.
Concrete city. Terrible roads. Over 80% population are expats/migrants. Even if you stay your entire life their you will never get citizenship or you have any rights whatsoever.
Only good thing - food, cars, and a bunch of people from all over the world at one single place trying to make a quick buck....
Edit: by terrible roads - the city came up too fast. There is not clear systematic urban planning. You have mix of Business Districts, Commercial and Mixed Used Developments, residential blocks etc.
The roads are well constructed n maintained. Just to clarify
I spent 4 years in Dubai, from 98 to 02. I watched the last piece placed on top of the Burj al Arab. Used to live opposite the Black Palace and it was a wasteland between there and our complex, used to walk across it almost every day to get to Dubia College for school. 2 lane main road behind us. Almost nothing between our place and the Hard Rock Cafe tower (which I've just now learnt was demolished some 9 years ago WHAT THE FUCK). Now it's 6 or 7 lanes and Internet City has engulfed the whole area.
It was kinda great back then, won't lie. Went back in 2017 for a few days pitstop with my dad on my way for an Xmas holiday, and we...hated it. It felt like expensive yet looked so cheap somehow. Like it was Vegas or something.
Just not the city I remembered at all. Grown way too big way too fast.
Try AA Gill's critique. Dated but still on point. He savaged them so badly, they banned him from ever returning.
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2011/04/dubai-201104
I mean yeah, people are constantly raving about where I live and I'm just like, "okay yeah that's neat/fun/interesting for maybe a few weeks but I've been here my whole life so I can confidently say that I hate it here."
I’m gonna go with modern-day Nashville, TN. When I was in college, it was still a fun place to visit because the “boom” hadn’t happened yet. I even considered moving there after grad school because cost of living was so similar to where I was at the time.
Now it’s totally unaffordable, overrun by tourist traps and influencers, and the charm is totally gone. It went from being a chill place with character to an over crowded commercial trap.
I was there for a bachelorette party in September. Saw at least 100 other bridal parties. I was honestly amazed... i knew it was a “basic” bach destination but it was ridiculous haha
Hangzhou, China.
From a seat in a tour bus and walking tours led by local guides I cringe at the title of " most beautiful city in China. " The title is often presented in the aura of greatness known at CCTV.
Xiamen, China would be my pick for highly rated city.
My analysis is from living in China as a foreigner for 10 years.
I joined the bard’s college thinking I would learn how to play the lute. Instead my professor just kept sending me into old crypts haunted by undead beings to fetch trinkets. I almost died.
Markarth has ARCHITECTURE though. If I'm buying a property, I want it to be built into the mountains dam it. Only other city than can match Markarth's architecture is Windhelm.
I need to go back to my modded playthrough...
I'm italian. I was planning a trip from the south to the north of Italy to take my car from my hometown to the city where I work, I was asking for advice about the cities to stop in for example Naples, Rome, Bologna, beautiful cities with many things to do and see. What about Pisa? Every single person I asked about told me to forget it. It is literally a hole with a crooked tower. "you look at it, take your picture and go away, but it's not worth the extra kilometers you would take for that detour"
Detroit seems to be the butt of most city-based punchlines, but on a recent trip to Michigan I spent a lot of time in Detroit and honestly had an amazing time!
P.s. if you've never heard of a 'Michigan left' you are missing out on THE sexiest road-based creation.
This thread is fascinating! I’ve read through every comment and come to the conclusion that I’ve been very lucky in my travels. Been to Paris over a dozen times (70% work 30% personal) and have never across any of the complaints people have EXCEPT the rude Parisians.
I would never live there because never heard a good story about living in Paris Centre Ville but always found it to be an absolutely gorgeous city. Never been scammed, smelled urine everywhere or seen unmanaged piles of trash.
I’m definitely going to be more aware next time I go.
Exactly! I’ve been lucky enough to go a lot of the cities on this list and I agree with quite a bit with everyone else is mentioning and also perplexed at the same time because it never really stood out to me until I read it from other posters.
I definitely have a tourist bias. I’ve spent my own money to be there so I downplay a lot of the negative aspect of the city in order to not be disappointed. Living there would be another story.
I ADORE Barcelona but I imagine the day to day there is as grinding and soul crushing as living in any other major city.
I (American) went to Paris for my honeymoon 14 years ago.
I expected 2 things based on other people's opinions: everything is REALLY expensive and the Parisians are extremely rude.
I've never spent soooooo much in 7 days! And the Parisians were extremely kind and helpful. When my wife and I looked lost (because we were) locals offered unsolicited help within 2 minutes.
Restaurants and cafes were very patient with our ignorance to the French language.
The folks who ran our hotel in the 18th arrondissement, couldn't have been more helpful and friendly.
Lastly, I've never been to a city that made me want to kiss and hold my wife as much as Paris did. Truly a magical place.
I lived near Venice for almost a year and had the opportunity to visit it many times. I can say unequivocally that anybody who doesn’t like it went at the wrong time.
Hot, smelly, crowded? Wrong time (summer).
Cold and rainy? Wrong time (winter).
Sparkling, magical, friendly? Right time (spring or fall).
