Holidays in danger zones

[Lil' Rascal]

Holy whatever!
still there's soon be lot's of American taxpayers dollars going to Detroit, isn't there?

Let's hope so... Or I won't be visiting that city for a long time.

 

[ColinEssex]

Boy you do have mental issues.

And you are qualified to say this to another forum member are you?

Incidentally, I spent 3 weeks in Iran and had a brilliant time. Bought some lovely Persian rugs too.

Col

 

[Vassago]

And you are qualified to say this to another forum member are you?

Incidentally, I spent 3 weeks in Iran and had a brilliant time. Bought some lovely Persian rugs too.

Col

Only as far as you are qualified to insult America and American citizens. You are a subject matter expert, are you not?

 

[statsman]

What's wrong with you people!

If you keep this up, Col will discover the truth, which is there hasn't been a murder or ra** in the US for the past 25 years, robberies and carjackings occur rarely and only about 1 person in 100,000 owns a gun.

All this negative press is a facade to keep people like Col from emigrating.

 

[ColinEssex]

If you want my opinion it's because of the small percentage of unsavory individuals that hold the world's problems against US.

The world's problems are down to the US - thats fact not fiction.

Col

 

[ColinEssex]

Only as far as you are qualified to insult America and American citizens. You are a subject matter expert, are you not?

Well, that is true.

But I was confused when Bobby said I had mental issues after the John Lennon comment - yet Tim (who clearly is a fruitcake) has not attracted such a comment from BobbyBabe.

BTW - my neighbour hates Germans and anything German, solely because they bombed his local chip shop in the East End during the war. He's never forgiven them.

Col

 

[oumahexi]

BTW - my neighbour hates Germans and anything German, solely because they bombed his local chip shop in the East End during the war. He's never forgiven them.

Col

That's a British thing. I know lots of people who are still miffed about the Highland clearances Have to admit, I get pretty mad when I think that you guys missed my family in that one , and that's why the Scots hate the English so much... Face, the British are biggots, but for the most part, we're lovable biggots

I was surprised to see Detroit on that list, mainly because it's only two years since I was last in Johannesburg and I'd heard it was one of the most violent cities in the world, yet it wasn't on the list? I wouldn't hesitate to visit most of these places. Israel is a must, as is Kashmir and I would really like to see the Sudan.

 

[ColinEssex]

Israel is a must, as is Kashmir and I would really like to see the Sudan.

Kashmir is lovely. Nice and green, unlike the dust and dirt of India. A must to see is the Golden Temple at Amritsar, it really is a fabulous sight. We stayed on a houseboat on the Dahl lake near Srinigar - don't touch the water in the lake, all the effluent from the houseboats goes direct into the lake it is literally a cesspit.

Col

 

[Brianwarnock]

We stayed on a houseboat on the Dahl lake near Srinigar - don't touch the water in the lake, all the effluent from the houseboats goes direct into the lake it is literally a cesspit.

Col

This caused me to have a quiet chuckle as it brought back memories of a trip down the River Li in China. We had a very taty meal , but on visiting the toilets at the back of the boat we realised that they went straight into the river, and it got worse as we saw crew members rinsing dishes in the river.

Still none of us were ill in China, we saved that for after we had dined in the Hong Kong Hilton.

Brian

 

[ColinEssex]

This caused me to have a quiet chuckle as it brought back memories of a trip down the River Li in China. We had a very taty meal , but on visiting the toilets at the back of the boat we realised that they went straight into the river, and it got worse as we saw crew members rinsing dishes in the river.

Still none of us were ill in China, we saved that for after we had dined in the Hong Kong Hilton.

Brian

Yes, I saved my stomach and vomiting until I got to Afghanistan.

Col

 

[oumahexi]

You'd be surprised what germs a little bit of curry will kill

 

[Alc]

My point was that in most murders, homicides, and rapes, the victim and perp know each other. These are not random acts of violence in most scenarios. The UK ranked higher in what is considered to be typically random acts in almost all categories...

