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Old 02-24-2014, 12:05 AM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tijlover View Post
Americans like to be catered to when they travel, too lazy to even learn he basics of the language, so they head to places where the menu's are in both languages, more of the populace is bi-lingual, and from my 12 trips to Central/South America the catering just isn't there. Which is a good thing, IMO, as when the flocks arrive, the costs go up! Example: Costa Rica.

I prefer traveling to areas of the world where I meet up with the fewest of Americans. Most of the tourists I met up with in South America were penny-pinching Europeans, a good many who stay in cheap hostels or camp out with a tent. The only Americans I ran into, in quantity, on my trips down there was Macchu Picchu and Cuenca, in Ecuador.

It seem like the trajectory for American tourists is to, first and foremost, head to Europe first. After that, Asia. Lastly, South/Central America.
Most want to be waited on when traveling but there have always been people who want to go native as they say. Whatever turns you on as they also say.
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Old 02-24-2014, 12:08 AM
 
Location: M I N N E S O T A
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TXNGL View Post
Sure. I guess that's true. I don't live in the suburbs. But my guess is these people, if they think that's the world, would be shocked at many cities. Heck, I think a lot of suburban metroplex people would be shocked at our inner city, which was sort of my point. They'd also be shocked at many European cities. They aren't "dumpy", though there will be dumpy areas, they just aren't manicured weird HOA developments.
Yea i grew up all my life in the most stereotypical American suburb...
we did have some people who are "cultured" (hate using that word) and well traveled
usually the hipster/artist type who go to places in Europe.

But most of the people who traveled overseas were the snobby white blonde girls who go to Paris spending most of the trip shopping and complaining about gypsies and dog poop.
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Old 02-24-2014, 12:43 AM
 
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[quote=burgler09;33608720]Most definitely. Many people in the suburbs, like their life in the suburbs and get nervous if they have to go into the city. Everyone is entitled to like whatever they want though.[/quote]

Absolutely. My point...I think I've forgotten my point! Nobody needs to travel to any place they wouldn't be comfortable, there are lots of places I don't want to visit. But I think some people may have the wrong idea about many South American destinations.
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Old 02-24-2014, 12:58 AM
 
Location: Viña del Mar, Chile
16,393 posts, read 30,824,062 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TXNGL View Post

Absolutely. My point...I think I've forgotten my point! Nobody needs to travel to any place they wouldn't be comfortable, there are lots of places I don't want to visit. But I think some people may have the wrong idea about many South American destinations.
I see misinformation on both spectrums.

I notice a lot of people talking about Latin America like it's a trip to South Carolina and I see other people talking about South America like it's a trip to Mogadishu.

It's not THAT safe and there are many more problems that can arise here than in other parts of the world. However, it's not really that bad and if you stay smart you should be just fine. It does depend on the country though. You can be a lot more relaxed in Uruguay than you can in Venezuela.

Last edited by intelfan11315; 02-24-2014 at 01:22 AM..
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Old 02-24-2014, 09:13 AM
 
231 posts, read 459,968 times
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How did an entire thread about SA take place without mentioning Medellin, Colombia?

I was there two weekends ago, and its an amazingly clean and safe city. So much industrial wealth is there and the city is absolutely beautiful.

Most american's here Colombia and freak out because of the perception from 20 years ago with Pablo Escobar and what not. But the country has completely turned around and that particular city was rated as the most innovative city beating out NYC and a few European cities.

Granted I live in Miami so its only a 3hour direct flight for around $300.

But my point is there are lots of places that are not dumpy and are very comparable to the safety you would see in the states. I personally like to go places where the other tourist arent American's simply because US citizens are just to ignorant to be around when over seas.
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Old 02-24-2014, 10:24 AM
 
Location: Viña del Mar, Chile
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CityScape0322 View Post
How did an entire thread about SA take place without mentioning Medellin, Colombia?

I was there two weekends ago, and its an amazingly clean and safe city. So much industrial wealth is there and the city is absolutely beautiful.