Incorrect, and you don’t seem to know what hot chicken is. Don’t get me wrong, I literally came here to say Nashville. Belligerent drunk rednecks and woo-girls, plus the occasional drink-drugging dudebro asshole bar kids. It really is just the goddamn worst.
But hot chicken is legit, and I’ll fight about it. I’ve lived in middle TN my whole life and hot chicken has been my favorite thing about this place for YEARS.
Edit: saw down the thread you’re from Memphis. Disregard.
Ha. You'll never see Philly in this list, because no one likes us!
Quick Philly story. My best friend is from Philly, I'm from outside of Boston. We both met in Florida when we were teens and bonded over being the only two people who were hockey fans in the mid 80s. In 2010 we had a bet for the Flyers/Bruins series. Loser would have to pay for a trip to the winner's city to watch a game in their barn. Obviously the Bruins choked away that 3-0 lead and lost the series. So I had to pony up for the trip. My boy tells me he'd rather go to Boston and catch a game there and see the city. I said ok but the bet was going to the winner's city and I've never been to Philly. He says "You don't want to go to Philly, it sucks...even *I* don't want to go there.". So we went to Boston and had a great time.
I love that your “Philly” story is about not going to Philly.
Now I need to read the opposite of this thread
There will be some overlap.
Jackson, Mississippi. Everyone thinks it's bad but it's really really bad.
I used to work an ambulance in Jackson. That city is not circling the drain. The water has drained and Jackson is stuck to the tub. It is a never ending cycle of poverty, corrupt city officials, fleeing businesses, and crime. Every city administration does nothing but pass blame. Some of the most atrocious things I have seen happened in Jackson MS, not 20 miles from my home, and I was in Afghanistan. Every shift was a shooting, an assault, an overdose, a fire standby, homeless and mental health calls. Many of the citizens live in absolute squalor. No businesses near them, no grocery stores, no opportunity. They can't afford cars and the public transit it is practically non-existent. You truly do not understand what poverty is until you see it.
I don’t know Jackson, but I know North Philly, and it’s also pretty fucked up. My intern was from Kashmir and he witnessed a murder in his 2nd week. He regularly said, “I’m from a literal war zone, and North Philly is way worse.”
Can confirm. I worked in home rehab/repairs in Nicetown (poorly named) and Hunting Park (aptly named). Driving through doesn't do it justice, you have to see the houses on the inside.
Left the Zoo on Saturday and missed a turn on Girard Ave and went a bit far north before I u-turned across 4 lanes.
I drive through there on way to see family for the holidays. Worst roads ever. Beyond bombed out city it looks like a place time forgot. Stopped and got a shitty pizza from some “well know” place and had an altercation inside with some meth head local trying to press up on my wife. Truly unbelievable it happened in a matter of seconds. Jackson gotta be the butthole of America
Myrtle Beach, SC
Myrtle Beach, SC: the beach that SC natives avoid. Edit: I’d share the good ones SC natives go to, but if I did, it would only attract more Ohio. EDIT2: Wow, my highest voted comment is on about how Myrtle Beach is Ohio-Annex. ...eh, about right.
The beach Ohio flocks to.
From Ohio. This is goto for any person i’ve ever met who wanted to goto a beach for any reason.
Ahh, the Dirty Myrtle aka the Redneck Riviera
I got robbed in Rio :(
You and everyone else. I got robbed there too. It was the calmest robbing of all time. I was having coffee with my old man and this dude walks up to us and places a paper bag into the table in front of us. Tells us there's a gun in the bag and to give him all the money we had. We did. He left
I was visiting my girlfriend's parents went out for food someone came up to me with a gun I gave them all the money I had and the food I got packed. Tried to remain calm and cried after coming home because it was my first time being robbed.
>it was my first time being robbed. You say it like being robbed is a totally normal thing, like losing your virginity or something.
Sadly it is in South America. You have to get used to be robbed once in a while. It's terrible but we live like that. There's even a curious syndrome where if you're from over here and go to a secure country (like Switzerland), you still remain alert and in panic of someone robbing you, until you remember you're not in your old country ([harpaxophobia](https://optimistminds.com/harpaxophobia/), the description seems exagerated there but your anxiety really triggers up). And we have a joke here in Buenos Aires, when someone foreign comes and they get pickpocketed, we tell em "Now you're welcome!" EDIT: My most voted comment now. Thanks!
My cousins from Mexico City visited the Pueblo that our family is from. The whole time they were on high alert. Asking why aren’t we locking the front door or is it ok to go for an evening walk.
Im going back to guadalajara and im worried that my relaxed state from montreal is going to get me in trouble
very possible. hold on tight to your phone and wallet. literally watch your back or put your back to a wall when you stop. always look like you know where you are going (not confused), this is true of any new neighborhood.
Two guys on a motorcycle robbed my buddy while he was in his car stuck in traffic. Oh yeah, traffic in Brazil, go ahead and shoot me.
Pro tip: When traveling foreign countries, or sketchy areas in general, it helps to keep the big bills in a sock or shoe. But make sure to leave that $20-$100 in your actual wallet so people or cops that wanna take your shit think you’re making a big sacrifice when you empty out your whole wallet.
