Promote your hometown!

[AquilaTempestas]

Just as the title says - try to sell your hometown.

Things to consider:

• Why people should visit
• Instagram highlights - The things you must do 
• Things to be aware of

Go wild!

[BlueThunder]

I'm originally from Pretoria, but I now live in Cape Town. I'll create a thread about SA for more specifics.

It's a great country to visit - lots of wildlife, safaris, great for nature, but it can also be an extremely dangerous place.

[Dementor]

My hometown is Moscow, Russia. What can I say... if someone ever thought of coming here 

• Why people should visit.

Because it's a big beautiful city with long history and interesting culture? After spending all my 36 years here Moscow probably seems "mundane" to me, but still there are places that blow even my mind - like a recently discovered sakura grove right next to my home. It's a lively city that constantly develops, and it never ceases to surprise. Everyone can find things to their taste here. (Also I live here. )

• Instagram highlights - The things you must do.

Hmm. Not sure what Instagram highlights are supposed to be. But things you must do - visit historical center, like Red Square/Kremlin, Arbat, Tverskaya and Nikolskaya streets, beautiful parks like Kolomenskoe and Tsaritsyno (which is basically near my home btw), or VDNKH (huge exhibition area)... Of more modern places there are Moscow City skyscrapers, MCC railway (and how without taking a ride on the metro with amazing historical stations!)...

• Things to be aware of.

Far not everyone speaks anything besides Russian here, knowledge of English here is below average, unfortunately. But most of the signs are duplicated in English. However if you know me I'd always help you  Also in the modern times finances may become a problem - foreign bank cards simply don't work here due to stupid sanctions (as well as ours won't work abroad), and currency exchange is somewhat limited or something as I've heard. And of course one needs to be vigilant here - even if crime rate is MUCH lower now than it was in 90s or even early 2000s, still there are any kinds of people in the streets and metro...

[AquilaTempestas]

Just now, Dementor said:

My hometown is Moscow, Russia. What can I say... if someone ever thought of coming here 

• Why people should visit.

Because it's a big beautiful city with long history and interesting culture? After spending all my 36 years here Moscow probably seems "mundane" to me, but still there are places that blow even my mind. It's a lively city that constantly develops, and it never ceases to surprise. Everyone can find things to their taste here. (Also I live here. )

• Instagram highlights - The things you must do.

Hmm. Not sure what Instagram highlights are supposed to be. But things you must do - visit historical center, like Red Square/Kremlin, Arbat, Tverskaya and Nikolskaya streets, beautiful parks like Kolomenskoe and Tsaritsyno (which is basically near my home btw), or VDNKH (huge exhibition area)... Of more modern places there are Moscow City skyscrapers, MCC railway (and how without taking a ride on the metro with amazing historical stations!)...

• Things to be aware of.

Far not everyone speaks anything besides Russian here, knowledge of English here is below average, unfortunately. However if you know me I'd always help you  Also in the modern times finances may become a problem - foreign bank cards simply don't work here due to stupid sanctions (as well as ours won't work abroad), and currency exchange is somewhat limited or something as I've heard. And of course one needs to be vigilant here - even if crime rate is MUCH lower now than it was in 90s or even early 2000s, still there are any kinds of people in the streets and metro...

I'd love to go to Russia. Sadly, current circumstances aren't great and no one really knows how long this madness will last for.

My parents once considered going from China to Russia several years ago. There's so many cool things about Russia (though we often hear the bad stuff overseas unfortunately).

Create a Russian thread

[Dementor]

5 minutes ago, AquilaTempestas said:

I'd love to go to Russia. Sadly, current circumstances aren't great and no one really knows how long this madness will last for.

My parents once considered going from China to Russia several years ago. There's so many cool things about Russia (though we often hear the bad stuff overseas unfortunately).

Create a Russian thread

Not surprised about bad stuff they tell. Our land is troubled indeed, but definitely is not "hell on Earth" as they like to say. World Cup 2018 was the best thing to promote our country, I met many international football fans back then, still have pics with them.

