Wow, I am surprised you have such a narrow mind! Note you went there many years ago and not all "whites" treated the local people badly, lots of them protested, and tried their best to change things. We were in Cape Town in Jan/Feb this year and never felt safer to the point that we put our names down in a retirement complex which was beautiful and in the mountains on the Southern Peninsular. Whether we ever use it is immaterial but it was the most beautiful, perfect place to retire with options for when you became frail all in one place! Most of the crime is in the townships and in Cape Town in particular is gang related. Yes you have to be very vigilant but there are places in London and in America I would not go either for fear of being a victim of crime. Cape Town is still a beautiful city and if it was a cesspit it would not be the number 1 place in the world to visit for tourists!

Beginning to think you see things in only "black and white" with very little empathy.

I am sure you like Cape Town, and I make no comment on its suitability as a retirement option, but it is certainly not the "number 1 place in the world to visit".

If you define it by country this is (I believe always) France.

If you define it by city, this is usually London - although I think Bangkok beat it this year!

Neither Cape Town nor South Africa appears at all in the rankings compiled by the World Tourism Council. Nor by Mastercard, nor by Forbes.

One often wonders, where would the internet be without subjectivity?

Presumably all our answers will be different?

That was the idea, yeah

If you actually new me you would know how wide of the mark you are
As for Cape Town being the number 1 place in the world to visit for tourists I have no idea where you got that from also who said anything about it being a cesspit?

Hmm. Not all that many.

Yes I would imagine those who protested were in the minority unfortunately. As I said it was a nice place but the whole experience was ruined by the very overt racism. Of course that is different now but not somewhere I could see myself living.

The most interesting parts would be the most dangerous to visit. I will let Anthony Bourdain do it for me

We found when we went to Florida the best places were those that we were told to avoid
We were young and stupid back then as opposed to old(er) and stupid now.

http://www.gotravel24.com/theme/feat...op-destination



Anyway this is about UK and not a political debate or subjective feelings

Every country in the world has the good and the bad. It is just finding what suits you. There is no-where perfect so most people have to make a compromise somewhere!

I agree in what you are saying. But the UK is a lost cause, it is broken and the repair is a major one. The milking of this country has gone on way to long. One can understand the resentment of the English born people. Yes, every Country has it's fair share of problems, but here in the UK the Government seem to be a law unto themselves and do not listen to the majority.

Haha, I have been hearing that the UK is lost cause since the 80's, when I see it for myself I will leave. I expect to be here for the foreseeable future

Probably posted this in the wrong thread..........

<My take on it. Whilst I agree with most posters interpretation of Daily Mail articles, you have to remember that it has one of the highest, if not the highest, circulation and readership in the UK. In other words a helluva lot of people read these articles and have some empathy with them. Now take the recent comments by two leading politicians, Blunkett and Straw, who, rather belatedly, have raised issues about immigration and integration and in particular, in Blunketts case, the concerns regarding integration in Sheffield between the Roma and Pakistani communities and what you have is a simmering undercurrent of resentment that could ignite with the even the smallest incident of confrontation. Anyone who thinks the Page Hall, Sheffield unrest is an isolated incident is sadly deluding themselves. This underbelly of antipathy is replicated throughout many communities within the UK.

Will it become more serious or will it fade into yesterdays news stories? Who knows. What I do know is that it doesn't take much to spark things off, nor does it take much for other communities to join in regardless of whether they have any connection with the original incident.>

You may be right. I hope and think you are wrong. I have spent the last week walking and looking around the East End of London (My number one favourite place in the world).

England has always welcomed people. On Brick Lane there is a mosque. Started life as a Catholic Church. Then Protestant. Also a Synagogue. Perhaps Zoroastrian? Who cares? That is what we in England do.

Strong vibrant communities of hard-working people. Nearly all from somewhere else. Businesses sprouting all over the place (as they always do with immigrant communities, who are ALL seeking a better life). That is why the UK will ALWAYS succeed. Because we have a higher proportion of people who want more than most countries.

It was different to what I remember. Just as what I remember is different to what my parents remember, and their parents etc etc etc.

But if it does kick off, the thing that really pi*sses me off is total scum-bags like Straw and Blunkett now--NOW-- trying to pretend they did not know what they were doing and what the consequences could be. (And they did know. Ask Andrew Neather)

THREE million people in just ten years. In a country of 50 odd million. Where did they think they would live? Where did they think the houses would come from? How did they think the hospitals would cope? The schools? The roads? The buses?

How on earth did these idiots think the country could manage?

Sorry. Rant over.

My own personal "fix" for any country is that all politicians should be paid very well. BUT>>>>>>

They have to live in the average family house. Their children should go to the average school. And so on.

If that were the case, just think how fast things would improve.