Unexpectedly good places

Adhamh · 28-04-2015 07:30PM #1

Spinning off from the other thread going at the moment, what places have you been to that surprised you in a positive way?

For me it was Calcutta. Miles ahead of the rest of India in terms of development (paved footpaths, no open sewers, no random power cuts, normal enough traffic). But instead of just having the bare minimum to function it has a beautiful and consistent architectural style, alcohol and a sort of night -life, a fleet of 1950's style yellow taxis, much less poverty, a good fish-based cuisine and genuinely friendly people. It's more like how I'd imagine Cuba to be.

So where have you been that wasn't what you were expecting?

Lollipops23 · 28-04-2015 07:33PM

I was in Sligo for the first time ever last year and was by how beautiful Enniscrone Beach was. Really took me by surprise.

The_Valeyard · 28-04-2015 07:34PM

Donegal, beautiful county.

Tokyo · 28-04-2015 07:35PM

Adhamh wrote: »

Spinning off from the other thread going at the moment, what places have you been to that surprised you in a positive way?

For me it was Calcutta. Miles ahead of the rest of India in terms of development (paved footpaths, no open sewers, no random power cuts, normal enough traffic). But instead of just having the bare minimum to function it has a beautiful and consistent architectural style, alcohol and a sort of night -life, a fleet of 1950's style yellow taxis, much less poverty, a good fish-based cuisine and genuinely friendly people. It's more like how I'd imagine Cuba to be.

So where have you been that wasn't what you were expecting?

Where in Calcutta were you? I used to work there - Calcutta has some of the worst slums and poverty in India....

fleet_admiral · 28-04-2015 07:37PM

Lollipops23 wrote: »

I was in Sligo for the first time ever last year and was by how beautiful Enniscrone Beach was. Really took me by surprise.

Went to Sligo for the first time in 2011 expecting it to be a typical bog (pun intended) standard town. What I got was the best week I have ever had in Ireland and now I cant stay away from the place. It has one of the best pubs in Ireland (Hargodans)

Señor Fancy Pants · 28-04-2015 07:41PM

Lollipops23 wrote: »

I was in Sligo for the first time ever last year and was by how beautiful Enniscrone Beach was. Really took me by surprise.

Il be there in a few weeks. It better be nice, or else!

West Cork is beautiful but when someone used to say to me, "here, Truffle Pig are ya coming to west Cork"? I'd be like, fcuk that.

But man it's lovely there!

When the Sun Hits · 28-04-2015 07:42PM

Enniscrone is pretty boring, we'd bring the dog there sometimes and he likes it though.

28-04-2015 07:44PM

Waterford.

The city is so grim it tarnishes the reputation of the county. The county, especially the west, has some great mountain and coastal scenery, a lively town with good restaurants in Dungarvan, lovely villages like Dunmore East, Lismore and Ardmore, plenty to see.

28-04-2015 07:46PM

Truffle Pig wrote: »

Il be there in a few weeks. It better be nice, or else!

West Cork is beautiful but when someone used to say to me, "here, Truffle Pig are ya coming to west Cork"? I'd be like, fcuk that.

But man it's lovely there!

Ah West Cork, South and West Kerry and west Connaught are tourist hotspots.

What is surprising in West Cork is Skibbereen. Clon and Kinsale get all the hordes. Skib is a great town.

Magico Gonzalez · 28-04-2015 07:49PM

Gent. Given my overwhelmingly negative feelings about the rest of Belgium, I found Gent to be a charming surprise.

Señor Fancy Pants · 28-04-2015 07:52PM

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Ah West Cork, South and West Kerry and west Connaught are tourist hotspots.

What is surprising in West Cork is Skibbereen. Clon and Kinsale get all the hordes. Skib is a great town.

Yeah I was in Skib and Clon last year, fantastic!

28-04-2015 07:54PM

I prefer Skib, it's more bohemian and alternative. More of a proper West Cork town, Clon is one of those places that is geared towards tourists, like Killarney or Kinsale, and there is something a bit fake about it IMO.

fleet_admiral · 28-04-2015 07:56PM

Deleted User wrote: »

Waterford.

The city is so grim it tarnishes the reputation of the county. The county, especially the west, has some great mountain and coastal scenery, a lively town with good restaurants in Dungarvan, lovely villages like Dunmore East, Lismore and Ardmore, plenty to see.

Lismore is a beautiful place

littlemisshobo · 28-04-2015 08:00PM

Cork of some feckers so hiding West Cork from us... everyone knows how lovely Kerry and Wicklow are but I was blown away by West Cork and its sneaky loveliness...

