APRIL 27 THE MOST OVER-RATED TOURIST ATTRACTIONS

APRIL 27 THE MOST OVERRATED TOURIST ATTRACTIONS

Summertime is fast approaching, and folks are busy booking their holidays. To assist them, Reddit issued a list of the most overrated tourist attractions worldwide. We here at the DUNER BLOG sorted through the all 27 entries. Some are silly...but necessary...tourist 'traps' like Times Square or Fisherman's Wharf. Others are objectionable because they are too crazy, like Bourbon Street or Oktoberfest. To simplify, we trimmed the list down to eight truly overrated tourist attractions:

The Alamo, San Antonio. Whenever you watch the Spurs play on TV, they always show the famed structure from deep in the heart of Texas, just before and after commercials. TNT must be using a wide-angle lens shot on ground level...because it is just not that tall in real life. Here are the specs: The Alamo is a mere 28' tall and a tiny 48' feet wide. Not to belittle: It's absolutely the most historical building in the state. Just be prepared to be a bit under-whelmed when you go.

Little Mermaid, Copenhagen. People love the fairy tale by Hans Christian Anderson. People adore the Disney movie. Lost in between the two is the slimy bronze statue on a rock in Copenhagen Harbor. In fact, when you walk along the waterfront, you wouldn't even notice it. But then you get curious why so many tourist taking photos of moss covered boulders..

Hollywood Walk of Fame. Although the Los Angeles neighborhood has gone through an amazing tourist-friendly revival recently, some aspects remain blah. Enter the Stars of 'famous' celebs on the sidewalk. There are currently 2,578 individual stars on the ground. Unfortunely, 98% of these are unheard-of screenwriters and unregocnizable vaudeville stars. The marble stars are also very dirty. See, they are always being stepped on!

Mannekin Pis, Brussels. Even the Belgians cannot figure out why this 61-centimeter tall bronze statue of a boy peeing is so outrageously popular. It honors Julianske, the legendary boy who urinated on a lit fuse...thus saving the city from being blown up...way back in 1386. If you go today, you'll find the boy often dressed in silly costumes. Try to visit on a holiday, when keg beer flows out of his wee-wee.

Rocky Statue, Philadelphia. This is another statue whose popularity puzzles locals. It honors Rocky Balboa, the boxing character and was initially commissioned by the actor who played him, Slyvester Stallone. In a city with some many 'real' sights, like Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, it's funny that one honoring a fictional character gets the most selfies.

Harry Potter 9 3/4 Platform, London. This odd sculpture depicts a baggage cart disappearing into the mythical train queue featured in the beloved books and movies. Apparently, it was much more impressive when it was actually on the train platform. But since this meant tourists had to buy a ticket to see it, so authorities moved it to the public area of King's Cross Station. Expect a 30 minute wait for that funny picture.

Blarney Stone, Ireland. An enduring Irish legend states: Anyone who journeys to distant Cork to kiss this block of carboniferous limestone will be blessed forever with the gift of eloquence. However, in order to accomplish this task, you must scale the castle walls, then lean over a crevice to smooch. We here at the DUNER BLOG suggest arriving first thing in the morning, so you don't interact with other people's eloquent saliva.

Plymouth Rock. We here at the DUNER BLOG couldn't agree more: "It's just a rock...and not even a big one at that." noted subie110. "Worst field trip ever!" shouts Vmoney1331. It's odd: For the first 100 years, no one even knew about the unshapely boulder. Then, in 1741, construction began on a new wharf. This caught the ire of 94-year old Thomas Faunce, who wouldn't allow pilings placed on the exact spot of the famed landing. Since then, the rest of the world has believed him and come to this disappointing stone.