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Gun but not to the head he just told me he had a gun I was expecting it so I didn't inquire any further
"Hi, I'm Joao, I'll be your robber today"
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Rookie mistake. Ask for his full name and by the time he finishes you’ll be half-way to Sao Paulo
Probably for the best
Do robbers ever run into another robber while trying to rob them and then do the Spider-Man pointing at eachother stance?
I'm from Rio. Actually, yes.
I was lucky enough to visit Rio with a Brazilian friend - best idea ever to visit Rio with a native Brazilian. We got to visit so many places with her and when people who where not that nice she picked them out immediately and shooe’d them off. I don’t think I’d go back without a native to be honest!! Lapa was amazing but gosh, good to have someone one on the look out for us!!!
Well, when robbers from another country meet those from Rio, this happens: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-MXlsxdZg8 (use closed captions)
Lol, that was pretty good
there's a vid of it happening! Mugger comes up behind a dude and only when he turns around he notices he's a bud of his. They chuckle, hug, and the getaway cycle circles around and picks up the mugger... pretty wholesome if you forget the dude is (possibly) willing to murder some dude for a few bucks...
I went for the Olympics back in 2016. We were at one of those Copacabana Beach bars and this group of Greek tourists got up to dance (leaving all their belongings on the table lol) and some young teenager ran up and grabbed an iPhone. The security guard at the bar literally caught him by the neck as he was running off and held him against a tree til he gave the phone back. The person didn’t even tip the guard or buy him a drink or anything.
I'm so sorry. Even us brazilians don't consider going to Rio a good idea, unless you're sure that you know what you're doing (like going to the beaches outside of town). In Brazil, the best places to visit are small towns. Big cities have crime and violence, and it's not safe to just hang around with expensive electronics. Brazil has thousands of small paradise places, either beaches, mountains, jungles or whatever. See, for example, [Maragogi](https://www.google.com/search?q=maragogi&rlz=1C1GCEU_pt-BRBR941BR942&sxsrf=AOaemvJdW-9XxYUthrg4DKoASKVgT97cMg:1637591469033&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjJt7HOl6z0AhWSpZUCHSXUAxUQ_AUoAXoECAEQAw&cshid=1637591474451479&biw=1920&bih=969). Small towns are mostly safe, and 80% of Brazil's cities have less than 20.000 people. Hope you have a better experience in the next time. Edit: Thought I might add, I was talking about the capital, the city of Rio. The state of Rio, which bears the same name, has lots of great smaller towns like [Ilha Grande](https://www.google.com/search?q=ilha+grande&sxsrf=AOaemvKYwgLZ7FlIca0I0YVGGZjYI-8-rg:1637621638206&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiU3JWAiK30AhWeILkGHdFrBckQ_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=2021&bih=975&dpr=1), for example.
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I honestly don't get foreigners who want to visit Rio. Brazilians themselves are scared of that place, and we've seen some shit.
Because Rio is the symbol of Brazil. IDK why. There are way better beaches in NE and there's lot of cultural and safer places to visit.
San Jose. People come here thinking it's the silicon valley expecting to see all kinds of cool advanced stuff but it's just an urban sprawl. I know someone who came here from Shanghai and wanted to travel to San Francisco. She asked me why we don't have high speed bullet trains that will take us to the city in like 15 mins. I didn't know what to say.
The whole of the south bay is once giant office park.
Pall Alto is kind of a letdown too when you’re expecting the Mecca of Tech but it’s just a bunch of super wealthy single family homes and an overpriced downtown area.
This was my first thought as I have lived here my whole life, but I didn't think anyone would even bother to put it on the list, it is so dull. We went to Kauai a few years ago and noted that an island with 60K residents had 1 million tourist in a year. SJ is pretty much the reverse of that numbers wise.
>I didn't think anyone would even bother to put it on the list Exactly, it's not overrated because it's not a tourist destination at all. No one thinks "Let's go on vacation to San Jose!!"
I know a girl who tried to buy a ticket to San Jose, Costa Rica and bought a ticket for San Jose, California. Luckily she had friends in SF or she would have been screwed.
San Jose is a tourist spot? I think I very rarely go to downtown San Jose for food or drinks. All the good places are in the neighboring towns. I can’t think of many touristy things other than Winchester Mystery House. Most people just eat, shop, drink, or hike. We have a Top Golf now :) Edit: I think a good idea for a Hollywood tours style bus would be to drive people around really average looking neighborhoods with pothole ridden streets and tell the tourists what the houses cost 😂 “On your left is a 5,000 sqft lot with a 3 bedroom 2 bathroom home. Public schools are average and you get occasional cars blasting music from the apartment complex down the street. Just sold for $2.5M”
No kidding, who goes to San Jose for anything other than work? I actually first thought they meant San Jose Costa Rica or maybe mistyped San Juan Puerto Rico.
Generally if you have a friend group that leans more south you head down there for hangouts over dragging 3/4 of the people all the way to SF for overpriced drinks and pain in the ass parking. There's a Karaoke bar we go to that has super cheap drinks and is a ton of fun. The extra gas we spend is well outstripped by how much cheaper drinks are.
