Most Overrated--Your opinions?
Sep 17th, 2005, 05:08 PM
#41
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I absolutely agree that knowing more about something can make one appreciate it to a greater degree. But appreciating and liking are not the same thing. I know enough about the Mona Lisa to appreciate it as a fine work of art. But that doesn't mean I particularly "like" it or think it deserves its exalted icon status.
It all comes down to personal taste, doesn't it? That's why it's so interesting to get a wide range of perspectives. Everyone is drawn to or repelled by different things.
It all comes down to personal taste, doesn't it? That's why it's so interesting to get a wide range of perspectives. Everyone is drawn to or repelled by different things.
Sep 17th, 2005, 07:21 PM
#43
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Pisa? Pisa is quite a nice city, other than the vendors in the immediate vicinity of the Tower.
Renaissance art was a letdown to me--I just don't get the attraction. And Florence is a city from hell.
But if we all liked the same things, it would be a pretty boring world.
Renaissance art was a letdown to me--I just don't get the attraction. And Florence is a city from hell.
But if we all liked the same things, it would be a pretty boring world.
Sep 17th, 2005, 07:34 PM
#44
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Although I found it great to visit the Mona Lisa it wasn't as exciting as I thouhgt if would be. I enjoyed the rest of the paintings much more. My runner up would be the Sacre Coeur. Although I found it interesting to see, I thought the view was the best reason to be there. I enjoyed the life around it much better than the building itself.
Sep 17th, 2005, 09:41 PM
#45
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Geez I wish all you people that don't like the Mona Lisa would get out of my way so I can admire it in peace without looking at the back of your gawking heads. LOL!
Most overrated? German and English food. While they are barely "highly" rated, whatever the rating the end result falls far short of that.
Most overrated? German and English food. While they are barely "highly" rated, whatever the rating the end result falls far short of that.
Sep 18th, 2005, 05:56 AM
#46
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Nice and Canne. Just didn't do anything for me.
Wiliwl - If you just looked at the Grand Canyon than you really missed out. Sort of like looking at a picture of Paris and saying you've seen Paris. You haven't seen the Grand Canyon until you've hiked it's many trails and rafted down the river.
Wiliwl - If you just looked at the Grand Canyon than you really missed out. Sort of like looking at a picture of Paris and saying you've seen Paris. You haven't seen the Grand Canyon until you've hiked it's many trails and rafted down the river.
Sep 18th, 2005, 06:02 AM
#47
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St Tropez
After all the hype it's just another small fishing village on the Cote D'Azur.
A pain to get to, especially the over-priced 1.5 hour bus ride from St Raphael, and not much there anyway apart from some large yachts in the harbour, not exactly an unusual site on this coast
After all the hype it's just another small fishing village on the Cote D'Azur.
A pain to get to, especially the over-priced 1.5 hour bus ride from St Raphael, and not much there anyway apart from some large yachts in the harbour, not exactly an unusual site on this coast
Sep 18th, 2005, 06:26 AM
#50
I agree with whomever said that they considered the Eiffel Tower one of the 8 modern wonders of the world. I thought before seeing it that it was kind of a travel cliche,and I wouldn't be impressed, but I found it fascinating.
Sep 18th, 2005, 06:27 AM
#51
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I didn't dislike it but I too felt that way about Sante Fe. And I had heard so much hype that I put it down as just over-anticipation.
There are so many other places in the SW USA that I would rather return to again and again.
There are so many other places in the SW USA that I would rather return to again and again.
Sep 18th, 2005, 08:28 AM
#52
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I love the idea that StCirq (and others)found The Costa del Sol overrated - who do you know that rated it in the first place?! - don't EVER ask them for travel advice again. Since the advent of mass tourism it's been a byword for bad taste, poor planning, and the worst excesses of the British and Dutch abroad.
For me, the most overrated would have to be The Sacre-Coeur Basilica and Montmartre in general. Its a god-ugly building that runis the Parisian skyline like an enormous white scar and the diostrict is full of faux-artistes and Parissiennes preying on confused American and Japanese tourists, who have somehow fooled themselves they've stepped into a 1950's American In Paris film set - in fact, let's face it, that film had Montmartre bang to rights - if you recall the sets were all badly painted pastiches of the real thing - 50 years later the real thing is now a badly realised pastiche of those sets.
Other than that both Avignon and Florence leave me with a distinct underwhelmed-ness (I'll claim that neologism for myself!) - and am I the only one that thinks Michaelangelo's David looks ape-like? His arms are far too long and, specifically, his right hand is simply enormous.
BTW Chateauneuf du Pape can also be given a wide berth by anyone wishing to save their energy.
Dr D.
For me, the most overrated would have to be The Sacre-Coeur Basilica and Montmartre in general. Its a god-ugly building that runis the Parisian skyline like an enormous white scar and the diostrict is full of faux-artistes and Parissiennes preying on confused American and Japanese tourists, who have somehow fooled themselves they've stepped into a 1950's American In Paris film set - in fact, let's face it, that film had Montmartre bang to rights - if you recall the sets were all badly painted pastiches of the real thing - 50 years later the real thing is now a badly realised pastiche of those sets.
