Vacation spots your friends talked up but you hated

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am the poster who talked about having lost interest in London (well, one of them).

I loved London in the 1980s and 1990s because it felt very much like an English city. It wasn't New York, it wasn't Paris. Oh, yes, there were certainly diversity back then and many immigrants and their descendants who added wonderful touches to the London experience, but the big difference between now and then is that the balance has shifted decisively away from being "English" to becoming just another anonymous international city with little local flavour left. The experience you get in London is now not too different from New York. And it isn't just the immigrants from the Middle East or Africa, but the introduction of freedom of movement under the EU flooded London with hundreds of thousands (millions?) of Europeans, which is fine in a sense, but it has changed the character and personality of the city. Whenever I go into restaurants and cafes I hear so many different languages spoken around me, both the waitstaff and the other customers. 20 years ago it was English people serving me and English people around me. That made it neat because I was truly in a different country! But today, the vestiges of "Englishness" in London feels artificial, ironically, put on display for the sake of tourists rather than anything intrinsic and real. And it's because the actual English of traditional British heritage are a minority in London.

I am not passing a moral judgement on the changes in London. I am just observing it has changed greatly and made it a far less interesting place for me. The museums are still there (and excellent they remain) but I used to love walking around random neighbourhoods and observing local life, and it's simply just not the same. Even the other poster acknowledged it when she conceded no one shops at Harrods anymore except tourists, and especially Middle Eastern tourists. Large swathes of central London are now primarily owned and inhabited by the global superrich (of all nationalities) and that (similar to parts of New York) has also made it a less interesting place. There have also been positive changes through massive gentrification and explosion of the dining scene and it's also quite safer today, but I still prefer the slightly shabby, more low key and old fashioned London of the 1980s. I return to Britain all the time but it isn't until I leave London for other parts of the country that I feel I've actually arrived in Britain.

I agree with this.

I spent a week in London recently for business, and I rarely encountered actual Brits with British accents (I'm not talking about skin color; I'm talking about accent). Tons of Poles, Canadians and Americans as waitstaff and shop girls.

Zero chance you met an American working over there in the service industry. It's so hard for Americans to get Visas to work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am the poster who talked about having lost interest in London (well, one of them).

I loved London in the 1980s and 1990s because it felt very much like an English city. It wasn't New York, it wasn't Paris. Oh, yes, there were certainly diversity back then and many immigrants and their descendants who added wonderful touches to the London experience, but the big difference between now and then is that the balance has shifted decisively away from being "English" to becoming just another anonymous international city with little local flavour left. The experience you get in London is now not too different from New York. And it isn't just the immigrants from the Middle East or Africa, but the introduction of freedom of movement under the EU flooded London with hundreds of thousands (millions?) of Europeans, which is fine in a sense, but it has changed the character and personality of the city. Whenever I go into restaurants and cafes I hear so many different languages spoken around me, both the waitstaff and the other customers. 20 years ago it was English people serving me and English people around me. That made it neat because I was truly in a different country! But today, the vestiges of "Englishness" in London feels artificial, ironically, put on display for the sake of tourists rather than anything intrinsic and real. And it's because the actual English of traditional British heritage are a minority in London.

I am not passing a moral judgement on the changes in London. I am just observing it has changed greatly and made it a far less interesting place for me. The museums are still there (and excellent they remain) but I used to love walking around random neighbourhoods and observing local life, and it's simply just not the same. Even the other poster acknowledged it when she conceded no one shops at Harrods anymore except tourists, and especially Middle Eastern tourists. Large swathes of central London are now primarily owned and inhabited by the global superrich (of all nationalities) and that (similar to parts of New York) has also made it a less interesting place. There have also been positive changes through massive gentrification and explosion of the dining scene and it's also quite safer today, but I still prefer the slightly shabby, more low key and old fashioned London of the 1980s. I return to Britain all the time but it isn't until I leave London for other parts of the country that I feel I've actually arrived in Britain.

+1000
Well said. I agree completely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am the poster who talked about having lost interest in London (well, one of them).

