s/o Ever traveled somewhere and been disappointed by it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Amsterdam -- while there were some interesting things to see, I just didn't like the 'vibe' of the city, as trite as that sounds. Perhaps because I wasn't a 20 year old backpacker at the time of my visit?

Interesting. We're thinking of planning a trip there, but I wondered if I would enjoy now that I'm older as well.

I'm 40 and just returned from Amsterdam...loved every second. Bike culture and canals were wonderful, delicious food, lots of prosecco, great art, beautiful gardens

[Anonymous]

I think a lot of Americans are dissapointed with European cities like Paris and Rome because they expect them to be like what they've seen in the movies or what they see at Epcot Center! They want a Disney version and not the real world cities that they are!

[Anonymous]

Brussels. So cold and dreary.

Bangkok. I felt rich and hated the feeling.

Las Vegas. Beautiful desert ruined by crap gambling.

[Anonymous]

Atlanta .. Went with DH and DD for a long weekend while DH was on business. I hated it .. DD and I thought it was totally depressing.. Never want to go back

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Brussels. So cold and dreary.

Bangkok. I felt rich and hated the feeling.

Las Vegas. Beautiful desert ruined by crap gambling.

Brussels was cold and dreary for me, too.

And I fell off the curb and sprained my ankle.

Right before catching mumps from a kid in the marionette theatre.

[Anonymous]

New York City. Loud, dirty and a mustiness that never clears.

[Anonymous]

Hong Kong and Bangkok were miserable.

But we were young backpackers and knew nobody there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cinque Terre. It was beautiful but it was crowded to the point where we wouldn't move. The weather was also terrible while we were there, so I'm sure that plays a huge part in my feelings.

Wow. I found this absolutely lovely.

It is gorgeous but the people are so incredibly unfriendly. WAPO even wrote an article about how unfriendly residents of Liguria and Cinqueterre are.

That was not my experience at all.

[Anonymous]

Miami. Rude people at almost every turn. Beach was so-so. Husband got bit by a fish. Okay never going back, or only going back to quickly catch a cruise.

[Anonymous]

South Beach, Miami -- I felt like a whale around all the model-thin people, it was crowded all the time and the beach was just a long, flat, boring wasteland. Couldn't get out of there fast enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oahu

Outer Banks

Venice

Absolutely agree with Venice. Overrun with American tourists. Italians there were rude. Was also in a courtyard. Saw a thirty something Italian man running by at high speed as he flung a pair of scissors that landed a foot from me. Seconds later a heavyset Italian woman was running by with both hands in the air saying 'ayuta!!"

I took a train and went to Verona instead and was much happier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Egypt.

I went there with my family just a few month before the Arab Spring. Was so disappointed by the pyramids - many of the painting have been 'restored' by essentially repainting them. Next to the pyramids they offer camel rides (for $50/person for a 10 min ride) with the saddest, abused camels you've ever seen. The airline (I think Egypt Air) tried to scam us when we arrived at the airport for a domestic flight by claiming they couldn't find our ticket - hinting that they were expecting a bribe - and when we were adamant that we had already paid and showed them our confirmation and receipt, refused to acknowledge it and made us buy new ticket for the next day (but still charged us for the original tickets). As a woman, I was completely ignored by taxi drivers, restaurant staff, etc. And EVERYWHERE we went we were asked for 'baksheesh' for the smallest thing - such as a security guard telling us 'American? President Obama,' and expecting a payment for knowing this fact.

+100 I ended up really disliking Egyptians. Except the ones who were our friends and they lived in gated communities. They did not have the ambivalence that we have towards gated communities. They thought "we are elite that's why we live here." but outside that VERY aggressive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Budapest - Not much to do. Grand Cayman - very crowded, not as scenic as I expected.

There is SO much to do. I've been 4 times, just got back from there last week, and did new stuff each time I've gone.

Going to Budapest next week, but most I e talked to eched "nothing to do." Can you tell me what to do there (traveling solo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oahu.

Maybe it was the contrast after being on Kauai for a week, but Honolulu/Waikiki was just too much city--it felt like we weren't on vacation any more. We should have done that part of the trip first. We went because I wanted to see Pearl Harbor and I'm glad we did the trip, but will stick with the other islands next time.

For the Paris posters--is this a recent thing? I loved it when I was there but it's been over a decade.

Ooh, yes, we started in Oahu but would have been totally disappointed going to Oahu after Maui and Kauai!

For me, Athens was a big disappointment.

[Anonymous]

I didn't HATE South Beach, Miami (the way some posters do) but it wasn't what I expected. DH and I stayed at a tony beachfront property, which was gorgeous, but the city itself felt similar to New York in that it was grungy and kind of chaotic. I was surprised at how many poor people there seemed to be.