You're allowed to have your opinion, but I do not think that's the reason for the vast majority of it. And by the way I've never purposely been to NYC and don't plan to. I was driven in and out to use JFK to get to Ireland and that's all I ever plan. Zero interest in the place.
Nassau is an island nation that is hit by storms. It's hard to keep things looking nice. Therefore, to western eyes, it looks a bit worndown, rundown. It looks old and a bit sad. If I were in an area like that in my region, I would think that it wasn't the best area to be in. That's what western eyes see. Doesn't matter what sort of people are there, it's the surroundings.
The first time we were there we tried to do the walking tour. I put on my "walking in a big city" persona, hid the map and tried to lead my hubby and son, but once the street signs AND sidewalks disappeared (and the nice lady waiting for the streetlight to go couldn't tell me what street we were on), we gave up. No street sign and no sidewalk signifies things in terms of the area you're in. DS was NOT happy with the neighborhood (we were only on Elizabeth Street the best I can figure now), DH was NOT liking the lack of sidewalks, and it just made them happier to turn towards the ship. DH has traveled tons of places since childhood, but Nassau pushed his limits. He expected a resort island to look a certain way, and even though he gives a lot of leeway to places, Nassau pushed his buttons.
The second time we were there we did the chocolate factory tour. This allowed us to have a bit of a tour. Two things changed for me. One, the governor's mansion looks like a hovel inside walls. Two, Greycliff looks awful! But one is the governor's mansion, and the other is a terrific restaurant and hotel (I believe). Our tourguide told us that Beyonce and JayZ used to go to Greycliff before Blue Ivy was born. OK, so it's a really good place, despite what it looks like. That showed me that I just needed to change my expectations for small islands that are hit with weather ALL the time, and that don't spend their money constantly painting things. Or making street signs. Or sidewalks.
Absolutely none of it had to do with whatever color the skin of the people was. So you can think what you want, but I think it's the actual *place* that gets to people, not the people in the place.
Exactly. I mean, there are likely more crimes per month in my town than there were for a year in Nassau, but I'm generally in a car in my town, or in my double-secure condo, or with friends. I'm not walking around with a camera, with vacation money, with souvenirs, etc. And frankly there are still people afraid to come to my town due to its reputation in the 80s.
But there's no State Department warning for Tacoma WA, and there is for Nassau, so...people pay attention to that.
Perhaps someone stole the sidewalks in Nassau since I've been there. I definitely remember sidewalks in the downtown area.You're allowed to have your opinion, but I do not think that's the reason for the vast majority of it. And by the way I've never purposely been to NYC and don't plan to. I was driven in and out to use JFK to get to Ireland and that's all I ever plan. Zero interest in the place.
Nassau is an island nation that is hit by storms. It's hard to keep things looking nice. Therefore, to western eyes, it looks a bit worndown, rundown. It looks old and a bit sad. If I were in an area like that in my region, I would think that it wasn't the best area to be in. That's what western eyes see. Doesn't matter what sort of people are there, it's the surroundings.
The first time we were there we tried to do the walking tour. I put on my "walking in a big city" persona, hid the map and tried to lead my hubby and son, but once the street signs AND sidewalks disappeared (and the nice lady waiting for the streetlight to go couldn't tell me what street we were on), we gave up. No street sign and no sidewalk signifies things in terms of the area you're in. DS was NOT happy with the neighborhood (we were only on Elizabeth Street the best I can figure now), DH was NOT liking the lack of sidewalks, and it just made them happier to turn towards the ship. DH has traveled tons of places since childhood, but Nassau pushed his limits. He expected a resort island to look a certain way, and even though he gives a lot of leeway to places, Nassau pushed his buttons.
The second time we were there we did the chocolate factory tour. This allowed us to have a bit of a tour. Two things changed for me. One, the governor's mansion looks like a hovel inside walls. Two, Greycliff looks awful! But one is the governor's mansion, and the other is a terrific restaurant and hotel (I believe). Our tourguide told us that Beyonce and JayZ used to go to Greycliff before Blue Ivy was born. OK, so it's a really good place, despite what it looks like. That showed me that I just needed to change my expectations for small islands that are hit with weather ALL the time, and that don't spend their money constantly painting things. Or making street signs. Or sidewalks.
Absolutely none of it had to do with whatever color the skin of the people was. So you can think what you want, but I think it's the actual *place* that gets to people, not the people in the place.
Exactly. I mean, there are likely more crimes per month in my town than there were for a year in Nassau, but I'm generally in a car in my town, or in my double-secure condo, or with friends. I'm not walking around with a camera, with vacation money, with souvenirs, etc. And frankly there are still people afraid to come to my town due to its reputation in the 80s.
