Countries and cultures from personal direct contact

Teralek
Teralek's picture
Posts: 620
Joined: 2010-07-15
User is offlineOffline
Countries and cultures from personal direct contact

 I have traveled on cruise ships for 18 months.

Here's my view on countries and people:

Best cruises: Baltic; caribbean; Norwegian Fjords

Most beautiful landscapes: caribbean; Norway

Most advanced country: Norway

Most welcoming people: Fiji islands

Best Italian food: Daily Catch - Boston USA

Most disappointing beach: Waikiki Hawaii

Most annoying people: Egypt

Most impressive cultural city: Vatican / St Petersburgh

Best restaurant experience: Olde Hansa - Tallin (Estonia)

Best Food overall: Portugal (there is a lot of personal preference here)

Best oysters: Australia

Best lobster: Maine (USA)

Best beer and chocolate: Belgium

Best red wine: French

Landmark disappointment: Pyramids

Landmark good surprise: Hagia Sophia

Living style experience: Samoa island

Not so well explored natural wonder: Azores islands

Best cultural experience: Jerusalem

Best city experience: New York

Best country side experience: New Zealand

Most corrupt people: Greeks

Most hot women: Uruguay

Best markets: Turkey

Final notes:

Asians tend to be more polite than westerners. They have a better sense of society and how to be fair and nice to others.

Americans are a very diverse bunch, they are not like the ignorant stereotype we sometimes think. You can find anything in the US if you know where to look

Canadians are just like Americans but with a bit better political education.

Everything looks old and historic in Europe. Everything looks huge in north America. Everything looks new and young in Australia, even the people.

Best thing about living in America or Oceania is the laid back life style and behavior.


cj
atheistRational VIP!
cj's picture
Posts: 3330
Joined: 2007-01-05
User is offlineOffline
I agree

Avoid Waikiki Beach. I lived in Hawaii for four years. We couldn't afford to travel to the other islands, but on Oahu, Waimanolo Beach was my personal favorite. It is very large, has beautiful scenery, and is underutilized, so it is clean.

Don't tell the tourists.

-- I feel so much better since I stopped trying to believe.

"We are entitled to our own opinions. We're not entitled to our own facts"- Al Franken

"If death isn't sweet oblivion, I will be severely disappointed" - Ruth M.


Beyond Saving
atheist
Beyond Saving's picture
Posts: 5520
Joined: 2007-10-12
User is offlineOffline
Welcome back

Teralek wrote:

Best red wine: French

Blasphemy! The best red wines are California Cabs. Although recently, I have really been getting into Chilean Carmenere. 

 

Teralek wrote:

Most corrupt people: Greeks

The people in general or the government?

 

Teralek wrote:

Most hot women: Uruguay

Uruguay here I come!

 

Teralek wrote:

Asians tend to be more polite than westerners. They have a better sense of society and how to be fair and nice to others.

It isn't like we set the bar particularly high.

 

Teralek wrote:

Americans are a very diverse bunch, they are not like the ignorant stereotype we sometimes think. You can find anything in the US if you know where to look

You can even find the ignorant stereotype Sticking out tongue

 

Teralek wrote:

Canadians are just like Americans but with a bit better political education.

Burn. Don't let Vastet see that. 

 

Are you done with your travels for now or just taking a short break?

 

If, if a white man puts his arm around me voluntarily, that's brotherhood. But if you - if you hold a gun on him and make him embrace me and pretend to be friendly or brotherly toward me, then that's not brotherhood, that's hypocrisy.- Malcolm X


Teralek
Teralek's picture
Posts: 620
Joined: 2010-07-15
User is offlineOffline
cj wrote:Avoid Waikiki

cj wrote:

Avoid Waikiki Beach. I lived in Hawaii for four years. We couldn't afford to travel to the other islands, but on Oahu, Waimanolo Beach was my personal favorite. It is very large, has beautiful scenery, and is underutilized, so it is clean.

Don't tell the tourists.

Thanks! I'll keep that in mind if I ever go back.


Teralek
Teralek's picture
Posts: 620
Joined: 2010-07-15
User is offlineOffline
Beyond Saving wrote:Teralek

Beyond Saving wrote:

Teralek wrote:

Best red wine: French

Blasphemy! The best red wines are California Cabs. Although recently, I have really been getting into Chilean Carmenere. 

 

Teralek wrote:

Most corrupt people: Greeks

The people in general or the government?

 

Teralek wrote:

Most hot women: Uruguay

Uruguay here I come!

 

Teralek wrote:

Asians tend to be more polite than westerners. They have a better sense of society and how to be fair and nice to others.

It isn't like we set the bar particularly high.

 

Teralek wrote:

Americans are a very diverse bunch, they are not like the ignorant stereotype we sometimes think. You can find anything in the US if you know where to look

You can even find the ignorant stereotype Sticking out tongue

 

Teralek wrote:

Canadians are just like Americans but with a bit better political education.

Burn. Don't let Vastet see that. 

 

Are you done with your travels for now or just taking a short break?

 

I have tried some Carmenere when I was in Chile. Not my wine for sure. But I was amazed with Chateauneuf du Pape. Probably the best red I ever had. Also I tried Réserve Mouton Cadet Saint-Émilion which I also liked.

It's impossible to try every wine in the world and I can't try the top ones. Don't have enough money... If you haven't tried Chateauneuf please do so!

Greeks is everyone... as soon as you get a taxi you'll see...

I'm done for now... unless something new comes up. I'm going to Edinburgh soon. I will stay there for a while. How long? Who knows!! 


digitalbeachbum
atheistRational VIP!
digitalbeachbum's picture
Posts: 4895
Joined: 2007-10-15
User is offlineOffline
I spent three weeks in China

I spent three weeks in China and the Americans I travel led with were the worst. Chinese people in general were always nice. Stayed with group entire time.

Canada was nice but I found Canadians to be as bad as Americans, just less ignorant.

Southern Mexico was nice but we weren't allowed to travel with out escort. The locals were nicer than the police.

Costa Rica, can't say enough good things about it. Yeah they have their bad areas but who doesn't. Don't go looking for trouble and usually it will avoid you.

Peru, spent the entire two weeks with a tour and glad we did it before we had kids. Machu Pichu was amazing and well worth the money. Locals were friendly, but there are plenty of problems in Lima.

El Salvador. Lovely country, but the crime is out of control. Even my friends and family were afraid to go in to San Salvador.

Caribbean, varies from place to place, but I would never visit again places such as Haiti or Dominican Republic.

Puerto Rico - Very nice. Stayed three days. Didn't have enough time to see all we wanted.

Hawaii - bleah... nothing special.

Guam - Rocks. Best hidden secret of the Northern Pacific.

Japan - Can't say enough good things about Japan. There is good and bad, but well worth the trip.

Key West - Nice, but I'm glad I don't live there

Alaska - Hmmmm. It's an acquired taste.