Countries and cultures from personal direct contact
Offline 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.
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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.
Blasphemy! The best red wines are California Cabs. Although recently, I have really been getting into Chilean Carmenere.
The people in general or the government?
Uruguay here I come!
It isn't like we set the bar particularly high.
You can even find the ignorant stereotype
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
Thanks! I'll keep that in mind if I ever go back.
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!!
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.