Travels on earth

Are you always amazed at reading these travel boards, hearing one person rave about a place and another say it is the worst place on earth?<BR>Undoubtedly we have all been letdown by some destinations and pleasantly suprised by others. What are the most controversial places on earth, places where people either love it or hate it? Why?<BR><BR><BR>I'll start with the most obvious, Orlando, Florida. Some people just go on and on about how much fun the entire vacation is while others feel a person who likes the town is "uncultured, uncivilized, immature".<BR>I live near Orlando and love the city for one reason, it's a tourist magnet and therefore I don't pay state income taxes!!<BR>

ex-floridian

Florida has no state income tax at all, not just Orlando.

Current-floridian

Ex-floridian, if I may ask, where are you now? I keep on telling myself I need to move, but I have the ocean and the warm weather and it's relatively inexpensive. Aside from Italy, I don't know where I would go, but I'm open to suggestions!

xxx

I would have to say Napoli. It seems that no other city evokes such polarized opinions on these message boards. If someone posts the politically-incorrect-yet-true observations about the safety problems, they get flamed. But noone can deny the treasures of the city, once you look past the grime and crime.

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John G

Isn't Orlando in Florida? Isn't Florida in the US? Shouldn't this be posted on the US Travel Board? Just wondering.

laura

Differences of opinion, so here's mine. I'll talk about Europe so I don't get blasted by the Continent Nazi.<BR><BR>I don't have any plans to return to Vienna or Lisbon. Many others on this board adore those places. <BR><BR>I dig Naples, trash and all. Tangier would be my choice for hell on earth.<BR>

snakecharmer

I second Tangier as one of the worst places in the world. That said, I'm glad I visited there with my kids, because it made all of us apprciate how lucky we are not to have to live there. The stench was unbelievable.

travels on earth

Laura,<BR>Knowing what you know now would you avoid Vienna all together or just not return? It has been on my list.<BR><BR>Never intended for this discussion to remain only in North America, it was intended for all destinations.<BR><BR>

bettyk

Again, "different strokes for different folks", but I absolutely love Vienna. I lived there for 2 years and although I have only returned once a couple of years ago, I still enjoyed the people, the food, the culture, and the architecture. Knowing some of the history helps I guess, but I would highly recommend Vienna to anyone. There were more people and it was more crowded then when I lived there, but it didn't diminish my enjoyment at all.

Chris

Not controversial, but I see lots of people rave about Budapast, but it did nothing for my partner and I. Each to their own and all that.

StCirq

Tangier is definitely hell on earth, but you haven't really sunk to the depths until you've visited Gafsa in Tunisia. If there's someone out there who actually wants to rave about it, I'd love to know who, and why. <BR><BR>And while I appreciate the culture one can savor in Vienna, the place, and the people, leave me cold. I wasn't even impressed with the Sachertorte.<BR><BR>And I think that Rome is actually a fairly controversial place. It bugged me for the longest time that I hadn't gotten to Rome, though I'd spent a lot of time in Europe. When I finally went, I was not impressed. I mean, of course I was awed by the ruins and the layers of history and all that, but the place itself just didn't "speak" to me. I've gone back a couple of times since, and had the same reaction. I know people would kill themselves to get to Rome, but for me it just doesn't all come together in one positive European city experience the way it does in, say, Paris or London or Prague or Copenhagen or Brussels.

Sue

Those of us who love Paris have all heard, I'm sure, that the sidewalks are full of dog pooh, the people are unfriendly, nobody speaks English, and so the litany continues ad nauseum. I gave up a long time ago trying to change anyone's mind about this. Some people need their biases!

Betsy

I'll go out on that limb. Personally, not a fan of London. I went to school there and loved it. When I returned some years later I almost couldn't stand it. I was alone for part of the time, and found eating in restaurants alone difficult. I was overwhelmed by how crowded the city was, (I'd studied in winter, no tourists). What I really noticed was that the city seemed dirty, it was alomost impossible to find public trash cans and when I did they were usually over full. Finally I was surprised at how rude so many people were.I'm a pretty good traveler, used to encountering differences, I guess I expected the London of my youth even though I was visiting 15 years later.In spite of this I did get to see some wonderful theater. London won't be in my plans in the future.

Mary G

I don't care if I never see Vienna again! It was hot and I don't think it helped that I was in a lousy hotel.The Schonbrun (sp) Palace was also hotand I guess I'm one of those people who feels seen one palace, seen'em all.It just didn't make it for me. I did really enjoy taking the tram out to the wine gardens for dinner one night. I found the Vienese to be wonderful. I love the rest of Austria and will go back, I'll just skip Vienna next time.