Ah, I see.

You feel that it's okay if you have a much higher chance of being shot, killed, raped, etc. as long as it's an acquaintance who's doing it? It's the idea of a stranger attacking you you're not keen on. Fair point

 

[Brianwarnock]

Ah, I see.

You feel that it's okay if you have a much higher chance of being shot, killed, raped, etc. as long as it's an acquaintance who's doing it? It's the idea of a stranger attacking you you're not keen on. Fair point

It makes travelling saver than staying at home.

Brian

 

[Alc]

It makes travelling saver than staying at home.

Unless you're travelling with family and friends.

In which case, you'd think a higher proportion of Americans would have passports, really? Even if it's just for self-preservation

 

[JamesLast99]

I'm glad that most of you realise that Col does not speak for all us UK citizens, sure on my travels i've occasionally felt a little uneasy, once in the States when I got lost driving in the Venice area of LA and the place started to look a little seedy, but mainly in places like Naples (Italy not Florida where we were one thanks giving, the people were great), and a fellow traveller got mugged in Budapest.

i've been to the States only 7 or 8 times and never felt threatened, but then I don't walk in the seedy parts of cities , just as i don't here.

Brian

See Naples and Die, certianly an experince - far better than sorrento or positano however. I though Naples was great, my travel companions weren't convinced. Have never been anywhere dangerous - only London.

 

[Alc]

See Naples and Die, certianly an experince - far better than sorrento or positano however.

In what way better? Naples is far dirtier, the traffic's much worse, and the scenery doesn't compare.

 

[JamesLast99]

Thats half the fun - encapsulated in a world heritage city - Unique safeish excitement or globalised fat western consumerism. The views pretty good though. Climb the chimnney for that though.

 

[Vassago]

Ah, I see.

You feel that it's okay if you have a much higher chance of being shot, killed, raped, etc. as long as it's an acquaintance who's doing it? It's the idea of a stranger attacking you you're not keen on. Fair point

It's only likely to happen if you associate with people who are likely to shoot, kill, or ra** you. If that's your cup of tea, more power to you, I prefer more sane individuals.

But then again, if you ask Colin, they are all likely to do so.

 

[TessB]

My husband is a Detroit native.
He is actually going up there this summer to spend an extended weekend with some family who has remained up there. I'm wondering if the statstics in Detroit can be broken down by neighborhood or if they show an abnormally high concentration of incidents in specific areas.
I personally grew up in a very small New England town where we never heard of murders taking place there. I'm sad to say that the Tampa area where I reside now has desensitized me as they are far more commonplace here. But, as has been said, normally it is a result of domestic violence or some heated dispute between people who know each other. We don't hear anything in the way of some psychotic killer randomly going about the place terrorizing people. And no, it doesn't make the murder of these innocents any more palatable. I think the point was that it's not like U.S. is full of gun slinging thugs all waiting on the tourists to wander into their webs. I'd imagine about any place in the world has a specific point in a state or city that it would be ill advised to find yourself.

I always try to not take what Col says personally. I understand he is very angry though. I have to remind myself he's not angry with me. But I'm sure he's frustrated, like all of us are when we find ourselves in disagreement in policies or the state of a particular matter (like the ban on same sex unions for instance) and you have no one to yell at about it. So, like my husband, he fumes and screams at the television, and I have to listen to the tirade, as Col spews his anger and outrage in the confines of the watercooler and I have to take a deep breath and try not to take it personally and defend myself. In both instances, playing devil's advocate, or trying to quell the outbursts have never worked out well for me. I've less arguments with my husband now that I just allow him to vent. (Ok... every once in a while I can't take it anymore and tell him to shut the hell up, I've got enough stress in my life.... and then we're BOTH in bad moods. But that's marriage too, isn't it?)

yes, there's my tuppence.
feel free to ignore.

 

[Vassago]

Hey Tess!

I don't take anything Col says personally, I just have fun with it. The truth is, I agree with most of what he says.

Maybe I should have been born in the UK, who knows.