But there's no State Department warning for Tacoma WA, and there is for Nassau, so...people pay attention to that.
Sea days! I find them boring and do not really like them. A perfect cruise would be a port every day for me. I like to cruise to take me to different place and experience different things. I enjoy the ship on embarkation day and for the evenings. Diaper races and bingo are not my idea of fun. Not that I don't enjoy silly entertainment here and there but multiple days of it? No thanks.
Yikes! I found this as well:there are warnings for a reason…….here's a reason from just this week
http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Re...amas+family/10949524/story.html#__federated=1
there are warnings for a reason…….here's a reason from just this week
http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Re...amas+family/10949524/story.html#__federated=1
I'm going to leave this here.....
I find it most interesting that many Americans, seem to have painted pictures in their heads about the Bahamas or other similar tropical destinations, of nothing more than pina coladas, white sandy beaches and palm trees. Many seem to forget that actual people live in these countries. People that deal with the same issues as many Americans and have societies with the same social ills as many American cities. I am sure we would all love to live in a perfect world free of criminals and their heinouscrimes, but sadly that is not the world we live in.
We've been to Castawy Cay twice, but only eaten there once (second time ship arrived late and lunch was served onboard). We thought Cookies was awful. Truly awful. As in below fast food restaurant quality. When we had to eat on board the second time we visited there, we were thrilled.
We have never eaten at Palo or Remy. Our son was 11 on our first cruise and already very aware of what good, quality food actually was. We felt guilty going without him, so we've waited. He's 17 now, so we're getting closer!
Actually I think the "forget that actual people live there" thing can be applied to any city that is a major tourist destination. I know I've had tourists ask me "Wait. So you really live here?" on the streets or in the subway in NYC. Yes, people do live and work in these places. We are not just kept in holding areas and paraded out for tourists to enjoy seeing.
Where do they think the street cleaners or window washers live??? In penthouses in manhatten no they live in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Harlem etc with the rest of the working ppl
Crime can happen anywhere whether it's in Bahamas, or in Europe or in suburbia United States. I have lived in the suburbs of both Washington DC and Baltimore. I have done home visits to some places that people would consider to be dangerous, I have been a camp counselor in SE DC as a college student to homeless kids before SE was revitalied. Where ever you go, just need to be smart and careful. Fear should not be the driver of all of your decisions in life. There's more to life than being sheltered and not seeing what the real world is about, and trying to make a difference in someone's life than being so scared that you haven't made a difference in this world.there are warnings for a reason…….here's a reason from just this week
http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Re...amas+family/10949524/story.html#__federated=1
Two, Greycliff looks awful! But one is the governor's mansion, and the other is a terrific restaurant and hotel (I believe).
Slight hijack, 'possible unpopular opinions about posting video of your cruise on YouTube' (this is fresh in my mind after a couple of hours of surfing last night).
--We don't know your family, so please give us SOME footage of the ship itself if you're posting for the general public.
--Stop spinning around in circles so fast when something new catches your attention
--Please stop using your selfie stick to shoot footage up your own nose (see point 1)
--We know what the ocean looks like, show us unusual details of the ship
--Please take your GoPro off 'drunk mode'. (I don't know what it is, some sort of live panoramic/fisheye view, it reminds me of when you're watching a TV show or movie from the POV of someone who is drunk or drugged, everything is warped, and it makes me motion sick as heck.)
Obviously I can't tell you how to shoot your vacation video, but you're putting it on YouTube because you want strangers to watch it, right?
Yeah, slightly off topic, but I started watching a "Disney Fantasy Cruise" video on YouTube the other day and I had to turn it off because I felt like a stalker because the entire video was basically just following around a very young girl. Very awkward and weird to sit and watch someone else's kid just catch glimpses of the ship in the background.
Not off topic at all, considering I love watching stuff like this. Particularly, if I can watch other people on a crusie ship eating. See, your post does fit the category of "unpopular opinions." Would you be so kind as to post the youtube link?Yeah, slightly off topic, but I started watching a "Disney Fantasy Cruise" video on YouTube the other day and I had to turn it off because I felt like a stalker because the entire video was basically just following around a very young girl. Very awkward and weird to sit and watch someone else's kid just catch glimpses of the ship in the background.
Not off topic at all, considering I love watching stuff like this. Particularly, if I can watch other people on a crusie ship eating. See, your post does fit the category of "unpopular opinions." Would you be so kind as to post the youtube link?
MUN