I loved London in the 1980s and 1990s because it felt very much like an English city. It wasn't New York, it wasn't Paris. Oh, yes, there were certainly diversity back then and many immigrants and their descendants who added wonderful touches to the London experience, but the big difference between now and then is that the balance has shifted decisively away from being "English" to becoming just another anonymous international city with little local flavour left. The experience you get in London is now not too different from New York. And it isn't just the immigrants from the Middle East or Africa, but the introduction of freedom of movement under the EU flooded London with hundreds of thousands (millions?) of Europeans, which is fine in a sense, but it has changed the character and personality of the city. Whenever I go into restaurants and cafes I hear so many different languages spoken around me, both the waitstaff and the other customers. 20 years ago it was English people serving me and English people around me. That made it neat because I was truly in a different country! But today, the vestiges of "Englishness" in London feels artificial, ironically, put on display for the sake of tourists rather than anything intrinsic and real. And it's because the actual English of traditional British heritage are a minority in London.

I am not passing a moral judgement on the changes in London. I am just observing it has changed greatly and made it a far less interesting place for me. The museums are still there (and excellent they remain) but I used to love walking around random neighbourhoods and observing local life, and it's simply just not the same. Even the other poster acknowledged it when she conceded no one shops at Harrods anymore except tourists, and especially Middle Eastern tourists. Large swathes of central London are now primarily owned and inhabited by the global superrich (of all nationalities) and that (similar to parts of New York) has also made it a less interesting place. There have also been positive changes through massive gentrification and explosion of the dining scene and it's also quite safer today, but I still prefer the slightly shabby, more low key and old fashioned London of the 1980s. I return to Britain all the time but it isn't until I leave London for other parts of the country that I feel I've actually arrived in Britain.

I agree with this.

I spent a week in London recently for business, and I rarely encountered actual Brits with British accents (I'm not talking about skin color; I'm talking about accent). Tons of Poles, Canadians and Americans as waitstaff and shop girls.

Zero chance you met an American working over there in the service industry. It's so hard for Americans to get Visas to work.

Probably working on a BUNAC visa. Know quite a few Americans who spent six months working in the service industry in the UK using the BUNAC visa.

[Anonymous]

Disney was blah
Any beaches in the north, like Delaware, NJ
Annapolis, Baltimore are over rated
India is gross
Costa Rica - everyone was after our dollares.
LA - dirty
Hawaii if you live on the east coast - let us down, so expensive and not worth the trip. Absolutely yes if on the west coast. Go to the Caribbean instead.
Mexico - not been there but DH did and got robbed there, dangerous
Morocco
Great wolf lodge - money for nothing.
Ocean city, MD us trashy
Ireland - weather is a downer, food is not great, don’t rent a car there.
And I can’t resist OBX - boring unless you go with a good group then you could go to a place that’s closer and less expensive (if renting) it all you want to do is hang out with family at a beach.
And yes you ain’t gonna impress the DCUM crowd with OBX, mexico, Jamaica, Bahamas or the DR. Those are too plebeian and I agree

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am the poster who talked about having lost interest in London (well, one of them).

I loved London in the 1980s and 1990s because it felt very much like an English city. It wasn't New York, it wasn't Paris. Oh, yes, there were certainly diversity back then and many immigrants and their descendants who added wonderful touches to the London experience, but the big difference between now and then is that the balance has shifted decisively away from being "English" to becoming just another anonymous international city with little local flavour left. The experience you get in London is now not too different from New York. And it isn't just the immigrants from the Middle East or Africa, but the introduction of freedom of movement under the EU flooded London with hundreds of thousands (millions?) of Europeans, which is fine in a sense, but it has changed the character and personality of the city. Whenever I go into restaurants and cafes I hear so many different languages spoken around me, both the waitstaff and the other customers. 20 years ago it was English people serving me and English people around me. That made it neat because I was truly in a different country! But today, the vestiges of "Englishness" in London feels artificial, ironically, put on display for the sake of tourists rather than anything intrinsic and real. And it's because the actual English of traditional British heritage are a minority in London.

I am not passing a moral judgement on the changes in London. I am just observing it has changed greatly and made it a far less interesting place for me. The museums are still there (and excellent they remain) but I used to love walking around random neighbourhoods and observing local life, and it's simply just not the same. Even the other poster acknowledged it when she conceded no one shops at Harrods anymore except tourists, and especially Middle Eastern tourists. Large swathes of central London are now primarily owned and inhabited by the global superrich (of all nationalities) and that (similar to parts of New York) has also made it a less interesting place. There have also been positive changes through massive gentrification and explosion of the dining scene and it's also quite safer today, but I still prefer the slightly shabby, more low key and old fashioned London of the 1980s. I return to Britain all the time but it isn't until I leave London for other parts of the country that I feel I've actually arrived in Britain.

