Where in the world have you been that was very different to what you’d expected?

[Davespecifico]

For me it was a journey through Montenegro to Kotor. I couldn’t believe the fjords, steep cliffs and cruise ships.

Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles and Walk of Fame. It was really quite grotty and not glitzy at all.

South Devon. I lived there for a few years. Nothing prepared me for the astonishing amount of rain.

A bit random this one. The Louvre and the Mona Lisa. You’d think it’s a big painting. It’s not. It’s not much bigger than A4 sized. We nearly missed it. It was only the crowd around it that gave it away.

Paris. Was expecting it to be beautiful and romantic, but actually found it very dirty and grotty. Around the Effiel tower we could barely move for beggars harassing us every few minutes as well.

@Sparklingbrook, I came on here to say the same. And Downtown LA was worse. The glamour of Beverley Hills and Malibu is confined specifically to those areas.

Albania. Not sure what I expected but the part I went to was beautiful and sunny and had lots of tourists. Not sure what the rest of it is like, can only speak for the small bit I saw.

Niagra Falls. I thought there would be nothing around but didn’t realise how built up and touristy the surrounding area is.

The rock of Gibraltar. Lovely if you look towards Africa. Dreadful if you look down.

The Sphinx. Looking AT it, it is in the middle of a desert, with pyramids in the background. Turn 180 degrees and there is a KFC and a Pizza Hut facing you. Weird juxtaposition.

Mauritius.
I had it in my head that it was idyllic, and certain areas were absolutely stunning but it was a bit shocking how 'shanty town' some areas were. Literally houses made out of old corrugated tin. It was really eye opening to see what it was like outside of the tourist areas.
But, I still loved it and would go back in a heartbeat!

Yes @thejoysofboys the whole LA experience was really not as expected at all.

-Poland. Went to Krakow when I was younger and, even though it was June, was expecting it to be freezing cold. Lovely weather (and place in general actually) which I was not packed for.

• Birmingham. Finally went further than the station last year and it wasn't nearly as bad as I was expecting. I think part of it's the sound of the name. Birmingham is a very ugly word.

Amsterdam, they call it the Venice of the North. There just wasn't anywhere near as much water there as I was expecting.

Cape Town - posh white neighbourhoods with black shanty towns literally across the main road. Have been to India and seen extreme poverty too but never with such an extreme divide. Found it horrific.

Belfast. Grew up hearing nothing but negativity, but it is a stunning, beautiful city nestled in hills.

West Coast of America. LA and San Fran. Both grotty, full of homelessness, very unsafe and sad.

Not the image either puts out into the world. For a rich country, parts of America feel very like some of the third world, but less safe and less friendly.

We travelled around Tunisia one year. One day we were exploring the little lanes and alleys of the town we were staying in when we stumbled across the Red Light District.

Whenever we've been to North Africa or anywhere in the Middle East, local women have generally dressed pretty conservatively so we were rather taken aback to see women in high heels and miniskirts. Luckily dd was too young to realise that there was anything unusual about the place.

Newcastle - I hadn’t expected the riverside to be so nice and all the old buildings were beautiful. It helped that it was a sunny weekend but I loved it.

China. Didn't really expect it to be so modern, and so much more advanced than the UK in almost every aspect

Rome - Tiny
Dartmoor - expected bleak and dreary. It was sunny and beautiful (although I imagine it can be bleak)
Great Yarmouth - Was expecting a traditional seaside town like Weymouth or Cromer - it was a fucking horror show

Not a place but The Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen was different to what I expected, much smaller but did look good on the rocks.
Recommend Copenhagen, beautiful city.

oh and also Hong Kong
Don't know what I expected, but it wasn't that. And then I got on the train and found some beautiful beaches like clearwater bay, which I also didn't expect.

I very reluctantly paid for a trip to Las Vegas..

Expected it to be a massive Blackpool

Totally fell in love with the place. Crazy how one minute off the Strip takes you to extreme poverty though, like nothing I've ever seen before

I was supposed to get married there in four weeks. Not to be

Niagra falls - the actual falls are beautiful but Niagara, the town right next to it is like Blackpool on steroids.

San Francisco - had read really bad things about it and homelessness, but I found it absolutely amazing and one of my favourite places I've ever been. Beautiful architecture, views, lovely bars and restaurants and shopping. I can't wait to go back. Obviously there were homeless people, but not nearly as many as had been implied - and lots less than I see in London!