28-04-2015 08:02PM

I live in South Kerry and weekends away in West Cork are always great. Beautiful scenery and beaches and lovely towns...and only an hour or 90 mins back to God's own country.

littlemisshobo · 28-04-2015 08:04PM

is Kerry an independent country now?... that was unexpected!

ToddyDoody · 28-04-2015 08:14PM

Deleted User wrote: »

Waterford.

The city is so grim it tarnishes the reputation of the county.

Its actually a lovely place. The recession has just taken it's toll a bit.

Aongus Von Bismarck · 28-04-2015 08:20PM

I was pleasantly surprised by Edinburgh. The food wasn't as utterly horrific as I had envisaged, and the Scots who live there weren't half as loud and uncultured as other Scots I've had the misfortune of meeting on my travels.

tomwaterford · 28-04-2015 08:21PM

Aongus Von Bismarck wrote: »

I was pleasantly surprised by Edinburgh. The food wasn't as utterly horrific as I had envisaged, and the Scots who live there weren't half as loud and uncultured as other Scots I've had the misfortune of meeting on my travels.

Is it not famous for strip clubs???

28-04-2015 08:22PM

tomwaterford wrote: »

Is it not famous for strip clubs???

The pubic triangle around the Burke and Hare.

lazygal · 28-04-2015 08:24PM

In the recovery room after having my babies. I had both via c section which I hadn't ever expected and I'd never stayed in hospital before. That incredible high after the ops is something I didn't expect and I'll never forget it.

Wanderer78 · 28-04-2015 08:26PM

Adhamh wrote: »

Miles ahead of the rest of India in terms of development (paved footpaths, no open sewers, no random power cuts, normal enough traffic). But instead of just having the bare minimum to function it has a beautiful and consistent architectural style, alcohol and a sort of night -life, a fleet of 1950's style yellow taxis, much less poverty, a good fish-based cuisine and genuinely friendly people

im questioning your reasons for traveling. is the lack of paved footpaths and random power cuts that big of a problem for you? alcohol and a sort of nightlife???? do you really travel to developing countries requiring these?

Deleted User wrote: »

Waterford.

The city is so grim it tarnishes the reputation of the county.

heard theyre removing it from the maps as its so bad

Adhamh · 28-04-2015 09:22PM

mike_ie wrote: »

Where in Calcutta were you? I used to work there - Calcutta has some of the worst slums and poverty in India....

Not saying that it isn't there, but I was a bit taken aback at how 'normal' the central area is, in other Indian metropolises the poverty is unavoidable and very 'in your face '.

Adhamh · 28-04-2015 09:26PM

Wanderer78 wrote: »

im questioning your reasons for traveling. is the lack of paved footpaths and random power cuts that big of a problem for you? alcohol and a sort of nightlife???? do you really travel to developing countries requiring these?

What I mean is that the city I found (or at least the much smaller area I saw) largely contradicted what I was expecting.

On a more local note, Donegal was nicer than people made it out to be.

pickarooney · 28-04-2015 09:27PM

Maputo, Mozambique, for a shell-pocked, war-ravaged, flood-soaked, third-world hell-hole was strangely warm and serene. Smiliest people I ever met.

Mr_Muffin · 28-04-2015 09:27PM

The Waterford coast line.

Wanderer78 · 28-04-2015 09:29PM

Adhamh wrote: »

paved footpaths, no open sewers, no random power cuts, normal enough traffic. alcohol and a sort of night -life

are these important things for when you're traveling in developing countries?

mod: thanks for deleting my previous post. apologies, forgot humour isnt allowed

Adamantium · 28-04-2015 09:31PM

Siberia

Prison.

mikom · 28-04-2015 09:32PM

The southern coast of St. Bart's.
My friends and I didn't think much of it to begin with.
But once but once me and my friends started sunbathing with spider monkeys and tripping on acid, it changed our whole perspective on shit.

GLaDOS · 28-04-2015 09:36PM

For all the crap I heard about it going over, I quite enjoyed Glasgow, though it was a brief enough stay.

28-04-2015 09:39PM

ScienceNerd wrote: »

For all the crap I heard about it going over, I quite enjoyed Glasgow, though it was a brief enough stay.

Yes, me too. I was there a few weeks ago for a work trip. Nice city. Shame I was there when that poor girl was murdered, it left a bit of a bad impression!

Unexpectedly good places

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