The only other crypto currency I can think of replacing the bitcoin is the Ethereum. Many bitcoiners are buying it.
I think so. The Ethereum trading volume is even higher than the bitcoin at the moment. So people are interested in it.
God, I really hate when people bring these kind of arguments to the table in what makes the best cryptocurrency/money... The price demand has nothing to do with the functionality of the currency or makes it any better. If that's the case, gold would be a much better choice because it's valued higher per unit.
There are still lots of issues facing Bitcoin and ethereum... Because the prices are high doesn't automatically make them better. There are other stuff out there that could be deemed better if they were priced the same.