Can only hope that we'll see the end of this madness in our lifetimes.

You think I should? Okay  

[BlueThunder]

Why people should visit?

There are plently of reasons why you should visit Cape Town (and Pretoria since I lived there for a long time).

 

Instagram highlights

• Pretoria - Voortrekker Monument and Fort Schanskop, Melrose House and Kruger House are your main highlights. You can do this all in a day.
• Cape Town - Table Mountain, Camps Bay Beach, Robben Island, Cape Point, Boulders Beach, Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens and Clifton Beach

 

Things to be aware of

SA is a very dangerous place.

We have a very high rate of murder, rape, armed robbery, theft, car-jacking and vandalism. We're not at the same level of Mexio and parts of South America, but still bad.

Big Don't's:

• Don't walk alone.
• Do not go out at night.
• Keep to tourist areas.
• Don't flash your phone or other valuables out in public.
• Keep a low-key profile.
• Stay with a tour group.
• Be wary of taxis - some 'official' ones are fake - ask a restaurant or a hotel to book you a cab. 
• Use an ATM that has a security guard present. Use an ATM in a shoppig centre.

We're also a poor country so you need a lot of injections. Example, rabies, cholera, typhoid (big problem), tetanus and so on.

• Pretoria - One of the most dangerous cities in SA. Several years ago, it was one of the most dangerous cities on the planet (in the top 10). There are some very dangerous suburbs  (example Soshanguve). 
• Cape Town - Also a very dangerous city in SA. Currently, the worst in SA and one of the most dangerous places on earth. There are safer areas (the more upmarket places) but plenty of dangerous places - Nyanga being extremely violent. 

[Dementor]

4 minutes ago, BlueThunder said:

Why people should visit?

There are plently of reasons why you should visit Cape Town (and Pretoria since I lived there for a long time).

 

Instagram highlights

• Pretoria - Voortrekker Monument and Fort Schanskop, Melrose House and Kruger House are your main highlights. You can do this all in a day.
• Cape Town - Table Mountain, Camps Bay Beach, Robben Island, Cape Point, Boulders Beach, Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens and Clifton Beach

 

Things to be aware of

SA is a very dangerous place.

We have a very high rate of murder, rape, armed robbery, theft, car-jacking and vandalism. We're not at the same level of Mexio and parts of South America, but still bad.

Big Don't's:

• Don't walk alone.
• Do not go out at night.
• Keep to tourist areas.
• Don't flash your phone or other valuables out in public.
• Keep a low-key profile.
• Stay with a tour group.
• Be wary of taxis - some 'official' ones are fake - ask a restaurant or a hotel to book you a cab. 
• Use an ATM that has a security guard present. Use an ATM in a shoppig centre.

We're also a poor country so you need a lot of injections. Example, rabies, cholera, typhoid (big problem), tetanus and so on.

• Pretoria - One of the most dangerous cities in SA. Several years ago, it was one of the most dangerous cities on the planet (in the top 10). There are some very dangerous suburbs  (example Soshanguve). 
• Cape Town - Also a very dangerous city in SA. Currently, the worst in SA and one of the most dangerous places on earth. There are safer areas (the more upmarket places) but plenty of dangerous places - Nyanga being extremely violent. 

Wow, thanks for the information! I thought South Africa is a more civilized land. 

Not that I had any plans of coming there, but still interesting to know.

[BlueThunder]

2 minutes ago, Dementor said:

Wow, thanks for the information! I thought South Africa is a more civilized land. 

Not that I had any plans of coming there, but still interesting to know.

It's a corrupt country and racial tensions are extremely high for good reason (white people are the minority and are not well-liked). I've had friends carry guns to protect themselves from gangs. Some friends in Joberg had to be escorted around with bodyguards. Some of our schools had six metre barbed wire fences to keep the gangs wielding machetes out. Everyone should have a cricket bat under their bed for protection.

We do love our country - it's a beautiful place falling part because of racism, corruption and politics and it's only getting worse.