LMAO ^
You should read
Yahoo! Travel Reviews. I've done a couple blog posts of them:
STL is Baltimore Without an Ocean or Culture
By A Yahoo! Contributor, 01/04/09
I am a well-traveled professional, having been to 44 of the 50 United States. A December 2008 one-week stay in St. Louis has convinced me that it is essentially Baltimore with no ocean/bay or culture to speak of.
1) Extremely segregated
2) Nasty, lazy and ignorant locals
3) Burnt-out abandoned brick buildings
4) Arrogance among the ignorant ("Country Pride, I beleve?)
5) An incredibly apparent aura of depression and unhealthy lifestyles
I found the Gateway Arch somewhat interesting, but the Anheuser-Busch tour was rushed and quite dull, which I liken to the recent buyout by InBev. Having met several individuals that worked at Anheuser-Busch, I can certainly see how their slow, slovenly ways allowed the buyout/mass terminations to happen.
St. Louis is NOT the Midwest!
By A Yahoo! Contributor, 01/02/09
It absolutely irks me that so many cretins use "St. Louis" and "Midwest
in the same sentence! This is not the Midwest, people! Chicago, Des Moines, Indianapolis, Milwaukee are good Midwestern cities. St. Louis is a SOUTHERN town, complete with segregated neighborhoods, an immensely lower standard for education/work ethic, poverty, and just downright lazy and indifferent folks. I thank heaven for I-270 so that I may bypass this feted and festering landfill.
So this one below doesn't directly invoke race, but does say that St. Louisans are suspicious of anyone not like them. And it's someone who's lived in St. Louis for 9 years--hardly a visitor. Still, sad perspective.
From a transplant who lives here
By jjs24_1999, 09/10/08
As someone who moved to St Louis 9 years ago and can't wait to get out, I'll try to give an objective viewpoint:
Bad- the people
St. Louis is nothing more than a big small town. Small town people with small town attitudes; horrible place to move to if you are a young professional. The problem is the natives who are massively stuck in their comfort zones. I've never encountered a people in my life who are more afraid of change, progress and personal growth. Most are still stuck in high school with the mentality to match (hence the H.S. question.) Everyone here is essentially the same person- diversity is non-existent, even among white people. It would detract from their comfort to experience “different.” They are suspicious of tourists because deep down they know they are lacking in exposure to culture, diversity and growth and it makes them defensive and more resistant to growth. Not only are they all the same, they all like the same things, go to the same places and still hang out with the same people they did growing up. Same, same, same, same, same. You'll also find that most natives don't even leave their designated metro region. Can't tell you how many people I’ve come across who have never even been to other parts of the county 20 minutes away. When I say they are stuck in their ways, they're stuck, and quite frankly so lacking in exposure to other ways of life that they really don't understand the criticism directed to them. Don’t be fooled by all the new “hipness” STL is trying to associate with itself. It’s just the same small town people playing Sex and the City on a Saturday night and then waking up in time to go to Church with Mommy and Daddy’s on Sunday.
Interesting Points
By A Yahoo! Contributor, 01/29/08
Wow, interesting comments from below.
I'm surprised with the negative comments below, to each his own, I guess.
I really enjoy our once a year summer visits to St. Louis. I never experienced the rudeness some people mentioned, maybe it depends on the hotels you stay at?
Likes:
- FREE FREE FREE, great things free such as the zoo, brewery tour, etc.
- Great history
- cool neighborhoods
- close to the ozark mountains, great outdoors and hiking, and clear water river recreation. (ive seen people snorkeling)
- skiing 30 minutes from city! (who would have thought)
- check out city museum, a must
- Unique urban setting (can appear ghetto to those not used to it)
Dislikes:
- parochial natives, metrolink limited routes, hot summers, signs of urban decay (but understand they are revamping a lot), reminding of Detroit, racial tension.
St. Louis metropolitan has close to 3 million population (the 340,000 is extremely misleading) and is not a "town" like the boston fellow stated. City is separated from county. A lot of strange politics and identity issues.
Not a Good Place
By A Yahoo! Contributor, 05/23/07
Wow. It absolutely shocks me that a fellow Denverite would refer to STL as "Clean." How drunk were you? Did you leave your hotel room? Other than Memphis, this is the dirtiest, most aesthetically challenged city in America.
Yes, after spending a week here I would have to concur unequivocally with the majority of VISITORS' opinions....this town is old, decrepit, and best forgotten. It is truly stuck in the "olden days" with its narrow-minded, uneducated and racist mentality. Possibly some of the laziest people in America reside here. I truly feel sorry for the NATIVES who blithely and blindly praise this hemmorhoid of humanity. Of course, they have likely never left. "Where'd you go to high school?" Wow. If that statement coupled with living in substandard urban conditions doesn't speak volumes about this chain-smoking simplistic paranoid joke of a town, I don't know what will. There's no vibrancy, no drive and no vivaciousness in the city.
Oh - but the traffic congestion is lower than most cities. Unfortunately, there's nowhere worth driving to! And yes, I have been to Chicago and it is VASTLY superior to St. Louis in every aspect.
There are dozens and dozens of reviews like these sadly. Most mention narrow-minded locals with no education who are suspicious of outsiders.
I suspect that a lot of these reviews are actually locals or expats with an axe to grind.
Good catch Count
