Where did you absolutely hate?

[Anonymous]

For example, one woman offered to take my picture with my kids (ages 10 and 12). I’m not often in pictures other than selfies so I said yes. She then demanded I pay her to return my phone.

Holy cow! How did you get your phone back?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Spain. I’m of Puerto Rican descent so the disdain is pretty deep-seated, but the Spanish are hostile to Americans (even when they speak fluent Spanish, as I do) and generally racist. Overall not a welcoming or warm experience. Just really not enjoyable.

Madrid>Barcelona>Valencia

Oh wow - so sorry to hear this- my experience has been quite the opposite. I am always blown away by the hospitality in Spain (Galicia region, where my family and I travel every summer) and I’m as American as they come. Didn’t the Americans stage a large smear campaign against the Spaniards when they took over Puerto Rico, with the goal of making Puerto Ricans reject Spain and Spanish culture? Is it possible some of that is at play here?

Among Latinos, Spaniards are well known to be arrogant and nasty. I'm Mex-American and traveled with my family to Spain. We were treated like 3rd world trash. I have a few friends who studied in Spain (Mex, Bolivian, Honduran) and they reported the same among Spanish classmates. If you're non-Latino, I hear that the experience can be positive. But Spaniards do tend to snub their noses at people from LATAM. I assure you that no smear campaign is needed. Spaniards are capable all on their own.

They are European and don’t like to be bunched in with a different continent simply because of language.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Spain. I’m of Puerto Rican descent so the disdain is pretty deep-seated, but the Spanish are hostile to Americans (even when they speak fluent Spanish, as I do) and generally racist. Overall not a welcoming or warm experience. Just really not enjoyable.

Madrid>Barcelona>Valencia

Oh wow - so sorry to hear this- my experience has been quite the opposite. I am always blown away by the hospitality in Spain (Galicia region, where my family and I travel every summer) and I’m as American as they come. Didn’t the Americans stage a large smear campaign against the Spaniards when they took over Puerto Rico, with the goal of making Puerto Ricans reject Spain and Spanish culture? Is it possible some of that is at play here?

Among Latinos, Spaniards are well known to be arrogant and nasty. I'm Mex-American and traveled with my family to Spain. We were treated like 3rd world trash. I have a few friends who studied in Spain (Mex, Bolivian, Honduran) and they reported the same among Spanish classmates. If you're non-Latino, I hear that the experience can be positive. But Spaniards do tend to snub their noses at people from LATAM. I assure you that no smear campaign is needed. Spaniards are capable all on their own.

They are European and don’t like to be bunched in with a different continent simply because of language.

Pesky language that they all share because SPAIN COLONIES y'all.

[Anonymous]

Austin - after it got less weird. Too corporate for what it is
Seoul - had little soul
Brussels - drab and depressing
Atlanta - possibly the worst of America’s big cities
Delhi - some neat architecture and good food, sprinkled in with filth, diarrhea, and creepy dudes touching random women

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Spain. I’m of Puerto Rican descent so the disdain is pretty deep-seated, but the Spanish are hostile to Americans (even when they speak fluent Spanish, as I do) and generally racist. Overall not a welcoming or warm experience. Just really not enjoyable.

Madrid>Barcelona>Valencia

Oh wow - so sorry to hear this- my experience has been quite the opposite. I am always blown away by the hospitality in Spain (Galicia region, where my family and I travel every summer) and I’m as American as they come. Didn’t the Americans stage a large smear campaign against the Spaniards when they took over Puerto Rico, with the goal of making Puerto Ricans reject Spain and Spanish culture? Is it possible some of that is at play here?

Among Latinos, Spaniards are well known to be arrogant and nasty. I'm Mex-American and traveled with my family to Spain. We were treated like 3rd world trash. I have a few friends who studied in Spain (Mex, Bolivian, Honduran) and they reported the same among Spanish classmates. If you're non-Latino, I hear that the experience can be positive. But Spaniards do tend to snub their noses at people from LATAM. I assure you that no smear campaign is needed. Spaniards are capable all on their own.

They are European and don’t like to be bunched in with a different continent simply because of language.

Pesky language that they all share because SPAIN COLONIES y'all.

Lots of countries speak English but are not culturally lumped together.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Austin - after it got less weird. Too corporate for what it is
Seoul - had little soul
Brussels - drab and depressing
Atlanta - possibly the worst of America’s big cities
Delhi - some neat architecture and good food, sprinkled in with filth, diarrhea, and creepy dudes touching random women

I liked Seoul. Yes, parts of it aren’t too exciting, but it’s a huge city with plenty of interesting neighborhoods. I also liked that no matter where I was, I felt completely safe. Also, Seoul is a great food city IMHO.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Austin - after it got less weird. Too corporate for what it is
Seoul - had little soul
Brussels - drab and depressing
Atlanta - possibly the worst of America’s big cities
Delhi - some neat architecture and good food, sprinkled in with filth, diarrhea, and creepy dudes touching random women

I think Atlanta is ok. There are some great things to visit there, the food is good, suburbs are pretty. It's not the best city but it's better than many.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Isle of Palms-absolute worst.

What were you expecting it similar to a lot of beach towns.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Spain. I’m of Puerto Rican descent so the disdain is pretty deep-seated, but the Spanish are hostile to Americans (even when they speak fluent Spanish, as I do) and generally racist. Overall not a welcoming or warm experience. Just really not enjoyable.

