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Moldy Rutabaga

Joined: 01 Jul 2003 Location: Ansan, Korea
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Posted: Thu Jun 24, 2010 5:38 pm Post subject: |
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Well, just to stir the pot, here's my "Worst list." You can see the rest at http://keneckert.com/pictures/travel/worst/worst.html.
1. Filthiest Bathrooms: Hue, Vietnam
2. Scummiest Hotel: Down Town Hotel, Johor Bahru, Malaysia
3. Sleaziest City: Pattaya, Thailand
4. Most Corrupt Airport: Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia
5. Worst Food: England
6. Most Irritating Hawkers: Hanoi, Vietnam & Bali, Indonesia (Tie)
7. Worst Architecture: Korea
8. Worst Weather: Winnipeg, Canada
9. Most Depressing Place: Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada
10. Worst International Food: Korea
11. Most Overrated Country: Singapore
12. Worst People: Las Vegas, USA
13. Worst Airport: Tr*deau, Montreal, Canada
14. Worst Drivers: Las Vegas, USA
15. Most Dangerous City: Mexico City
But in general, I think it's true that countries are not unfriendly overall but that parts are. I don't know what it is, but I've always found people mean in Yorkton, Saskatchewan, and Winnipeg hasn't been much better. Atlantic Canada is supposedly famous for friendliness, but the people I met in Fredericton were jerks, I got attacked in Cape Breton, and the townspeople in St. John's, Newfoundland, are arrogant pr*cks. Nevertheless, countryside people in Newfoundland are amazingly welcoming, and Halifax is a great city. Toronto people are not as haughty as they're made out to be. Albertans don't deserve their redneck stereotype.
The further east I go in the states, the more I like the people. California, Oregon, and Washington can fall into the ocean for all I care.
I find Chungcheon Koreans, those in the center of the country, friendliest. Daegu people are cliquey, shifty, and conservative. Busan people are more open, and I like their burping, farting directness.
I found the Indonesians on Lombok, the island next to Bali, somewhat hostile. I didn't feel all that safe there. Everywhere in Vietnam I felt like a plucked goose.
Last edited by Moldy Rutabaga on Thu Jun 24, 2010 5:41 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Underwaterbob

Joined: 08 Jan 2005 Location: In Cognito
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Quack Addict

Joined: 31 Mar 2008 Location: Seoul
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Posted: Thu Jun 24, 2010 6:11 pm Post subject: |
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Yikes! The Philippines was only ranked 51st. |
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Underwaterbob

Joined: 08 Jan 2005 Location: In Cognito
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Posted: Thu Jun 24, 2010 6:13 pm Post subject: |
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Quack Addict wrote: |
Yikes! The Philippines was only ranked 51st. |
That surprised me too. I knew things weren't too hot down there, (bwahaha) but I had no idea it was that bad. |
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oldfatfarang
Joined: 19 May 2005 Location: On the road to somewhere.
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wilson535
Joined: 22 May 2010
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Posted: Sat Jun 26, 2010 9:19 pm Post subject: |
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Moldy Rutabaga wrote: |
5. Worst Food: England
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just out of curiosity, where did you eat? i'm from england. i have absolutely no idea what you are talking about there. |
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Perceptioncheck
Joined: 13 Oct 2008
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Posted: Sun Jun 27, 2010 3:59 am Post subject: |
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wilson535 wrote: |
Moldy Rutabaga wrote: |
5. Worst Food: England
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just out of curiosity, where did you eat? i'm from england. i have absolutely no idea what you are talking about there. |
Pretty much every Asian person I've spoken to who's been to England has complained about the food there. A lot of them loved the country, the people, the architecture, the culture. . .but man, did they hate the food.
Put it down to a different palate. Or something. |
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nautilus

Joined: 26 Nov 2005 Location: Je jump, Tu jump, oui jump!
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Posted: Sun Jun 27, 2010 5:21 am Post subject: |
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Interesting list there moldy.
Moldy Rutabaga wrote: |
1. Filthiest Bathrooms: Hue, Vietnam |
There's a certain PC bang in Bucheon...
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3. Sleaziest City: Pattaya, Thailand |
Yep..
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5. Worst Food: England |
Know what you mean but still seems a bit unfair.. I miss my meat pies and yorkshire pud.
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6. Most Irritating Hawkers: Hanoi, Vietnam & Bali, Indonesia (Tie) |
Yeah, vietnam.
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7. Worst Architecture: Korea |
Yes...
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9. Most Depressing Place: Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada |
Wigan, N.England.
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11. Most Overrated Country: Singapore |
Good call. V. Expensive and a little dull.
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13. Worst Airport: Tr*deau, Montreal, Canada |
Lusaka, Zambia.
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14. Worst Drivers: Las Vegas, USA |
Outskirts or countryside anywhere near Beijing.
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15. Most Dangerous City: Mexico City. |
Jo'burg, SA. |
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Moldy Rutabaga