I agree with this.

I spent a week in London recently for business, and I rarely encountered actual Brits with British accents (I'm not talking about skin color; I'm talking about accent). Tons of Poles, Canadians and Americans as waitstaff and shop girls.

I’m the Londoner PP. I do recognise what you are describing, especially the part about the super-rich, but British people are not in a minority in London. Yes, many people in the service industries (restaurants, bars) are Europeans - though that may change because of Brexit (actually, this whole discussion reminds me of conversations I’ve had with English friends about Brexit...) - but get out of the touristy areas and it’s still London. I guess my view on this is different because I am not a visitor to London so I don’t care about how English it is. But in the same way I never go to New York to get “American” culture. London is and always has been multicultural and I love that. I repeat my offer to produce a guide to the great neighbourhooods and interesting places I can’t guarantee everyone there will have an English accent though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

And yes you ain’t gonna impress the DCUM crowd with OBX, mexico, Jamaica, Bahamas or the DR. Those are too plebeian and I agree

Thanks for the tip. My vacations are always based on impressing others

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

And yes you ain’t gonna impress the DCUM crowd with OBX, mexico, Jamaica, Bahamas or the DR. Those are too plebeian and I agree

Thanks for the tip. My vacations are always based on impressing others

I think that was tongue in cheek and you’d be surprised!

[Anonymous]

The DE beaches. Gag.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am the poster who talked about having lost interest in London (well, one of them).

I loved London in the 1980s and 1990s because it felt very much like an English city. It wasn't New York, it wasn't Paris. Oh, yes, there were certainly diversity back then and many immigrants and their descendants who added wonderful touches to the London experience, but the big difference between now and then is that the balance has shifted decisively away from being "English" to becoming just another anonymous international city with little local flavour left. The experience you get in London is now not too different from New York. And it isn't just the immigrants from the Middle East or Africa, but the introduction of freedom of movement under the EU flooded London with hundreds of thousands (millions?) of Europeans, which is fine in a sense, but it has changed the character and personality of the city. Whenever I go into restaurants and cafes I hear so many different languages spoken around me, both the waitstaff and the other customers. 20 years ago it was English people serving me and English people around me. That made it neat because I was truly in a different country! But today, the vestiges of "Englishness" in London feels artificial, ironically, put on display for the sake of tourists rather than anything intrinsic and real. And it's because the actual English of traditional British heritage are a minority in London.

I am not passing a moral judgement on the changes in London. I am just observing it has changed greatly and made it a far less interesting place for me. The museums are still there (and excellent they remain) but I used to love walking around random neighbourhoods and observing local life, and it's simply just not the same. Even the other poster acknowledged it when she conceded no one shops at Harrods anymore except tourists, and especially Middle Eastern tourists. Large swathes of central London are now primarily owned and inhabited by the global superrich (of all nationalities) and that (similar to parts of New York) has also made it a less interesting place. There have also been positive changes through massive gentrification and explosion of the dining scene and it's also quite safer today, but I still prefer the slightly shabby, more low key and old fashioned London of the 1980s. I return to Britain all the time but it isn't until I leave London for other parts of the country that I feel I've actually arrived in Britain.

I agree with this.

I spent a week in London recently for business, and I rarely encountered actual Brits with British accents (I'm not talking about skin color; I'm talking about accent). Tons of Poles, Canadians and Americans as waitstaff and shop girls.

Zero chance you met an American working over there in the service industry. It's so hard for Americans to get Visas to work.

Probably working on a BUNAC visa. Know quite a few Americans who spent six months working in the service industry in the UK using the BUNAC visa.