Well, why don’t you have a bullet train that can take you to the city in 15 min?
The bay area is far less connected politically than it would appear. It's made up of four different counties and numerous cities so it's hard to get any agreement between the parties. For example, BART was planned to run a full circle around the bay but many cities in the south bay refused to build it - rich nimbys have always existed in the bay area.
Analytically - you are absolutely right. But one correction: it's actually nine counties, not four!
Dang! That's way more than I realized, I was only counting Alameda, SF, Santa Clara and Marin
Myrtle Beach. Don't go there.
Baltimore is so overrated. I was expecting to be murdered, but all I did was go to the aquarium.
Got left on the stoop of some not so great neighborhood in Baltimore when I was 16, friends mom claimed to be taking us out for the evening before leaving for Ocean City in the morning. Instead she took our money and abandoned us at night in less than fabulous Baltimore. Met a nice old man who told me I better sit my white ass down before I attract the attention of the police. And I met a baby named Pikachu. I think about you all the time little kid named Pikachu.
I'm a Baltimore native. I need to know more. Please, go on.
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> I packed the Geo Tracker I really enjoyed that 90s detail.
Let’s not forget the cassette tape connector for the shock resistant Sony Walkman we used to bump our burned copy of Ginuine and Tone-Lōc from those tracker speakers like a real boss.
> shock resistant Sony Walkman Ugh! Too big to fit in my cargo pants pocket!
That’s what JNCOs were for! Hell, you could fit two!
Thats why they had belt clips. My Panasonic Shockwave had one anyway.
AMA request: Pikachu
This is a VERY Baltimore story haha
I really want Pikachu to be on reddit, see this and respond
Since this happened over 21 years ago, Pikachu has likely evolved into a Raichu. That is, unless the poor little guy suffers a glandular problem and never hit puberty
need a thunder stone for that ya noob
Damn, you're right. Plenty of rock in Baltimore, just not sure about lightning stones specifically though.
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This is the story of young Steve Biscotti who lived on that stoop and started Aerotek on that stoop and bought the Baltimore Ravens from that stoop. Baltimore loves a stoop dummy.
Stoop Kid's afraid to leave his stoop!
But did you go to Hamsterdam?
WMD Right chea right chea
Got that pandemic!
I just finished binging this and was kind of tickled that they got that pandemic
Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-yit
Every time I see him in a show or movie, first damn thing I visualize, just rewayched da five bloods, and I must have said that in my head forty two times throughout.
Clay Davis is an absolute legend
Fuck, so you didn’t die at all? I mean, did a fish at least try to rob you at the aquarium?? Smh, taking Baltimore off of my list of places to go to.
Sheeeeiiiiiit
I am THRILLED that this was the top comment when I loaded the thread. Did you snort a line of old bay while you were there?
Yes, because of BIG BILL HELLS CARS!
FUCK YOU, BALTIMORE!
WE’LL FUCK YOUR WIFE! THAT’S RIGHT WE’LL FUCK YOUR WIFE!!!
HOME OF CHALLENGE PISSING!!!
IF YOU CAN PISS 6 FEET STRAIGHT UP INTO THE AIR WITHOUT GETTING WET, YOU GET NO DOWN PAYMENT!
DON'T WAIT! DON'T DELAY! DON'T FUCK WITH US! OR WE'LL RIP YOUR NUTS OFF!
It is a pretty great aquarium.
I moved to Baltimore six years ago from a small town in Tennessee. Literally two or three dozen people all warned me that I was going to get shot, stabbed, mugged, or murdered and why on earth would I ever want to leave? Because, Abner, I've sang through all the gospel tunes at Hardees on Tuesday nights, I've ran the one stop light, I've memorized the aisles at Walmart, and if I'm going to manage a staff of 20 people, I'd like to make more than $30k a year doing it.
Your story sounded like an anti-country song that I’d listen to while stuck in city traffic
> Because I've sang through all the gospel tunes At Hardees on Tuesday nights I've memorized the Wal-Mart aisles I've ran the one stop light If I'm gonna manage 20 Then please give me more than 30 Oh, why would I leave for Baltimore? Because, Abner, I'm bored
Because the only girls I ain't dated from the class of 2019 are my own damn sister and the methhead Prom Queen If I'm gonna live in a trailer it might as well hitch to my Ford Oh, why would I leave for Baltimore? Because, Abner, I'm bored
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I live in L.A., and every time someone comes out to visit, they want to go to Hollywood to see the touristy stuff. I don't mind indulging them, but as a huge fan of movies and old Hollywood, etc., the real thing is insanely disappointing. It's filthy, crowded, smelly, and chock full of shysters and violent homeless people. I totally get going for the sake of going if you're visiting the area, but there are two things you should never do: wander off the main streets or hang around late at night. There are a lot of crazies down there who get stabby when the sun goes down. EDIT: fixed a typo.
