# Places not to go before you die



## brook (Oct 27, 1999)

I heard a program about places you should go before you die. I am wondering if there are places you have been that you would absolutely not recommend. I'll start off with the Great Wall of China. Though a feat of engineering, I didn't find it particularly exciting and would not suggest going out of your way to see it, particularly if you have limited time. There are many other places to see and things to do in China.


----------



## ishbel (Jan 5, 2007)

Hong Kong.


----------



## gunnar (Apr 3, 2008)

Ishbel said:


> Hong Kong.


Wow Ishbel, That's a bit short. Any particular section or you just saying all of it is not to be borne?


----------



## brook (Oct 27, 1999)

Hong Kong has really good food, though.


----------



## catering101 (Jun 27, 2010)

Antarctica...too cold there. /img/vbsmilies/smilies//biggrin.gif


----------



## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

Haiti


----------



## bhtoad (Jul 14, 2010)

North Korea or ANY war zone.


----------



## homemadecook (Jan 27, 2010)

BHToad said:


> North Korea or ANY war zone.


I agree! not good to to be in any war zone country.


----------



## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

Deridder, Louisiana.  been there, don't ever really need to go back nor recommend anyone visiting.


----------



## ishbel (Jan 5, 2007)

Gunnar

I've visited the ex-colony a number of times.  Each time I have had bad experiences!  Last time, was in April this year transiting in the Business lounge.... NEVER again!  I love the service of Cathay Pacific airlines  - but that airport and the RUDE and obnoxious airport staff are simply not worth it!


----------



## durangojo (Jul 30, 2007)

gallup, new mexico

kayenta, arizona

kingston, jamaica

port au prince, haiti

joey


----------



## foodmeister (Oct 2, 2010)

Funny I've really liked everywhere I've been to and I've been to Shanghai, Montreal, Chicago, Denver, Jamaica, Tokyo (for a night :|   ), Beijing, but I'd say if you can avoid Boulder, Colorado.  I did a stint at grad school there and I got food poisoning and had to quit due to that and other reasons and the people there were just horrible.  The whole town reaks of destitution and you can't get around anywhere without a car.


----------



## chrislehrer (Oct 9, 2008)

Gary, Indiana is pretty depressing.


----------



## lyniebeck (Sep 8, 2010)

Pahokee, Florida    Depressing, depressing, depressing


----------



## amazingrace (Jul 28, 2006)

Camp Lejeune, North Carolina...beyond depressing


----------



## durangojo (Jul 30, 2007)

foodmeister said:


> Funny I've really liked everywhere I've been to and I've been to Shanghai, Montreal, Chicago, Denver, Jamaica, Tokyo (for a night :| ), Beijing, but I'd say if you can avoid Boulder, Colorado. I did a stint at grad school there and I got food poisoning and had to quit due to that and other reasons and the people there were just horrible. The whole town reaks of destitution and you can't get around anywhere without a car.


boulder, colorado...destitiute?...are you sure? boulder is a very prosperous little/ big town... a college town....what century were you there in? and what town can you get around in without a car? cities maybe, towns maybe not so much...actually pearl street in boulder is a no car zone...pedestrian traffic only...AANND....i believe boulder was just voted as the 'foodiest town in america' (albeit, bon appetits' award).....sorry you had such a rotten time there an,d that the people were so horrible and, that you got food poisoning and had to drop out of school...does seem a bit extreme, though...anyway,on behalf of the people from the great state of colorado, i apologize...

joey


----------



## boar_d_laze (Feb 13, 2008)

I kept dropping in and out of grad school but then messed up and dropped in one time to many.  Kharma has a way of catching up. 

Speaking of college hijinks, don't get dropped off at the Bettaravia Road in Sisquoc while hitch-hiking down the coast.  

East Gary and East Chicago, Indiana were the most depressed, rust-bucket, ugliest, toughest towns I was ever in, each and both could have been missed without being missed.     

BDL


----------



## rachadunn (Oct 2, 2010)

Bakersfield, California. Trucker stop. That's it. But really really amazing taco food truck right off the highway at a Chevron.

The Tenderloin in San Francisco. Scary.


----------



## the-boy-nurse (Aug 9, 2010)

Binghamton, NY- Uglier and dirtier than buffalo, but w/ less to do and crappy weather too. I hate driving through the town, jersey is prettier. But I don't think anyone has Binghamton on their bucket list.

More to the OP's point

Honolulu was not that impressive. Kinda like Albany with a really nice beach, didn't do it for me. Of course I don't like people, and therefore dislike cities. But one must go through Honolulu to get to any other locale in Hawaii. So the airport should be one place you do go.

BTW, south Philly on garbage day mid August, not cool.


----------



## petemccracken (Sep 18, 2008)

boar_d_laze said:


> ...Speaking of college hijinks, don't get dropped off at the Bettaravia Road in Sisquoc while hitch-hiking down the coast...
> BDL


So BDL, how long did you wait for a ride?

