Bucees

San Juan, Puerto Rico and Grand Cayman

so overcrowded with frequent cruise ship passengers that it is downright unpleasant to be there

(actually I have the same complaint about Santorini, but it is so gorgeous I can’t say it’s jumped the shark)

Costa Rica sucked 20 years ago. Even back in the early 2000s it was the destination for young Americans who wanted to experience Latin America but who wanted a country that was relatively safe (not a bad thing) and where English was widely spoken and the tourist industry catered to Americans. Now it’s becoming overrun with American expats (or should we just call them migrants?) in some communities.

Anonymous wrote:I just returned from Oahu where i was basically tasked with replicating my parents honeymoon for their 50th anniversary. They were expecting leisurely breakfasts and then just showing up to the tourist attraction they felt like doing that day, for free or practically free. "Let's play it by ear."
They were pretty shocked that I had to handle prepaid reservations for everything, endless QR codes, and logging on at 7 am to get tickets for 48 hours later (Hanauma Bay was sold out by 7:01.) My mom kept telling me to put my phone away and I literally couldn't! "We have to leave for Diamond Head right now or we miss our window. I'm sorry you didn't get your third cup of coffee."
I knew what I was getting into but I think they were pretty disillusioned.

Yes they were disillusioned because that was how travel was 50 years ago. I'm 64 and went to Europe for the first time in 1969 when I was 8 to visit family in Italy. We had to get vaccinated (true story!) and drink bottled water because the water wasn't safe in any of the countries we visited over the six weeks we were there (Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland). I had never seen water sold in a bottle before (and then we were conned into thinking we need bottled water in the US - that happened I think in the 1980s!)

Anyway, It was a super big deal to travel on a plane to anywhere in those days and people got dressed up! I remember my mom and I planning our outfits to wear on the plane a week ahead of the trip! You could just show up at places like the Sistine Chapel and the Lourve and have no lines. And women had to cover their heads and shoulders to enter any Catholic church.

I've been travelling to Europe pretty regularly since that first time when I was 8 and it has certainly changed a lot. It's just so much cheaper and easier to plan trips. I still love to travel but I try to go as off-season as possible, which really isn't possible because there is no off-season in many places. My nephew lives in Amsterdam and he loves it but said that there is never a low season any more and it is packed with visitors 365 days a year. Many places in Italy are like that as well.

DH is from India and we spend a lot of time there as well. When I first went there 27 years ago, people often stared at me like they had never seen a Westerner before. These days nobody looks twice as there are so many Western travellers there. The world is getting a lot smaller!

I just returned from Oahu where i was basically tasked with replicating my parents honeymoon for their 50th anniversary. They were expecting leisurely breakfasts and then just showing up to the tourist attraction they felt like doing that day, for free or practically free. "Let's play it by ear."
They were pretty shocked that I had to handle prepaid reservations for everything, endless QR codes, and logging on at 7 am to get tickets for 48 hours later (Hanauma Bay was sold out by 7:01.) My mom kept telling me to put my phone away and I literally couldn't! "We have to leave for Diamond Head right now or we miss our window. I'm sorry you didn't get your third cup of coffee."
I knew what I was getting into but I think they were pretty disillusioned.

I mean of course anyplace you get a lot of tourists will be $$$? What's the question? Don't go? It's possible to find off the beaten scenic destinations but it's time intensive.

We found place in Santa Fe and were the only ones hiking there. It's amazing and beautiful and not $$$. White canyon cliffs like you were on another planet. I'm not going to post it because I want to keep it that way

I'm sure soon enough more people will find it

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Anonymous wrote:Yes. DCUM is definitely obsessed with Costa Rica.

And yes, the food is very mediocre there. That's known throughout the region.

There is a lack of a specific style or signature dish, that is true. but you can have some great meals if you stick to fish and seafood, most of which is caught day of. That’s the one thing they have mastered there.

Maybe dcum is “obsessed” with the place, but irl people in the dmv give me a blank stare when I mention it and I’ve never heard anyone else talk about it. People that hate on other people’s choices are weird, and very mean spirited.

If this is happening to you, it’s only because they’ve all been there/done that and they’re bored with it. I stopped going 15 years ago. You’re late to the party.

So where are the cool places to go?

There are no boring places, only boring people. The cool places are just 20 minutes away from the tourist traps.

I like tourist traps, you'll find me at them wearing a Niagara Falls Sweatshirt

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Anonymous wrote:I just did a search on the travel forum to “Costa Rica” and got 4,974 hits. Yea, DCUM is obsessed

?? trying searching London, or Italy-- is DCUM "obsessed" with those?

You people are odd (although so is claiming Carnival cruises "jumped the shark" when it is pretty much what it's always been)

Why are you all worked up over the obviously true statement that Costa Rica is a VERY popular travel destination on this website?

What is the difference between a very popular destination and “obsession”, because obviously London and Italy are more popular destinations?

DP but I think I know the difference.

Some (many?) of the citizens of Dcumlandia have very specific opinions about travel (coupled with a compulsion to “win” so they’ve made travel a competition).

There are certain destinations that immediately prompt derision: cruises, Disney, a combined weeklong trip to London and Paris, and anywhere in Florida or a red state unless you are doing to a pricey spa or dude ranch.

Once upon a time, Iceland wasn’t popular. Then it became cool, and then it became popular, and then it became a joke on Dcum. Costa Rica is now trending in that direction.

You see, most people went to more mainstream (read: developed) Caribbean or similar destinations until CR became “hot.” It definitely wasn’t for the beaches (which, less face it, aren’t the best). But the jungle views, hiking (what is it with white people and hiking btw?), etc. made the vacation pics and stories sound “amazing,” propelling CR into a new level of popularity.

But as we know, once “everyone” starts visiting a spot, then it’s no longer “special.” (Whatever)

ICYMI: Italy and Greece are for lazy people who aren’t real travelers (per dcum critics). Apparently, you need to vacation in third world countries or risk your life in dangerous places to have any credibility as a well-traveled person.

Anyway, welcome to Dcumlandia.

Thank you— this all makes sense now (well not really but DCUM-sense). Better go to Slovenia now before it becomes declasse.

Oh dear, Slovenia was déclassé 10 years ago. Seriously, I’m not joking. But you didn’t know that did you? My heart aches for you.

Nailed it