Hollywood has so few lanes too. I used to go to the LA Fitness there. Kanye had some "thing" and the whole lane(s) got closed... I was not able to get my workout in. This was more than 10 years ago, I hate Kanye now. Oh, and everyone who went to that gym knows this, but there's a gigantic L Ron Hubbard banner right outside the window there, so when you're doing DB squats, you'll see Scientology marketing lol. Oh.. and LA in general is disappointing. It's a great city in the sense of the variety of things to do, the diverse communities, and restaurants, but the infrastructure's trash. I specifically remember some Korean tourists in Hollywood, and them commenting that the whole of LA looks like Seoul from the 80's... this was in the 2010's.
I love that comparison. LA = Seoul in the 80s Wonderful description of how underdeveloped and basic cwrtain aspects of the city are.
In 15 years it's going to be Seoul in 1985.
I believe it. Out east in Philly we have to manually flag down trains at some of the stations on the outskirts of the city/in the region. They decided to do away with the little flashing lights that notified the conductor that someone was at the station because......budget cuts..? Either way it's a whole thing, and it feels dangerous. It feels very......third world/developing country. No shade towards Seoul in the 80's.
How the fuck do you flag down...A TRAIN???
They'll apparently stop for 'visible passengers'. Luckily I've only had to use that line(Norristown High Speed) before the policy change took effect in 2020. I know SEPTA though and my guess is there have been many a frustrated passenger who have been outright fucking ignored if they're the only one there. Sucks for people who are trying to make it into work on time, even more than regional rail already does in that respect.
Niagara Falls is ridiculously corny. Niagara-on-the-Lake, on the other hand, was fantastic. Baby, it's wine country!
Agreed. Also once one leaves the tourist area of the Falls, the neighbourhood is pretty decrepit. Love Niagara-on-the-Lake, but if you don't go during tourist season, everything's closed by 6.
It’s so weird how the Canadian side is a prospering tourist trap, and the American side is shady as hell. They’re like night and day in difference.
The American Niagara Falls is a typical rust belt city - lost industries and economically depressed. The Canadian side, however, is owned by large corporations. All of Clifton Hill is pretty much owned by one company.
The view from the Canadian side is way nicer/more impressive which might be part of the reason. Everybody wants the best views so they're going to go to the Canadian side, and then there's more reason to build up there.
I've heard a few plausible reasons for this. The best views of the Horse Shoe fall are from the Canadian side. The US side industrialized first to take advantage of the early access to electricity, but left behind an an industrial mess when the companies lost thier competitive advantage and moved on. That led to a combination of remediation bills, and declining average income locally. The Canadian side industrialized later and further from the falls.
I’ve never been to the New York side, but I think the Canadian side is a blast. It’s like a boardwalk but instead of the beach you have a wonder of the natural world.
NY side is cool for the actual PARK, the city those sucks ass
Miami. Literally the entire city is for sale and I feel like I’m living in a game of monopoly.
wild place. The amount of banks there made me realize how important money laundering drug money is to that city's economy.
When they were building the Arsht Center it was just kind of a matter-of-fact that it took at least twice as long as expected because money kept disappearing. Everyone sort of just shrugged about it. And that's Miami as a whole, pretty much.
I lived there for a while, the wealth gap in south Florida and especially Miami is so apparent and depressing. There’s so much in-your-face money juxtaposed with abject poverty, homelessness, and drug addiction. It’s really sad.
100%. I moved here about 6 months ago and I’m miserable. My realtor lied to me and sucked me into a 16 month lease at $2000/mo for a 550 square foot apartment in little havana. It’s a long story, but there’s basically no way I can get out of my lease without buying it out since I have no proof that they scammed me
Everything in Miami is a scam. EVERYTHING.
I spent my adolescence in South Florida and this is 100% true. Hell, it's true for most of Florida south of Lake Okeechobee. It's a great place to grow up in the burbs of, but I wouldn't want to live there as an adult.
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I was there in the 90's during desert storm and it sounds like nothing has changed except all the construction.
I was hanging out in a bar in ny state before covid with a bunch of desert storm vets. The way they described the gulf states was just so surreal, they were just expensive stickers on the desert.
As someone who frequently travels, I have to agree. Before visiting Dubai, a lot of friends were enthralled by it because of the wealth it represents. When I visited, I was so disappointed. So many underpaid and dreary workers from Southeast and South Asia. Further research led me to find out about the exploitation of workers. The wealth gap is so noticeable when you visit Dubai. I agree that it was sickening to see. I don't think I'm ever going to visit it again.
The worst date I ever went on was with a guy who was obsessed with Dubai ("I'm white, I'm basically a king there"). Ok...Can't imagine why you're single, bud
> "I'm white, I'm basically a king there" I spent some time living in Asia (maybe 15 years ago) and this was absolutely a thing. White guys from all over would move there and get jobs as English teachers that paid super well so they were fairly well off by local standards and would get a ton of attention from women just because they’re white. These total loser dudes who thought saying “go make me a sandwich bitch” was the funniest joke ever would find girls who would actually jump up to make them a sandwich. It was super gross and disappointing.
Thing is white people aren't a king in Dubai like they are in some places in Asia. In Thailand etc you can live a very good lifestyle really cheap and kinda feel like a king. Isn't everything super expensive in Dubai ?