Or did you get smart and walk north to a better exit? /img/vbsmilies/smilies/crazy.gif (Cal Poly grad, that spent FAR too much time on 101 (Nipomo, Guadelupe (good food at both Jocko's and the Far Western)


----------



## durangojo (Jul 30, 2007)

funny, no one has mentioned east texas...lot and lots of places that not only have scary surroundinngs, but really scary peops as well...don't need to go there unless you are into 'sheep docking' where the practice is for 'cowboys'  to actually bite the balls off sheep (a timed race), then they,(the cowboys) cook up whats in the bucket at the end of the night.),..interesting way to get the girl and do the dosie doe partner, don't ya think?. in east texas, there is always beer or booze involved...always....guess  that's why they got ssoooo many sad country songs sung up about it...ya think?

joey


----------



## the-boy-nurse (Aug 9, 2010)

durangojo said:


> 'sheep docking' where the practice of the cowboys is to actually bite the balls off sheep (a timed race), then they,(the actual rodeo cowboys) cook up whats in the bucket at the end of the night.)..


That has to be one of the most horrific things I've ever read... seriously. Makes baby seal clubbing and dog fighting sound like family game night.


----------



## durangojo (Jul 30, 2007)

i swear i'm not making it up, just reportin the facts! i thought i was being put on, but then i found out it is a very real thing.... think its big in dick cheneys' state as well!!

another place to miss...mexico city!

joey


----------



## rezacatering (Sep 11, 2010)

I been to El Salvadore with the locals and even the locals are afraid of the local gang MS 13. I don't go to places anymore where the locals are afraid of something.

Reza

San Diego Catering


----------



## cooknfool (Oct 5, 2010)

Baltimore, Maryland. A couple of mayors ago they gussied up the old rat infested wharfs around the Inner Harbor, added some too expensive restaurants, an aquarium and a handful of Starbucks. Now it's as effective a tourist trap as Wall Drug out in the Dakotas or South of the Border. The citiy's unofficial motto "Baltimore...the city that breeds and bleeds". A bit of a play on words. The last slogan that a mayor spent money that they didn't have on was painting all of the benches and trash cans in town with "Baltimore, the city that reads", which is ludicrous if you've ever heard a University of Maryland basketball player being interviewed, (many of the school's stellar full scholarship student athletes come from Baltimore). They can't even speak English much less read or write it.

Were it not for the presence of Johns Hopkins, University Hospital's Shock Trauma Center and a half dozen other very good hospitals in the metro area they'd have a murder rate that would make Pol Pot jealous. Roving gangs of Black youts on dirt bikes regularly terrorize tourists and those still adventurous enough to venture into Little Italy (great restaurants - just too attractive to the bad guys) after dark. Wildings are now becoming a fave past time of the young, poor, under-served of the city. Recently Baltimore was ranked in the top ten of all cities in America for teenage pregnancy and AIDS. Go figure.

Maryland has very stringent concealed carry laws, so the only people that carry guns are the people who don't really care about laws too much, and they far out number the police so if you do have to visit there remember...Duck & Cover! People that live around Baltimore don't enter unless they have to for the most part. Those that still do are only a gunshot away from joining the rest of us who are waiting for a giant hole to open and swallow the whole pestilent mess.

The Chesapeake Bay seafood is all toxic now anyway, so give this one a pass. D.C. after dark isn't too awfully much better. Save some money and visit Pittsburgh. Nicer folks, plenty to do, good food and museums and best of all...it's not like visiting a third world nation...like Baltimore.


----------



## beargy (Sep 30, 2010)

I have not been many places but I have really enjoyed every place I've been. No offense to anybody out there but I guess I would go with anywhere in Indiana. Not that it's necessarily a bad place, but just not a place I'd say I want to go before I die. Sorry to anybody from Indiana...


----------



## lyniebeck (Sep 8, 2010)

That's okay, Beargy.  Growing up in Indiana I didn't want to be there, either.


----------



## tylerm713 (Aug 6, 2010)

shroomgirl said:


> Deridder, Louisiana. been there, don't ever really need to go back nor recommend anyone visiting.


I have a couple of friends from DeRidder. And you are correct. However, there are worse places in Louisiana, trust me.

To the OP, you must have gone to the wrong part of the Wall. I thought it was stunning and would love to go back. What amazes me is how old and yet how strong it is. Hell, we can't even build roads that last over 10 years.

If I had to say one place not to go, I would have to say West Texas. Simply put, there's nothing there but oil wells.


----------



## sowe (Oct 8, 2010)

This year I have been to Toledo in Spain. And the place is not as beautiful as people say. I didnt really enjoy it. If you have too much time, visit it. But it is not on of the "must have bveen" places.


----------



## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

Having been to  many countries in my lifetime, no offense meant to anyone . The two of my least favorites, and I wont ever go back was Samana and Haiti


----------



## iseeblue (Nov 23, 2010)

Birmingham (England)


----------



## nicko (Oct 5, 2001)

A public restroom anywhere in Greece.


----------