Joined: 01 Jul 2003 Location: Ansan, Korea
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Posted: Sun Jun 27, 2010 6:40 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks, Nautilus.
I would of course probably include Johannesburg if I went there. Nasty stories I've heard! A friend who worked there who habitually saw bodies falling from buildings, taxi drivers shooting at each other, the sort of thing you imagine in a Monty Python skit.
I meant the list to be fun, as I really do like England. I just didn't have anything edible there. I think I learned to drink Guinness there because I was half-starving. I do like meat pies and Yorkshire pudding, but our crappy uni cafeteria rarely served them. What I remember was pepper so dry and tasteless that it would fly away like dust. Good curry, but I'm being picky that it's not English food. |
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eljuero
Joined: 11 Aug 2009
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Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2010 3:15 am Post subject: Go east!! |
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Moldy Rutabaga wrote: |
Well, just to stir the pot, here's my "Worst list." You can see the rest at http://keneckert.com/pictures/travel/worst/worst.html.
1. Filthiest Bathrooms: Hue, Vietnam
2. Scummiest Hotel: Down Town Hotel, Johor Bahru, Malaysia
3. Sleaziest City: Pattaya, Thailand
4. Most Corrupt Airport: Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia
5. Worst Food: England
6. Most Irritating Hawkers: Hanoi, Vietnam & Bali, Indonesia (Tie)
7. Worst Architecture: Korea
8. Worst Weather: Winnipeg, Canada
9. Most Depressing Place: Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada
10. Worst International Food: Korea
11. Most Overrated Country: Singapore
12. Worst People: Las Vegas, USA
13. Worst Airport: Tr*deau, Montreal, Canada
14. Worst Drivers: Las Vegas, USA
15. Most Dangerous City: Mexico City
But in general, I think it's true that countries are not unfriendly overall but that parts are. I don't know what it is, but I've always found people mean in Yorkton, Saskatchewan, and Winnipeg hasn't been much better. Atlantic Canada is supposedly famous for friendliness, but the people I met in Fredericton were jerks, I got attacked in Cape Breton, and the townspeople in St. John's, Newfoundland, are arrogant pr*cks. Nevertheless, countryside people in Newfoundland are amazingly welcoming, and Halifax is a great city. Toronto people are not as haughty as they're made out to be. Albertans don't deserve their redneck stereotype.
The further east I go in the states, the more I like the people. California, Oregon, and Washington can fall into the ocean for all I care.
I find Chungcheon Koreans, those in the center of the country, friendliest. Daegu people are cliquey, shifty, and conservative. Busan people are more open, and I like their burping, farting directness.
I found the Indonesians on Lombok, the island next to Bali, somewhat hostile. I didn't feel all that safe there. Everywhere in Vietnam I felt like a plucked goose. |
As a former east coaster in the US I found Seattle to be the coldest place - it's referred to as the "Seattle Chill" there. I met transplants from all over the States who didn't like it there. What's worse is the natives from there think they're god's gift to N America. Portland was a much neater place.
Frankly, Korea isn't very high on my list for friendliness (beyond formality) and certainly not its architecture. |
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Arthur Dent

Joined: 28 Mar 2007 Location: Kochu whirld
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Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2010 4:27 am Post subject: |
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eljuero wrote:
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Frankly, Korea isn't very high on my list for friendliness (beyond formality) and certainly not its architecture. |
I'll second that, particularly in public. There is a formality in the public sphere which seems at first to be politeness and civility, but I would now attribute it to a social tension.
Entirely different from in private, which really depends on the individual and the situation.
Architecture. Is that what it is? |
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eljuero
Joined: 11 Aug 2009
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Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2010 4:34 am Post subject: |
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[quote="Arthur Dent"]eljuero wrote:
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Architecture. Is that what it is? |
Unfortunately it is.  |
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misher
Joined: 14 Oct 2008
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Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2010 8:25 am Post subject: |
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Guatemala city, Guatemala,
Got guns pulled on me in broad daylight once trying to get a taxi and also getting on a bus. If you look like a foreigner (gringo) then you might as well have a target on your back. Many zones of the city are controlled by mafia and the police might as well be mafia anyway. Also, when I was there in 1999 militant church groups were "doing god's work" by "cleansing" the streets shooting street kids drive by style in broad daylight. Oh yeah I saw a guy get shot too not far from the Canadian embassy. I can see why most backpackers/tourists head straight to Antigua, Tikal etc.
I actually felt the most safe in the mountains amongst the indegenoius people. It was insanely poor and bandits were here and there but the people were generally friendly and hospitable. |
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eljuero
Joined: 11 Aug 2009
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Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2010 2:55 pm Post subject: Antigua |
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misher wrote: |
Guatemala city, Guatemala,
Got guns pulled on me in broad daylight once trying to get a taxi and also getting on a bus. If you look like a foreigner (gringo) then you might as well have a target on your back. Many zones of the city are controlled by mafia and the police might as well be mafia anyway. Also, when I was there in 1999 militant church groups were "doing god's work" by "cleansing" the streets shooting street kids drive by style in broad daylight. Oh yeah I saw a guy get shot too not far from the Canadian embassy. I can see why most backpackers/tourists head straight to Antigua, Tikal etc.
I actually felt the most safe in the mountains amongst the indegenoius people. It was insanely poor and bandits were here and there but the people were generally friendly and hospitable. |
Antigua, hard to imagine a much nicer city no? Guatemala city - over a hundred and twenty people were killed on city buses a year ago, 15 or so "helpers" as well. I met a guy in Central America who was riding the city bus in GC when someone got on to rob everyone. Another passenger pulled out a gun and blew the robber away. They just pushed the body off the bus.
Next stop coming up!  |
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Sergio Stefanuto
Joined: 14 May 2009 Location: UK
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Posted: Wed Jun 30, 2010 1:18 am Post subject: Re: Go east!! |
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eljuero wrote: |
As a former east coaster in the US I found Seattle to be the coldest place - it's referred to as the "Seattle Chill" there. I met transplants from all over the States who didn't like it there. What's worse is the natives from there think they're god's gift to N America. Portland was a much neater place. |
I too have been very disappointed by the people from Seattle that I've met. Perhaps it's the miserable weather. |
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