We went to X but didn't like it

[chicchantal]

Ever had anyone make this announcement to you? I've never heard it about Paris (as if!) but someone once said this to me about Barcelona. No kidding. When I asked what she and her husband had done she said 'Oh we didn't bother with the Gaudi buildings. Or the Ramblas, much. We walked around the other bits and it was really boring and modern. Oh yes, the park was OK. But we didn't see what the fuss was about.'

I mean, what can you say? (Can't even remember what I DID say!)

[annettecinca]

I actually have had someone tell me they went to Paris and didn't like it. A local girl was attending culinary school in Scotland and fell in love with a young man there. He took her to Paris to propose, and all she could say about Paris is how dirty and disgusting it was! I just wrote it off to inexperience.

Off the top of my head, I can't think of one place I've been that I really didn't like--I can usually find some redeeming quality just about everywhere. I'll keep thinking...

[Becky (Berkeleytravelers)]

I've seen a few posts like that about Paris ("it's old and dirty and expensive" etc.) I personally don't mind if someone won't be going back - it's a very individual reaction, and if they don't like it there then they (and others) should go elsewhere - probably the ideal candidate for a week at Disneyland, or wherever.

[ray]

I came back to work today and I really didn't like that

[Jody]

I'd have to say I wasn't that thrilled at the Crypte Archeologique or the Musee du Vin, though the glass of wine at the end of the visit was nice. In fact we bought a few bottles for the room

[mez]

I'll put my hand up and say that neither Rome nor Greece in general did anything for me.

These are places that I cannot see myself going to again.

I love London and I know many people look at me like I've sprouted horns when I tell them - they just can't see the fascination I have with the city.

[chicchantal]

I love London too, I've lived here for 23 years. But I love it the way I love Paris, not for the touristy things (many of which I've never been to see) but for the parks and the restos and peoplewatching and walking by the river and the lovely houses etc.

[aude]

I have some relatives who don't enjoy travel at all. They live in the rural southeastern United States and are just not interested in going to far away places, and feel very uncomfortable when they get away from their home turf. They recently traveled to Chicago for a family wedding -- a big stretch for them because it was much farther than they had ever gone. They asked about things to do there, so I made a map for them of the area around their hotel, and spoon-fed them information on fun things to do nearby (John Hancock tower, Millennium Park, etc.) I was so excited because they were venturing out and would be expanding their horizons a bit. Well, they arrived in Chicago the morning of the wedding, took one look around and decided it was too cool / windy / crowded, went back into the hotel where they stayed until the wedding that evening, and then the next morning went straight back home without doing or seeing a single thing. The wedding was great, but everything else was a big dud for them. Their spirit of adventure is non-existent. And Chicago is a city in their own country for goodness sake -- what's so difficult about seeing a few sites??!!

In hindsight, I should have known that this would happen. Why did I ever think they'd love Chicago? These are exactly the sort of people who might be persuaded to go to Paris, Barcelona, or wherever, but would not enjoy it at all. That's just the way it is and they are never going to change. I love travel, they don't. My relatives love baseball, I don't. I realized that I was just trying to impose my interests on them and getting irritated when they didn't enjoy it. I decided to can my superior attitude and accept the fact that for whatever reason, they just don't like to travel. I think there are lots of people like that.

[Becky (Berkeleytravelers)]

Aude, I think you're completely correct - the problems arise when people think they "should" like travel (or anything else) and make themselves do something that never appealed to them in the first place (a bit like accepting a date with someone you just know you won't find interesting, but you think you "should" because maybe he/she will surprise you but - surprise! - it's exactly as you knew it would be, and you end up kicking yourself for not listening to the voice that was saying "just don't do it").

[aude]

That's a great analogy, Becky. I think lots of people in the US think that at some point they "should" go to Europe. At least one trip abroad (in some circles anyhow) is considered a necessary part of a person's cultural experiences.

[chicchantal]

My dad was 64 before he went abroad for the first time and he actually quite liked it. I think he sort of got stubborn about it and didn't want to prove himself wrong. But he went to Greece, Switzerland and the Balearics and liked them all.

[Happygoin]

Aude, you make me think of the lady I used to work with who invited me on an all-expenses trip to Oxford. Her daughter was doing a summer semester there and she wanted some company. Who was I to say no to that, right??

Suffice it to say that I paid in other ways. We went to London for a day and Paris for an overnight. Long story short, she hated every single thing about traveling: the people, the food, all the walking, the smog and for godsake, NO ONE SPOKE ENGLISH IN PARIS! It was awful.

She sat in the hotel the entire time we were in Oxford and complained. I explored the incredibly interesting area alone. Her attitude toward travel really put me off her. After the trip, I didn't see too much of her, and it's too bad because, other than that, I really liked her.

[aude]

Happy, what a frustrating situation! I could take the unwillingness to participate, but the complaining....yow! Sounds like you made the most of it, though. I suppose that's all you could do with a person like that.

[suzanne]

We traveled alot as kids. Granted other than Mexico and Canada, we never left the states. I think this was the start of my great love for traveling. My daughter caught the travel bug from me and she has been fortunate enough to travel much more than I could ever dream of.

Since falling in love with Paris my trips have been somewhat limited. Someday I hope to retire and just roam around Europe.

My motto is to try to enjoy and make the most out of your travel experience. Some people are just narrow minded. It is sad really, they have no idea what they are missing.

[Sandy M]

Happy,
Your experience is similar to one I had last year in that I was with a friend who complained all day, every day about everything! She had never been to Europe and wanted to go visit friends in Amsterdam but was afraid to travel alone so she suggested that she would go to Paris with me if I would go to Amsterdam with her. We started out in Paris and she started complaining the minute we got off the plane. I have known her for years but never knew just how negative she was. The biggest complaint she had about Paris was that "everything looked alike" I just looked at her - I was speechless! I couldn't believe my ears. Finally, on the morning of the third day, I told her that if she was going to complain all day long again that I was going to pack and go home! That did shut her up so the last two days were much more pleasant. The good thing about the trip is that I now have new friends in Amsterdam as her friends accepted me as though they had known me forever - wonderful, wonderful people!

[chicchantal]

I went to Carcassonne with one of those. She would go back to the hotel and spend the day in bed with the telly (which she couldn't understand on), wearing her tracksuit top because she was cold and with the air conditioning on full blast. After two days I would sit down and do something she'd find boring, just to get rid of her, then go off and do what I wanted.

She's now a former friend.

[Katharine]

I honestly can't think of any place I've been that I did not like. There are places I've been that I never need to go back to, like Las Vegas, but I am glad I went. I see every trip as an opportunity to learn about new people and places (like all of you wonderful OPF folks do ;D) so the only way I would not like it is if I was precluded from learning something new. The chances of that happening are pretty slim.

I love to travel, anytime, anywhere. Speaking of which, anyone have any insight into South America (now that really is off-topic!)

K

[cigalechanta]

some people are like that. Going across town, to some, is foreign territory

[annettecinca]

Aug 3, 2008 18:58:30 GMT -5 Katharine said:

I love to travel, anytime, anywhere. Speaking of which, anyone have any insight into South America (now that really is off-topic!)

K

Our very own Sandy lives in Argentina--is that south enough for you? Here's her website:
www.batravelguide.com/