Post: #1

http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/14/travel/fri...?hpt=hp_c3

Why am I not surprised that almost all of the friendly cities are English speaking. CNN really needs to put in more effort, and visit "less popular" countries.

Post: #2

(08-15-2014 11:19 PM)BigBoyPants Wrote:  http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/14/travel/fri...?hpt=hp_c3

Why am I not surprised that almost all of the friendly cities are English speaking. CNN really needs to put in more effort, and visit "less popular" countries.

And none of the unfriendly cities are.

Wald

Post: #3

I try not to get racial or political on here, but Moscow being low ranked seems to be anti-Russian propaganda to me. But what did I expect from CNN?

Post: #4

(08-16-2014 12:22 AM)fokker Wrote:  I try not to get racial or political on here, but Moscow being low ranked seems to be anti-Russian propaganda to me. But what did I expect from CNN?

Thought as much myself.

Not sure what gripe they have against the french here though.

Post: #5

These clowns can derelick my balls that Melbourne is on that list and Taipei isn't (not that Taipei should necessarily be in the top ten, but it should be a lot higher than Melbourne). I'm from Melbourne and every time I go back there I am reminded of what an anti-social, cliquish rat race it is. If it's not urban hipsters it's feral outer suburban bogans. Don't even think about dealing with major corporations, the government or anyone in the so-called service industry.

As for Sydney being on that list:

Post: #6

I believe this list is for Americans(99%) who are terrified of visiting countries where everyone doesn't speak english. The whole fun of traveling is to immerse yourself in cultures that are completely different than yours, and overcoming the language barrier.

Post: #7

Mainstream media top 10 travel lists are for the wealthy white retiree demographic who is loaded with cash. These people are staying at posh hotels and don't interact with locals much outside of tourist venues. They certainly aren't doing things like gaming local girls or exploring real culture. They are looking for manufactured experiences to justify all those hard years of corporate slavery and wasted youth before they go back home and enter into their coffin.

Post: #8

In America, the friendliest cities are typically small metros in the South or the Midwest.

The least friendly cities are on the East coast, Pacific Northwest, and Los Angeles.

Post: #9

Most American cities comes waaaay higher than a majority of international options.

For all the flak it takes America should be credited with being very friendly and socially competent.

Post: #10

(08-16-2014 01:01 AM)El Chinito loco Wrote:  Mainstream media top 10 travel lists are for the wealthy white retiree demographic who is loaded with cash. These people are staying at posh hotels and don't interact with locals much outside of tourist venues. They certainly aren't doing things like gaming local girls or exploring real culture. They are looking for manufactured experiences to justify all those hard years of corporate slavery and wasted youth before they go back home and enter into their coffin.

Nailed it. By 'friendliest city', they really mean 'friendliest 4/5 star hotel staff'.

Even among English-speaking cities, there's no way in hell Melbourne and Auckland (been to both places) are nearly half as friendly as New Orleans, Houston or Memphis.

And if you read on, the survey was done by CNN readers. I think that says all you need to know.

Post: #11

Most friendly city in the UK: Glasgow.

Come visit and have your life threatened 5 times before 9pm. Lower than the national average!

Post: #12

Melbourne equal 1st most friendly city in the world??

Hahahahaha. Suck a dick!

Where did they form this impression?


Was it any of the following places:

Worker's Club

Chapel St

Baroq

The Carlton

Gertrude St

The Espy

Kooyong Tennis Club

Crown Casino

Trak

St. Ali

Prince Alfred Hotel

£1000 Bend

Private schools

Laneway Festival

Turf Bar

Flemington Race Club

King St

Northcote Social Club


Because this is the core of the Melbourne experience. And yes, while people might consider it "capital of cool", cool in Melbourne means exclusive and obscure, which means cliques, which means definitely not being friendly to random tourists and letting them into the inner circle.


Your only way "in" in Melbourne as a foreigner is, if you're a girl, be hot, and if you're a dude, join a sporting club and be fucking decent (while also fairly chilled out) so your team values you for your contribution (and chilled out persona) and decides to introduces you to their friends because you made the cut.


A random dude flying in from Zanesville is going to get a far icier reception than his Melbourne counterpart getting the red carpet tour of Ohio's best kept secret.

Post: #13

What does being friendly even mean?

Nothing!

Moving to a "friendly city" doesn't mean you're going to have more friends or less friends than moving to a "nonfriendly city." It doesn't mean that you're going to find more or less people with the same interests as you. It doesn't even mean that if you need a job they're more likely to hire you at a friendly city than a nonfriendly city because they're friendly.

It just means that if you're a pussy if you're gonna judge a city by whether a complete stranger smiles at you on the street or whether another stranger brushes you off when you make chit chat at a bus stop. I judge a city by the variety of different cultural experiences that can be had, the upward mobility that it provides career-wise, and the hotness of the chicks. Fuck "friendliness."

Post: #14

Melbourne and Sydney are two of the least friendly and most angry and miserable cities I have ever been to.

The only top five list in belongs in is top 5 cities in which you are most likely to end up in a bar fight.

Both Melbourne and Sydney would make the top 3.

Post: #15

Fucking Zanesville makes the rounds again!

The city Council should give us an award for promoting their city!

Post: #16

I can agree with that list. Although I would put a few more American cities in there.

El Chinito nailed it. Friendly city means a place where the locals cater to tourist crowds. Happily take their money and send them on their way with a smile and a wave.

To me friendly means just being open to social interaction with strangers. For this reason America and Australia are the top.

And yeah, Glasgow is still one of the friendliest cities I have been to.