gunsmoke on 8/3/2010 at 03:32
You know what?
Quote:
- Much of Middle America: rednecks.
is shit. You can break any geographic locale down to the least common denominator, but this isn't fair.
I have traveled to Italy twice (well once was Sicicly) for a foodie tour I did in my early 20's. I was training under a somwhat famous Chef that hailed from Chicago at the time, and was really motivated to experience (first-hand) the cultures that inspired the dishes I was preparing each night.
On the way, I passed through Nice and a whirlwind 36 hours in gay Paris. The return trip had involved an hilarious romp through Northern Ireland that will remain plastered to my brain until death.
Not to mention the 1/2 dozen times I have been across the Mexican border, and the ~20 times Canada has called me for fishing, camping, and general outdoors-ery.
That said, I could have very easily skipped several stops on my trips due to bullshit rumours, prejudices, and general misconceptions and I would have been the only one to lose. I could have missed some of the more indelible experiences of my life by following the boring advice of my contemporaries and travel agent. Some of the best times were experienced in fucked up parts of towns, and so-called hillbilly/backwards areas.
The midwest is gorgeous and full of real folks doing big things. And we have a BLAST while doing it.
Whatever.
june gloom on 8/3/2010 at 06:11
gunny is on the fucking point. There's a lot more to flyover country than what you can see from your goddamn airplane window.
Also CCCToad proves himself a shitty troll once more.
Aja on 8/3/2010 at 06:26
Quote Posted by Subjective Effect
Corfu - don't go to the party places. Well, they can be fun - I went to Kavos for some good times, but Corfu town and the countryside were where it was really at for me. I went at the end of the party season so there were few Brits about and we're planning a possible return trip this year. Food is great.
I read a great travel book called The End of Elsewhere, and I still remember the author's description of Corfu--the smell, he said, of a thousand "alcohol poisoned louts" (this would be the British tourists) simultaneously emptying their bowels each morning, and thus overwhelming the sewage system, causing the excess to be expelled near the beach, was apparently more than enough to make him want to leave immediately. That and I guess the people who visit are supposedly quite nasty to the local hospitality.
Scots Taffer on 8/3/2010 at 06:55
I will again clarify that my "two shits about" list was mostly written tongue in cheek, the Asia entry being semi-serious probably threw everyone as I'm sure most people don't suspect me of being that narrow-minded (vis a vis the America/Middle East entries).
That said, while there may be character and interest to be found in every little town of the globe, I sure as shit don't have the time, money or inclination to seek them out. I can only reasonably afford to see places in the world that enough people have put their weight behind saying "see this before you die" or "go here because ______ is fucking amazing" type commentary.
In my selfish pursuit of more places to mark on the map as places I need to see or should want to go, I saw this as an opportunity to draw a wider net. My big travel wants haven't changed much as a result of this thread, probably just places that I had earmarked as maybe have fallen into the definitely camp.
Fafhrd on 8/3/2010 at 08:50
Quote Posted by Ulukai
L.A. & Hollywood - A town that wouldn't know architecture or culture if it hit them in their plastic faces with a spade. Or even see it coming due to the pollution, I imagine.
:mad: Let's just ignore LACMA, The Getty, The Bradbury Building, The Higgins Building, all of the old theatres and turn of the century buildings in historic Downtown, Walt Disney Concert Hall as an amazing an example of modern architecture as you're likely to see (especially at sunset), Griffith Park Observatory, the hundreds of smaller art galleries all over the city, the Natural History Museum, the La Brea Tar Pits, etc.:mad:
Places I've Been and Would Like to Go Back To:
The UK: My time there was mostly in London, and the more obvious touristy country parts (Glastonbury, Stonehenge, etc), as well as parts of family significance on my paternal Grandmother's side. I'd like to go back and revisit those places, but also visit the places connected to my Grandfather (Manchester, a large swath of Scotland).
The Pacific Northwest, including Canada: I just love how woody and wet it is up there, and I remember this tea house/indoor zoo in Victoria that was pretty amazing.
New York: I really didn't get to see enough of it last June. Work willing I'll be able go back in a few months' time (and hopefully be able to do stuff other than what work sends me there for).
Places I've been that I Could Take or Leave, frankly:
France: I went to Versailles and Paris the same time I went to the UK. It seemed nice, but my abiding memory is that where the UK and London were lovely and cool and rained all the time, Paris and Versailles were hellishly hot. I liked the food, but I don't have any strong desire to return.
Mexico: Admittedly, I've only really been to Tijuana. I should probably give the rest of the country a chance, but I don't feel a pressing need to.
Places that I've never been, but Want to Visit:
Australia and New Zealand: I've wanted to see Australia since I was 8 years old. It is apparently a magical land of spectacularly poisonous animals, just plain cool animals, and amazing environments. I'd want to take a month just to travel all around and visit family and such.
The Mediterranean and parts of Eastern Europe: It just looks cool. I'd want to basically re-enact The Brother's Bloom and take a steamer cruise across the Mediterranean, and then train all over to Prague and Istanbul and wherever else I could go (maybe hit Switzerland). I include Moscow and St. Petersburg among this tour. I'll probably never be able to do this.
Peru and the Andes: I like mountains.
Places I don't Particularly Care to Visit at All:
India, the South Pacific (Phillipines, etc.), Dubai (and the rest of the Middle East, really).
Fragony on 8/3/2010 at 10:23
Quote Posted by Scots Taffer
I will again clarify that my "two shits about" list was mostly written tongue in cheek, the Asia entry being semi-serious probably threw everyone as I'm sure most people don't suspect me of being
that narrow-minded (vis a vis the America/Middle East entries).
That said, while there may be character and interest to be found in every little town of the globe, I sure as shit don't have the time, money or inclination to seek them out. I can only reasonably afford to see places in the world that enough people have put their weight behind saying "see this before you die" or "go here because ______ is fucking amazing" type commentary.
In my selfish pursuit of more places to mark on the map as places I need to see or should want to go, I saw this as an opportunity to draw a wider net. My big travel wants haven't changed much as a result of this thread, probably just places that I had earmarked as maybe have fallen into the definitely camp.
Copenhagen should be on your list anyhow, there is this great attraction park 'Tivoli', it is really in the middle of the town, when you take the rollercoaster you can literally watch into people's houses. If you like modern art don't miss out on this, the building is a work of art of it's own (
http://www.louisiana.dk/uk)
Ulukai on 8/3/2010 at 11:20
Quote Posted by Fafhrd
:mad: Let's just ignore LACMA, The Getty, The Bradbury Building, The Higgins Building, all of the old theatres and turn of the century buildings in historic Downtown, Walt Disney Concert Hall as an amazing an example of modern architecture as you're likely to see (especially at sunset), Griffith Park Observatory, the hundreds of smaller art galleries all over the city, the Natural History Museum, the La Brea Tar Pits, etc.:mad:
I thought someone might bite :D
I put it to you that L.A. has an image problem - my perception is pollution, gridlock, and sprawling ghettos on one side and hollywood mansions on andpoodles on the other.
Sell it to me!
Matthew on 8/3/2010 at 15:59
Bloody hell, I think I'd better get off my arse and see some of these places.
rachel on 8/3/2010 at 18:54
I'll be damned, for all the dislike I have for it, Barcelona still is pretty cool when it SNOWS! :D:D:D
3 centimeters, holy blizzard batman! :joke:
Mr.Duck on 8/3/2010 at 22:10
For those visiting Mexico:
FUCK BORDERTOWNS!
Go more south, ya bunch of whitey lazy fags.
Beach-side cities and old school cities like Queretaro and suchy are awesome.
Mexico City's always an experience.