Other than that both Avignon and Florence leave me with a distinct underwhelmed-ness (I'll claim that neologism for myself!) - and am I the only one that thinks Michaelangelo's David looks ape-like? His arms are far too long and, specifically, his right hand is simply enormous.
BTW Chateauneuf du Pape can also be given a wide berth by anyone wishing to save their energy.
Dr D.
Sep 18th, 2005, 08:50 AM
#54
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I waited a long time to go to Paris, and I have to say I loved it, but I was a bit disappointed with the Mona Lisa, I thought it was going to be huge, and instead it was a tiny little thing!! but the buzz seeing it was still great, I thought the eiffel tower at night was really pretty. I loved Amsterdam,I loved the whole atmosphere, the way of life, the canals, the beautiful buildings, the warm friendly dutch people, but my favourite place in the whole world , Is the Sierra Nevada in Southern Spain,I could go there year after year and never tire of spending time there, it brings such peace to your soul.
I've never been to USA and would love to see Colorado, and some of the southern states.
I've never been to USA and would love to see Colorado, and some of the southern states.
Sep 18th, 2005, 10:35 AM
#55
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Re: David's hands. There is actually a reason for that. When the statue was commissioned in 1501, the plan was to put the statue high up on the facade or tower of the Duomo, therefore being seen from a distance, from below. Michelangelo made the head and hands larger to compensate for that, so viewers would clearly see his facial expression and gesture. However, when the statue was completed in 1504, the folks in charge decided instead to install it at the entrance of the Palazzo Vecchio as a symbol of the republic. The height at which you see it at the Accademia is therefore not the original intended position, which makes it seem more disproportionate than it would have.
And there's your art history lesson for the day.
And there's your art history lesson for the day.
Sep 18th, 2005, 10:38 AM
#56
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emptynest: Yes, I'm sure that is true. I've been to the canyon twice (main objective: visiting in-laws in Phoenix), so it has always been a brief stop-over. I love to hike (although, admitedly, we hiked MUCH more before we had kids and we were younger), and have hiked over 30 of the Adirondacks high peaks, but I have never spent any time hiking in Arizona. The way things are going, I'm probably not going to get to it any time soon either! My comment was really more appropriate to the typical canyon visitor (like me!).
Sep 19th, 2005, 05:42 AM
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Re the Mona Lisa, sometimes a piece of art is not particularly beautiful or even interesting to look at but it is important in some other respect -- a turning point in art, a connection to a historical event, a meaningful event in the artist's personal development -- that kind of thing. So it becomes part of 'art history' and 'famous' and people rush to see it because they believe that somehow that equates with 'beautiful'. I've always found the Mona Lisa (which admittedly I've only seen in art history classes, never in real life) visually underwhelming.
Now Michelangelo's Pieta (the one in St. Peter's) -- whew! I got all teary seeing it in real life. It had no religious significance for me but all I could see was a heartbroken mother cradling the body of her dead son. I'm closely associated with a woman whose 23-year-old son was murdered when his place of business was broken into by thieves and I felt so close to her when I was standing in front of the Pieta.
Now Michelangelo's Pieta (the one in St. Peter's) -- whew! I got all teary seeing it in real life. It had no religious significance for me but all I could see was a heartbroken mother cradling the body of her dead son. I'm closely associated with a woman whose 23-year-old son was murdered when his place of business was broken into by thieves and I felt so close to her when I was standing in front of the Pieta.
Sep 19th, 2005, 06:36 AM
#60
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I agree with Emptynest. Just didn't see what was so great about Nice. Beach isn't particularly nice - pebbly and filled with rows of sun loungers that you have to pay to sit on. Couldn't see what was so exciting about the Promenade des Anglais either. And the old town was really nothing special, compared with many other French towns (e.g. Lyon).
Mind you, the countryside and small villages surrounding Nice are beautiful, so I'd visit the area again in a flash.
I think my prize for most overrated goes to the Champs-Elysées, however. The French call it the most beautiful avenue in the world. I couldn't agree less. It's horrid - the street is choked with traffic, the pavements are choked with tourists and French teenagers from the burbs, there's absolutely nothing of note to see apart from the Arc de Triomphe at the end. About the only thing the street has going for it is that some of the shops there (Fnac, Virgin) are open on a Sunday.
Mind you, the countryside and small villages surrounding Nice are beautiful, so I'd visit the area again in a flash.
I think my prize for most overrated goes to the Champs-Elysées, however. The French call it the most beautiful avenue in the world. I couldn't agree less. It's horrid - the street is choked with traffic, the pavements are choked with tourists and French teenagers from the burbs, there's absolutely nothing of note to see apart from the Arc de Triomphe at the end. About the only thing the street has going for it is that some of the shops there (Fnac, Virgin) are open on a Sunday.