Most american's here Colombia and freak out because of the perception from 20 years ago with Pablo Escobar and what not. But the country has completely turned around and that particular city was rated as the most innovative city beating out NYC and a few European cities.

Granted I live in Miami so its only a 3hour direct flight for around $300.

But my point is there are lots of places that are not dumpy and are very comparable to the safety you would see in the states. I personally like to go places where the other tourist arent American's simply because US citizens are just to ignorant to be around when over seas.
As soon as you're not outside of your tourist enclave of Poblado, Medellin isn't all that clean. I think that's why Medellin wasn't mentioned. The discussion was comparing the Latin American cities to cities in the US.

Medellin is a nice place to visit though, but I prefer Bogota
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Old 02-24-2014, 04:11 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by burgler09 View Post
As soon as you're not outside of your tourist enclave of Poblado, Medellin isn't all that clean. I think that's why Medellin wasn't mentioned. The discussion was comparing the Latin American cities to cities in the US.

Medellin is a nice place to visit though, but I prefer Bogota
I was actually given a private tour of the entire city, and while El Poblado is a tourist enclave and wealthy district, there are other wealthy regions of the city as well. Sure downtown is a chaotic but its not a huge point of interest in the first place. Also there are the favela's on the hills which are no where near as bad as the ones in Brazil.
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Old 02-24-2014, 05:22 PM
 
Location: Viña del Mar, Chile
16,393 posts, read 30,824,062 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CityScape0322 View Post
I was actually given a private tour of the entire city, and while El Poblado is a tourist enclave and wealthy district, there are other wealthy regions of the city as well. Sure downtown is a chaotic but its not a huge point of interest in the first place. Also there are the favela's on the hills which are no where near as bad as the ones in Brazil.
They're called Comunas, and just because they're not like the ones in Brasil doesn't mean they're safe. The Favelas of Brasil are among some of the most dangerous non-warzone areas on the planet. Not exactly the best comparison when you're trying to put Medellin on the same level as the US.

Even going in the middle class areas of Medellin are quite a bit more dirty like Copacabana, Niquia, Bello.

Colombia is a great place, but it doesn't even rank up there with the cleaner countries in South America.
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Old 02-25-2014, 09:26 PM
 
Location: Tucson/Nogales
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Quote:
Originally Posted by burgler09 View Post

However, don't be fooled.. the Latin American cities can be pretty dirty. You'll still see things in LA that you won't see in the states.

It's nicer in South America than a lot of people would think.. but even the nicer cities don't quite compare to the US. They're rough around the edges still, but great places to be. I am enjoying myself big time in Chile and actually planning to stay a lot longer than expected. I'd move here for good and not bat an eye.
Not everyone wants to travel to cities that smell of sterility/cleanliness, IMO sterile cities are extremely unhealthy to visit, like San Diego. Not only that, they're unnatural!

My biggest disappointment to many of the Central/South American cities I visited is they weren't dirty enough, not enough hairs out of place, not natural enough!

After leaving the stifling sterility of San Diego, going to Tijuana, to me, is like going to heaven! I'm like a happy pig rolling in poop over there!k Same with Tegucigalpa, Honduras, IMO, the San Francisco of Central America!

If you wish to choke to death on sterile cities to visit, let the U.S. be your choice!
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Old 02-26-2014, 08:58 AM
 
Location: Viña del Mar, Chile
16,393 posts, read 30,824,062 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tijlover View Post
Not everyone wants to travel to cities that smell of sterility/cleanliness, IMO sterile cities are extremely unhealthy to visit, like San Diego. Not only that, they're unnatural!

My biggest disappointment to many of the Central/South American cities I visited is they weren't dirty enough, not enough hairs out of place, not natural enough!

After leaving the stifling sterility of San Diego, going to Tijuana, to me, is like going to heaven! I'm like a happy pig rolling in poop over there!k Same with Tegucigalpa, Honduras, IMO, the San Francisco of Central America!

If you wish to choke to death on sterile cities to visit, let the U.S. be your choice!
I agree with you there, all of Latin America has a little bit of grit.. but I like it. I was merely saying to the other posters on here that Latin American cities cannot be compared to an American city.
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