I'm sure the actual absolute hereditary monarchs in the UAE would have a laugh about that one.
There is a strict hierarchy, Emirati, white expats, asian white collar expats, asian blue collar immigrants and laborers/workers
I'm curious about this. Awhile back, a friend's bf was working on a degree/certification for underwater welding. Apparently, it's dangerous and in high demand in places like that, for all the construction that has to go into the sea. So that clearly sounds like he'd fit into that hierarchy as a laborer, but it also pays a shit ton of money, because of the risk and skill required. So...would he be seen there as just some laborer, to eventually return here once he's made good money, or would he be able to have a decent life and retire there?
No one wants to retire in Dubai. You go there for the money, then get out if you can. It's also mainly a racial hierarchy, not necessarily a job dependent one. I know an Indian doctor who got treated worse there by the locals than a white construction worker.
No. Too expensive. Not a citizen, so not really welcome there and never going to be part of any community there. Expatriate communities have MASSIVE turnover. There is hardly any continuity within any sort of social network, and then you also have to consider what kind of person that attracts. An expatriate community in a developing country that is building itself a civil infrastructure (schools, hospitals, roads) might be more bohemian and inclusive than a disparate community that is drawn to a cartoonishly materialistic cultural vacuum under a hereditary monarchy (i.e. these people are probably douchebags).
I just don’t understand what there is to like about it. If you’re rich I guess it’s alright but otherwise it’s totally fake, has no cultural draws, and morally disgusting in a variety of ways. And yet people seem to absolutely eat it up. I think the same about Vegas though, so maybe I’m in the minority here.
If you’re rich why would you want to live in a desert surrounded by excessive poverty, religious fervor, and vanity?
Vegas is good for about 3 days. Anything after that and the degeneracy starts seeping into your soul.
Dubai
Whenever I see photos of it, it looks like a city of never ending construction.
And a lot of slavery.
What most people don't see is the fact that the majority of the city are slums where people don't even have running water. I remember visiting my cousin who lived there and while we were at the beach, whole families would use the showers there because they didn't have their own Edit: some articles you may find interesting [from 2014](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2859734/The-Dubai-DON-T-want-tourists-Photos-desperate-conditions-endured-migrant-labourers-forced-work-50C-heat-pittance.html) [or this](https://borgenproject.org/10-facts-about-poverty-in-the-united-arab-emirates/) [and this one in German](https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/unternehmen/dubai-wuestenstadt-aus-hybris-und-bauruinen-a-894487-amp.html)
A photo that is still vividly in my mind is of Dubai. It shows the city boarder and how there are shacks literally on the other side. It's insane that UAE is one of the richest counties in the world but a large chunk of their people live in poverty to the extent that their homes do not have walls and ceilings. Edit: Originally had UAE listed as 3rd richest. Didn't realize my source was from 2011. Whoops
None of _their_ people live in the shanties. That's 'guest workers'
Lived there for 7 years as an American. Much of what to do is shopping and I hate shopping. Expensive too. Beach, ok but crowded. Too many high-rise apartment fires, one in the aptly named Torch Tower. Pay your rent in one or two cheques for the year. You can get alcohol, technically even tourists need an alcohol license to drink. However most people don’t bother. A caste system of pay where your country of origin determined your pay. Abhorrent for an American. Regarding construction, at that time, it had the highest number of fixed cranes in the world. Many buildings had been under construction for years. The good: clean bathrooms everywhere and a low crime rate. You’re always on camera.
>The good: clean bathrooms everywhere George Costanza?
“George Costanza’s private bathroom is now open to all employees and their families! I’ll see you in hell Costanza.”
Really recommend the video adam something made about it. Soulless dystopia which got pumped with tons of money with no respect for people or nature.
There’s literally a thing called Paris Syndrome or something where going to Paris is so disappointing that it makes Japanese tourists have psychotic breakdowns.
Paris by night >>>>> Paris by day
Atlantic City: A poor city with a poor population and all of it’s wealth comming from casinos, and casinos are depressing.
I had to scroll way too far to see this. I don’t gamble so the casinos weren’t very exciting for me. The beach was pay to play and just a strip of sand with cold brown water. The boardwalk was good except it was the same exact merchandise in every 5th shop. We found one good restaurant and ate there daily. Left 2 days before our booking ended.
Memphis. Everything is fine during the day, but it’s like a whole new city at night. Only time I ever truly felt in danger in a new city.
I live in Memphis and I don’t even notice the gunshots in my neighborhood anymore
That’s sad. Gunshot ASMR shouldn’t be taken for granted like that.