Aren't those Internship visas? I didn't know working as a waitress or in a pub qualified as an internship.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Disney was blah
Any beaches in the north, like Delaware, NJ
Annapolis, Baltimore are over rated
India is gross
Costa Rica - everyone was after our dollares.
LA - dirty
Hawaii if you live on the east coast - let us down, so expensive and not worth the trip. Absolutely yes if on the west coast. Go to the Caribbean instead.
Mexico - not been there but DH did and got robbed there, dangerous
Morocco
Great wolf lodge - money for nothing.
Ocean city, MD us trashy
Ireland - weather is a downer, food is not great, don’t rent a car there.
And I can’t resist OBX - boring unless you go with a good group then you could go to a place that’s closer and less expensive (if renting) it all you want to do is hang out with family at a beach.
And yes you ain’t gonna impress the DCUM crowd with OBX, mexico, Jamaica, Bahamas or the DR. Those are too plebeian and I agree

So what places are you impressed with since even Ireland was a let down for you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Disney was blah
Any beaches in the north, like Delaware, NJ
Annapolis, Baltimore are over rated
India is gross
Costa Rica - everyone was after our dollares.
LA - dirty
Hawaii if you live on the east coast - let us down, so expensive and not worth the trip. Absolutely yes if on the west coast. Go to the Caribbean instead.
Mexico - not been there but DH did and got robbed there, dangerous
Morocco
Great wolf lodge - money for nothing.
Ocean city, MD us trashy
Ireland - weather is a downer, food is not great, don’t rent a car there.
And I can’t resist OBX - boring unless you go with a good group then you could go to a place that’s closer and less expensive (if renting) it all you want to do is hang out with family at a beach.
And yes you ain’t gonna impress the DCUM crowd with OBX, mexico, Jamaica, Bahamas or the DR. Those are too plebeian and I agree

Which part of MX did your husband get robbed in?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am the poster who talked about having lost interest in London (well, one of them).

I loved London in the 1980s and 1990s because it felt very much like an English city. It wasn't New York, it wasn't Paris. Oh, yes, there were certainly diversity back then and many immigrants and their descendants who added wonderful touches to the London experience, but the big difference between now and then is that the balance has shifted decisively away from being "English" to becoming just another anonymous international city with little local flavour left. The experience you get in London is now not too different from New York. And it isn't just the immigrants from the Middle East or Africa, but the introduction of freedom of movement under the EU flooded London with hundreds of thousands (millions?) of Europeans, which is fine in a sense, but it has changed the character and personality of the city. Whenever I go into restaurants and cafes I hear so many different languages spoken around me, both the waitstaff and the other customers. 20 years ago it was English people serving me and English people around me. That made it neat because I was truly in a different country! But today, the vestiges of "Englishness" in London feels artificial, ironically, put on display for the sake of tourists rather than anything intrinsic and real. And it's because the actual English of traditional British heritage are a minority in London.

I am not passing a moral judgement on the changes in London. I am just observing it has changed greatly and made it a far less interesting place for me. The museums are still there (and excellent they remain) but I used to love walking around random neighbourhoods and observing local life, and it's simply just not the same. Even the other poster acknowledged it when she conceded no one shops at Harrods anymore except tourists, and especially Middle Eastern tourists. Large swathes of central London are now primarily owned and inhabited by the global superrich (of all nationalities) and that (similar to parts of New York) has also made it a less interesting place. There have also been positive changes through massive gentrification and explosion of the dining scene and it's also quite safer today, but I still prefer the slightly shabby, more low key and old fashioned London of the 1980s. I return to Britain all the time but it isn't until I leave London for other parts of the country that I feel I've actually arrived in Britain.

I agree with this.

I spent a week in London recently for business, and I rarely encountered actual Brits with British accents (I'm not talking about skin color; I'm talking about accent). Tons of Poles, Canadians and Americans as waitstaff and shop girls.

Zero chance you met an American working over there in the service industry. It's so hard for Americans to get Visas to work.

Probably working on a BUNAC visa. Know quite a few Americans who spent six months working in the service industry in the UK using the BUNAC visa.

Aren't those Internship visas? I didn't know working as a waitress or in a pub qualified as an internship.

NP. I think BUNAC used to include pub work, etc but now it has gone over to this internship model. FWIW, I lived in London for 7 years. There is no shortage of Americans living and working in professional jobs in London although I don't recall seeing many service workers.

[Anonymous]

PP who didn't like Costa Rica, can you provide more details on why not? I'm considering a visit there this spring or early summer.

[Anonymous]

Also, which area did you not enjoy in Costa Rica?

[Anonymous]

Tybee Island is quaint but was boring and had a horrible windy beach. The food choices at the time we visited were very limited and nothing special. Huuuge letdown after all the hype I heard about it.