Where is the biggest shit hole you have ever been?

I am going to say Ashington. I remember stopping in Ashington once on the way up to Northumberland and I just thought "Poor bastards who live here". It was an absolute shit hole. Seriously, if I quantum leaped into a person living in Ashington I would just do myself in.

Where is the biggest shit hole you have ever been?

Aberdeen

Burnley, Middlesboro, Sunny Beach.

Corby.

I've been lucky to have travelled around a bit but mostly to the touristy bits in Europe and north America and had the chance to have a day trip to Tijuana, Mexico - just across the border from San Diego, USA.

When we crossed into Mexico the tourist map we were given showed the town centre about a mile walk away.  Everybody seemed to want to get there by taxi and the queue was massive so I decided a nice stroll would be a better option.  How wrong was I.

What a massive difference in the riches and infrastructure of America and this large Mexican city.

First time I've seen poverty first hand and I kind of get why so many people around the world want to get into countries like ours.

Even saying all this Tijuana was a modern built up city, in a westernised county so God knows what real shit holes are out there in the worlds poor countries?

Sluffy wrote:I've been lucky to have travelled around a bit but mostly to the touristy bits in Europe and north America and had the chance to have a day trip to Tijuana, Mexico - just across the border from San Diego, USA.

When we crossed into Mexico the tourist map we were given showed the town centre about a mile walk away.  Everybody seemed to want to get there by taxi and the queue was massive so I decided a nice stroll would be a better option.  How wrong was I.

What a massive difference in the riches and infrastructure of America and this large Mexican city.

First time I've seen poverty first hand and I kind of get why so many people around the world want to get into countries like ours.

Even saying all this Tijuana was a modern built up city, in a westernised county so God knows what real shit holes are out there in the worlds poor countries?

Nice answer Sluffy. That sounded pretty dangerous walking it in those sort of places. Mexico sounds a proper dangerous place.

I have heard that places like Liberia, Guyana, Papua New Guinea, etc have really terrible shit holes with enormous poverty and crime.

I didn't feel threatened at all, just more of a shock as to the poverty behind the scenes.

I guess we just take for granted that even the laziest scrounger in this country will still be provided with a home, food and money by the state - ie us the taxpayers.

Bit different when there is no handouts and those without much have to fend for themselves.

You can see why when people have nothing that getting involved with the drug cartels (Mexico) or maybe those who feel disenfranchised in Syria/Iraq - Islamic State, seems to be the obvious way to go.

Rotterdam closely followed by London.

I don't really like cities

Merthyr Tydfyl

Coventry is the worst town I've ever been to in my life. And I've travelled a fair bit.

I'm sure some of the most deprived areas of Mexico are more salubrious than Breightmet. It seems a few people are getting agitated about The Rocket being pulled down.

Why not just keep the pub and demolish the rest of Breightmet instead.

i'm surprised the Rocket lasted this long, it was always rough

Coventry's absymal. The football league we used to play in ended up taking Coventry teams so I got to tour some of it's worst areas. Wolverhampton is pretty shitty too.

I ended up staying a couple of nights in Sunny Beach Bulgaria whilst Inter railing, seriously horrible place.

Goole.

Went to Istanbul many years ago, the contrast between rich and poor is next door. Took a wrong turn and found it rather intimidating, never set foot in Turkey since that holiday, and no inclination to do so.

Soul Kitchen wrote:Went to Istanbul many years ago, the contrast between rich and poor is next door. Took a wrong turn and found it rather intimidating, never set foot in Turkey since that holiday, and no inclination to do so.

You soft bastard.

Havana's a weird one.

Fascinating place and I really enjoyed it but large parts of it are properly shit.

Like Beirut with more cigars.

This is the view from the rooftop terrace of our hotel:



If you look carefully in the background on the left, you can just about make out a block of flats with no external walls.

But with people living in them.....

Soul Kitchen wrote:Went to Istanbul many years ago, the contrast between rich and poor is next door. Took a wrong turn and found it rather intimidating, never set foot in Turkey since that holiday, and no inclination to do so.

One of the most interesting and vibrant cities I've ever visited.

Breadman wrote:Havana's a weird one.

Fascinating place and I really enjoyed it but large parts of it are properly shit.

Like Beirut with more cigars.

This is the view from the rooftop terrace of our hotel:



If you look carefully in the background on the left, you can just about make out a block of flats with no external walls.

But with people living in them.....

that is unbelievable.  is it like proper slums?

Yeah.

Abject poverty.

We were drinking Mojitos in the bar one minute then standing open-mouthed at the poverty 2 minutes later.

And it's not an act for the tourists.

The rep said to us "If you leave the hotel, you're ok for about half a mile straight ahead to the Capitol Building, about 500 yards if you go left and about 200 if you take a right. In fact, I'd recommend you stick to the main road down to the Malecon (the prom) and don't turn off it. And don't hang around too long down there on your own. And definitely get back before dark. Have a great day!"