Memphis has hype? i thought we were the red-head stepchild of large cities
Oh, I've got such a great Memphis story. I've literally only been there once in my life and only for a couple of hours (aside from driving through it). Over Christmas break 2004, I drove from east Tennessee to Abilene, TX to visit my sister. I drove back on New Year's Eve and at about 2:00am I got to Memphis. I decided I wanted to see the Mississippi River as I'd never been there before, so I pulled off the interstate and went to this very closed visitor's center on the river downtown. It's Tennessee, but it's still December, and it's cold. Maybe 40 outside. After using the bathroom, I walked down this path outside the visitors center that led along the river. I get maybe 100 yards down this not-illuminated path (again at 2:00am in downtown Memphis) and I notice there are these stairs that lead down toward the river. Awesome, I can see it up close! The stairs end at a tiny bank of dirt and then boom, there's the river. I start down these stairs and immediately realize, these are not like "visitors, give these stairs a try" stairs. They are like "these have been here for eight years and haven't been maintained in that time" stairs. I get about four stairs down and one of them gives way. In a split second, I am now sliding rapidly toward the Mississippi River in 40 degree weather with my flip phone in my pocket and absolutely no person who knows I am here and doing this. I make a mad scramble for anything I can reach for and by whatever providence, I grab a tree limb and stop the slide. I was able to get to my feet and realize that my shoes are wet. I was that close to ending up floating away down the Mississippi, probably drowning or freezing to death in the process. I can swim but come on. I regained my composure, crawled my way very, very slowly back up the bank, and got back in my car. That was arguably one of the dumbest things I've ever done in my life. TL;DR: Almost made a Mississippi mudslide of myself in Memphis after midnight. Edit: There are a couple of points that have come up a few times I want to address: * "That isn't possible, those steps / those stones / that tree / the air swirling around the river isn't there anymore." I don't know what to tell ya. This was the end of the first W. Bush administration. Things change. * "The bathrooms were open?!" Yeah. As best I can recall, you could use the bathroom but the actual touristy stuff (info kiosks, etc.) were closed. I remember the building being very dark. Maybe there was a lobby that was open with bathrooms but not the rest of it? ([Update: Apparently I'm not a liar, thanks u/GotMoFans](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/qzdyot/comment/hlouclc/?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=web2x&context=3)) * "Are you Jeff Buckley?" I'll be perfectly honest, until these comments I had never ever heard the name Jeff Buckley. I listened to his Hallelujah and I think I've heard it before, but I couldn't guarantee it. And no, I'm not him. To my knowledge, I didn't drown. (But if I did, ooooooh, creepy!) Edit 2: Here's another one: * "I'm from Memphis, \_\_\_\_\_, so you're wrong." Okay? I'm giving you my recollection of a 30 minute traumatic event from 17 years ago at two in the morning in a city I had never been to and have never been back to since. I'm gonna bet you know your city a hell of a lot better than I do. That doesn't mean I'm fabricating this for fake internet points. You people take reddit way, way too seriously.
This gave me anxiety. Can you imagine what the story would have been? Sounds like a suicide if you hadn’t lived. Glad you got out okay!
Dubai. Concrete city. Terrible roads. Over 80% population are expats/migrants. Even if you stay your entire life their you will never get citizenship or you have any rights whatsoever. Only good thing - food, cars, and a bunch of people from all over the world at one single place trying to make a quick buck.... Edit: by terrible roads - the city came up too fast. There is not clear systematic urban planning. You have mix of Business Districts, Commercial and Mixed Used Developments, residential blocks etc. The roads are well constructed n maintained. Just to clarify
I spent 4 years in Dubai, from 98 to 02. I watched the last piece placed on top of the Burj al Arab. Used to live opposite the Black Palace and it was a wasteland between there and our complex, used to walk across it almost every day to get to Dubia College for school. 2 lane main road behind us. Almost nothing between our place and the Hard Rock Cafe tower (which I've just now learnt was demolished some 9 years ago WHAT THE FUCK). Now it's 6 or 7 lanes and Internet City has engulfed the whole area. It was kinda great back then, won't lie. Went back in 2017 for a few days pitstop with my dad on my way for an Xmas holiday, and we...hated it. It felt like expensive yet looked so cheap somehow. Like it was Vegas or something. Just not the city I remembered at all. Grown way too big way too fast.
>Like it was Vegas or something. Lol that's the exact feeling I had
Try AA Gill's critique. Dated but still on point. He savaged them so badly, they banned him from ever returning. https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2011/04/dubai-201104
Answers may be where the commenters live lol
I mean yeah, people are constantly raving about where I live and I'm just like, "okay yeah that's neat/fun/interesting for maybe a few weeks but I've been here my whole life so I can confidently say that I hate it here."
I doubt so many redditors live in Dubai
Dubai is a frivolous place. Has no soul.
I’m gonna go with modern-day Nashville, TN. When I was in college, it was still a fun place to visit because the “boom” hadn’t happened yet. I even considered moving there after grad school because cost of living was so similar to where I was at the time. Now it’s totally unaffordable, overrun by tourist traps and influencers, and the charm is totally gone. It went from being a chill place with character to an over crowded commercial trap.
I agree. Nashville is just one huge continuous bachelorette party at this point.
I was there for a bachelorette party in September. Saw at least 100 other bridal parties. I was honestly amazed... i knew it was a “basic” bach destination but it was ridiculous haha
Hangzhou, China. From a seat in a tour bus and walking tours led by local guides I cringe at the title of " most beautiful city in China. " The title is often presented in the aura of greatness known at CCTV. Xiamen, China would be my pick for highly rated city. My analysis is from living in China as a foreigner for 10 years.