Madrid>Barcelona>Valencia

Oh wow - so sorry to hear this- my experience has been quite the opposite. I am always blown away by the hospitality in Spain (Galicia region, where my family and I travel every summer) and I’m as American as they come. Didn’t the Americans stage a large smear campaign against the Spaniards when they took over Puerto Rico, with the goal of making Puerto Ricans reject Spain and Spanish culture? Is it possible some of that is at play here?

Among Latinos, Spaniards are well known to be arrogant and nasty. I'm Mex-American and traveled with my family to Spain. We were treated like 3rd world trash. I have a few friends who studied in Spain (Mex, Bolivian, Honduran) and they reported the same among Spanish classmates. If you're non-Latino, I hear that the experience can be positive. But Spaniards do tend to snub their noses at people from LATAM. I assure you that no smear campaign is needed. Spaniards are capable all on their own.

Spaniards don't even hold a candle to the Argentinian attitude

Argentinians for the win.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Austin - after it got less weird. Too corporate for what it is
Seoul - had little soul
Brussels - drab and depressing
Atlanta - possibly the worst of America’s big cities
Delhi - some neat architecture and good food, sprinkled in with filth, diarrhea, and creepy dudes touching random women

Our Friday night layover in Brussels after two weeks in Portugal was a trip highlight. Great beer, fries, waffles, and chocolate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Austria. I found the people to be aggressively rude. Vehemently anti-American. I was actually insulted multiple times during my stay for being American. For example, one time I asked when my breakfast order would be out as I’d been waiting for a long time. I asked politely and the waiter yelled at for being an American who can’t enjoy her holiday. I was told to calm down too. It was such an extreme overreaction.

Never experienced this in any other European country.

Spoke the other day to a friend who went skiing there and told me how rude everyone was. I told her I know exactly what you mean!

Not surprising at all this country welcomed Hitler with open arms. I’m sure they do it again today in a heartbeat.

Where in Austria were you? Can you give examples of negative interactions outside the hotel? How were you identified so easily? When was this? I’m curious because this thread has been helpful in thinking of destinations and potential pitfalls to avoid.

It’s a common misconception but Hitler was actually Austrian.

I have traveled a bit through Austria and find the people strange. Lived in Bavaria at the time and had no issues with Bavarians. But Austrian interactions were always a little off.

Wow who knew the sleeper hit of this thread would be that Austrians are rude! I had no idea. Lots of hits on google.
"why are austrians rude"

I'll let you know what I find out. Maybe stems from being an EX-empire?

A friend of mine married an Austrian. I like him but his family sounds tragic and strange. And they have lived in the same village for generations. Interesting to hear about the people everyone encountered.

Arnold Schwarzenegger hated growing up in Austria. He said beating of children was common place when he was growing up. He could not wait to leave Austria.

I mean, that was immediately post WW2 so I think some things have changed, but I think Schwarznegger's experience echoes what I observed when living there in the late aughts for three years: many Austrians still have PTSD about their country's status and existence since the end of WW2. The people that have internalized that are defensive and do weird things like confront people waiting for the bus. Those that have not, are reserved, even rude, by American standards, but they are generally ok.

Austrians are not warm and friendly, and they have a real issue with American boisterousness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bar Harbor and/or Acadia on a weekend in the summer.

We were only there for a quick weekend but I could not believe how crowded it was. I felt like I was on the boardwalk in OC while walking the streets of Bar Harbor. It definitely wasn't a quaint fishing village that I was hoping for. And at Acadia, we couldn't even find a place to park that wasn't a 2+ mile walk to whatever site we wanted to see.

I don't begrudge you your opinion, but this is a failure to research and plan. Acadia has a free shuttle because of the parking difficulties.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My husband has a friend who lives in Phoenix and we went and visited him for a few days and I hated it. The entire place just seemed like a giant suburb. No neighborhoods, no history. It was so dry and dusty. Scorpions? No thank you. I can't even imagine being there in the heat.

My brother lives in a suburb of Phoenix. We venture in for authentic Mexican but we never stay.

Enjoyed my time in Sedona, Sliderock, Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon. Even went deep into the Navajo Nation to visit Antelope Canyon.

Phoenix aint the best, but the state has alot of natural beauty.

+1 Arizona is an awesome and gorgeous state! But Phoenix (and the entire Valley, really) is very meh. As far as bigger cities go, Tucson has much more of that Arizona/southwestern energy and a sense of place compared to Phoenix. Flagstaff is also a great little city.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bar Harbor and/or Acadia on a weekend in the summer.

We were only there for a quick weekend but I could not believe how crowded it was. I felt like I was on the boardwalk in OC while walking the streets of Bar Harbor. It definitely wasn't a quaint fishing village that I was hoping for. And at Acadia, we couldn't even find a place to park that wasn't a 2+ mile walk to whatever site we wanted to see.

I don't begrudge you your opinion, but this is a failure to research and plan. Acadia has a free shuttle because of the parking difficulties.

My husband balked at using the free shuttle because "he didn't want to deal with the bus schedule" and I told him too bad, I'd keep track of it. At the end of the week he agreed that the bus was what made our trip! We got to every site easily and were able to hike to the next stop and decide if the kids were done or if we could keep going. No reason to bring a car into Acadia.

[Anonymous]

Manhattan Beach in LA is a horribly racist place. I've been there a few times over the last 20 years and always get treated like I'm intruding on a white space.