Pick Your Favorite International Shi#hole [And You Think Ba]

[camberiu]

LiIFE IS SHORT. CUT OUT NEGATIVITY!

Indeed. But apparently for you this slogan only applies when the subject is Buenos Aires. Because when the topic is Bogota, for example, it seems that you have plenty of "negativity" to share and toss around.
It seems to me that you have a very interesting view of reality, in which anyone who has a different perspective and don't see the world through the same lenses as you, must be a frustrated, depressed, negative bloke. Which is a very self-centered and narcissistic view of reality. But as I think about it, might explain why you like Argentina so much. Seems that you are in perfect tune with many of the locals. Good for you, "mate".

 

[Joe]

I agree with Ceviche that BA is the best place in South America. Cusco, Bariloche, and San Martin de los Andes tie for second even though the're are more towns than cities. Havana in December and February is tolerable as is Mardel.

In Asia: Everyplace in Japan is good. Hanoi is nice in December, January... cool weather. Luang Prabang is good but only for a week because it's always hot and steamy.

In the US: Lake Tahoe and Colorado mountain towns are good everything else is only for visiting a week.

 

[Ceviche]

Because when the topic is Bogota, for example, it seems that you have plenty of "negativity" to share and toss around.

I never claim that world is all white and nice. And that there are no grey or black things in this world.

Bogota is typical example.

But it does not mean, that I don't stand by " Life is Short. Cut Out Negativity".

And I don't claim BA is perfect and nothing bad happens here. But I just get curious as to why certain blokes who don't live here come to abuse the city on this page or certain blokes who do live here, continue to abuse it and not try to move their sodding arses to a 'better' place.

So your argument as above is just pure codswallop!

 

[ElQueso]

Back in the 90s I was stuck for a month in Luanda, Angola on business. Talk about a miserable place, and expensive as hell. The company had us riding around in Range Rovers accompanied by two guards at all times, who carried automatic pistols, while we evaded many roads full of craters. Just to go from the hotel to the office.

The trip included an extra week in the Cabinda province of Angola, which is a section of land on the coast in the middle of the Congo Republic (actually separated from Angola physically), at Chevron's Malongo terminal. We got to it via chopper after flying in a horrible single-engine plane from Luanda to somewhere in the north of Angola to catch the chopper. On landing, we entered a jeep and drove through some beautiful country, watched the monkeys swinging in the trees (I thought that was cool), and drove along a double-fenced area that had landmines laid out between the fences (it was a barrier surrounding the Malongo area). On arrival at our bunks, there was a very heavy blanket folded twice at the end of each bed. When I asked why we needed something so heavy in a place so hot, the guy in charge of getting us settled smirked and said "if you hear shelling, grab the blanket and hit the floor. The blanket is reinforced with Kevlar."

I didn't like Angola at all. Luanda makes Buenos Aires look truly like the Paris of South America in comparison and Malongo was even worse in some ways.

 

[ben]

Obviously BA is an extremely well developed city for emerging nations standards. I think that is beyond dispute. It has one of the best public transportation system in Latin America, it is incredibly safe by South American standards, has reliable water and sewer systems, great museums and parks, yada, yada....

I think the problem is the perpetuation of the myth of the "Paris of South America" and the fact that the Argentines themselves sell the image of Argentina being a developed European like nation. So people come with high expectations, before realizing that although very nice for third world standards, Buenos Aires is still very much third world with many of the typical third world problems and even with some issues that neighboring countries have left behind.

It is all a matter of poorly managed expectations.

Exactly, I wish I'd written this.

I'd been in BA for less than a week, when somebody asked me my opinion of the place. My reply then: "A weird mix of Europe and third world". Hasn't changed much.

This was a couple of days after chatting for like an hour with my remis driver from the airport when arriving here for the first time. There were 2-3 languages I spoke of which he knew a few words, somehow we understood each other. I still remember him emphatically declaring, "Buenos Aires - NO Sudamerica. Buenos Aires - Paris! Buenos Aires - Europa!" This was exactly as I was observing the Neo-Villesque architecture of the houses around the airport highway just outside (or just inside?) the Capital line. Good times.

 

[Redbeanz]

BA is the best city in South/Central America. Have traveled to every big, small city of the continent. Period. Non negotiable.

in Asia, I actuallly like Hong Kong, Bankgkok and Cebu in no particular order.

In Australia and New Zealand, I am a big fan of Brisbane and Dunedin

In Europe, I like Porto, Berlin and Minsk in no particular order.

In USA, I liked New Orleans ( before Katrina) and some places in California.

Ceviche, if you return to New Orleans now, 10 years post-Katrina, any parts of the city you saw before the storm are now restored. So you will still like the city!

And Ries, Buenos Aires is one of my favorite cities in the world, too. There is no place remotely like it!

 

[sleslie23]

At least Buenos Aires is not infested with Parisians.

Good thing you live out in the Eastern provinces. San Francisco is practically a French colony now. Fine by me. I love France Paris, and Parisians!

 

[ajoknoblauch]

Good thing you live out in the Eastern provinces. San Francisco is practically a French colony now. Fine by me. I love France Paris, and Parisians!

Guyane was OK, but I'd prefer not to get any closer.

 

[cwo4uscgret]

Bogota is a shithole and one helluva dangerous shithole.

I've been to Bogota probably 7 times in the last 6 years, also Via de Lleva, Santa Marta, Melgar, and Cartegena plus numerous day trips around Bogota; my wife and her two sisters are building an hour outside of Bogota in LaCalera. I may be biased but I find Bogota to be a very nice place...and some of the most beautiful women in the world live there. One of them is lying in the bed next to me as I type.

In all my trips to Bogota (and Colombia in general) I've never had any problems; only two cities where there has been any issues Paris where my wife had her I-Phone ripped from her hand and Buemnos Aires where someone was stalking us on the street but backed off when he sort of figured out I wouldn't be an easy victim! I still like BA very much; I can tolerate Paris too; of all the places I've visited probably, for personal reasons, my not favorite city is Chicago.

 

[ghost]

Interesting. I tossed this up here for the sake of perspective. I like to bitch about BA because of "Expectations" and potentials unmet. But when compared to some of the world class shit holes BA has the the potential that brings us back. Port Moresby and Lagos are very high on my list as truly uninhabitable shit holes of the first magnitude. In fact Lagos and Port Moresby might very well be a shit holes of galactic magnitude.
But you guys have truly visited some world class shit holes. Interesting, we need a Joe survey on shit holes.