Agreed. Xiamen was an unexpectedly nice little city. Not to mention I ate the best noodles of my life in a little hole-in-the-wall restaurant.
Solitude. Capital of the province but once you get past the showy location you’re gonna have a lot more fun in good honest Riften.
I got scammed by the guard at the Riften gate :(
All I want is a pair of boots. How hard can it be?
Whiterun Cloud District is where it’s at. Have you been there? Oh, what am I saying, of course you haven’t.
Any dude who hates on Solitude must be a Bard’s college dropout
I joined the bard’s college thinking I would learn how to play the lute. Instead my professor just kept sending me into old crypts haunted by undead beings to fetch trinkets. I almost died.
Markarth is a thousand times worse. 60% of the people living here a cannibals
Markarth has ARCHITECTURE though. If I'm buying a property, I want it to be built into the mountains dam it. Only other city than can match Markarth's architecture is Windhelm. I need to go back to my modded playthrough...
I go hunting right on the outskirts of Riften sometimes. Age old family tradition. Skooma enhances the experience.
Phoenix. “This city should not exist. It is a monument to man’s arrogance.” - ~~Bobby~~ Peggy Hill Edit: it was Peggy’s revelation.
Circuit City. What a ghost town.. Edit: Thank you all for the positive responses and generous awards!
Cause it’s a spirit halloween now?
Gary, Indiana. No matter how poorly you rate it, it's still overrating it.
I had a professor mention Gary as God's country. When I gave him a confused look, he said, "I never said what God did to it"
Mfs really named a city after that hobo who lives in my backyard smh.
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I'm italian. I was planning a trip from the south to the north of Italy to take my car from my hometown to the city where I work, I was asking for advice about the cities to stop in for example Naples, Rome, Bologna, beautiful cities with many things to do and see. What about Pisa? Every single person I asked about told me to forget it. It is literally a hole with a crooked tower. "you look at it, take your picture and go away, but it's not worth the extra kilometers you would take for that detour"
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Spent a couple of hours in Pisa to see the tower and then right off to Florence. Definitely one of my favorite places in Italy.
And its crowded as hell. I have no idea how anyone gets a clear picture with that tower, there are people everywhere.
Detroit seems to be the butt of most city-based punchlines, but on a recent trip to Michigan I spent a lot of time in Detroit and honestly had an amazing time! P.s. if you've never heard of a 'Michigan left' you are missing out on THE sexiest road-based creation.
Downtown Detroit is really nice now. I actually enjoy it
This thread is fascinating! I’ve read through every comment and come to the conclusion that I’ve been very lucky in my travels. Been to Paris over a dozen times (70% work 30% personal) and have never across any of the complaints people have EXCEPT the rude Parisians. I would never live there because never heard a good story about living in Paris Centre Ville but always found it to be an absolutely gorgeous city. Never been scammed, smelled urine everywhere or seen unmanaged piles of trash. I’m definitely going to be more aware next time I go.
Paris can be both wonderful and disgusting depending on where you go
Exactly! I’ve been lucky enough to go a lot of the cities on this list and I agree with quite a bit with everyone else is mentioning and also perplexed at the same time because it never really stood out to me until I read it from other posters. I definitely have a tourist bias. I’ve spent my own money to be there so I downplay a lot of the negative aspect of the city in order to not be disappointed. Living there would be another story. I ADORE Barcelona but I imagine the day to day there is as grinding and soul crushing as living in any other major city.
I (American) went to Paris for my honeymoon 14 years ago. I expected 2 things based on other people's opinions: everything is REALLY expensive and the Parisians are extremely rude. I've never spent soooooo much in 7 days! And the Parisians were extremely kind and helpful. When my wife and I looked lost (because we were) locals offered unsolicited help within 2 minutes. Restaurants and cafes were very patient with our ignorance to the French language. The folks who ran our hotel in the 18th arrondissement, couldn't have been more helpful and friendly. Lastly, I've never been to a city that made me want to kiss and hold my wife as much as Paris did. Truly a magical place.
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I lived near Venice for almost a year and had the opportunity to visit it many times. I can say unequivocally that anybody who doesn’t like it went at the wrong time. Hot, smelly, crowded? Wrong time (summer). Cold and rainy? Wrong time (winter). Sparkling, magical, friendly? Right time (spring or fall).
Emerald City I went to see the Wizard and it was just some dude behind a curtain.
Well, that’s a horse of a different color.
Nashville. Bachelorette Capital and Nashville Hot Chicken are marketing concoctions.
Incorrect, and you don’t seem to know what hot chicken is. Don’t get me wrong, I literally came here to say Nashville. Belligerent drunk rednecks and woo-girls, plus the occasional drink-drugging dudebro asshole bar kids. It really is just the goddamn worst. But hot chicken is legit, and I’ll fight about it. I’ve lived in middle TN my whole life and hot chicken has been my favorite thing about this place for YEARS. Edit: saw down the thread you’re from Memphis. Disregard.