Great Cities of the World - Page 4 - U.S. Politics Online: A Political Discussion Forum

Slartibartfas · #46 (**permalink**) 2 Weeks Ago

A great city, I have never been to, is almost certainly Hamburg. The proud Hanse city which still maintains to host the 2nd largest harbour in Europe. Not only the very maritime character seems to be highly interesting what fascinates me is that they are currently the place of one of the largest construction works going on. After following the example of American suburbanisation, more and more counter efforts are being realized. Finally cities start to construct new "inner city" quarters again. Directly adjacent to the old town and the revitalized Speicherstadt a large new city quarter is erected, more precisely one that follows the concept of the European city. At the front of the project a spectacular new philharmonic hall is constructed, probably the new landmark of Hamburg and at its hear it has the Überseequartier which features a pedestrian zone with shops, gastronomy, offices and apartments which will connect the high sea cruisers dock and the old town with each other.

Projects like these have the potential to prove that "the European city" is not a concept of the past but one for the future. Hopefully.

stillalive · #47 (**permalink**) 2 Weeks Ago

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luap

I've only been to a few cities, Boston, New York, London, Dublin, Edinburgh. Unfortunately I've hardly spent much time in any of them, though Edinburgh stands out most in my mind with beautiful buildings and landscapes.

The list of cities I'd like to go to is pretty long, anywhere with a lot of history or nice landscapes... most European capitals, definitely. I'd really like to go to Istanbul someday, maybe even Baghdad in the far future. Shanghai, Moscow... and Kathmandu maybe?

I don't know, the Nepali cities along the Himalayas sound nice. Pokhara below.

Thumbs up for Edinbro.

Then there´s Moscow

stillalive · #48 (**permalink**) 2 Weeks Ago

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luap

The sight of Edinburgh Castle was amazing, and then the sight of the city from the Castle that much cooler. Scotland is a beautiful place all around from what I saw.

Agreed.
Ever been to the electrc Brae ?

YouTube - Electric Brae

Stop on the downslope, get into neutral and take your feet back.
Your car will roll backward UP the slope.

While you go there, take your time to see Ayr, Troon and the surrounding country side.

And try some Haggis.

stillalive · #49 (**permalink**) 2 Weeks Ago

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stapo

I can really relate to your list of cities to vist and e.g. Baghdad is on my list as well.

Things seems to be getting more normal as for example also Royal Jordanian airlines soon will serve 6 Iraqi destinations: Baghdad, Mosul, Erbil, Basra ..., but the prices are still terribly high.

So for starters I'd love to visit Aleppo and Damascus in Syria instead. Aleppo sounds like a terrific place given all the historic sides + for an airplane/airline gig like me it still might be possible to combine it with the chance to fly there via Dubai on one of the very last Boeing 747 SPs still operated (by Syrian Arab Airlines) + the Syrian railway offers some nice totally historic train rides.( Love train rides as well)

Pics: of Aleppo:

Damascus

Palmyra

Another place I'd like to visit is Odessa / Ukraine, as I've watched an interesting travel report about a 40 hours train ride from West Germany to it and the sides Odessa has to offer. Apart from visiting Poland, I've turned a blind eye on Eastern Europe until now, so maybe such a trip would be fun and interesting as well.

Odessa

Well apart from that I have to visit the USA at least once and I'm free for suggestions, which city is worth to visit the most ( Sorry but Las Vegas and LAX are out of the competition already, no interest whatsoever).

Flying Jordanian take a stopover in Amman, check in at the Queen Noor just about 15 mins drive from the airport and go to visit Petra.

Not the girl, I mean the city.

Check out the place

Petra

Don´t forget a trip to the dead Sea either.

stillalive · #50 (**permalink**) 2 Weeks Ago

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knute

No city is more beautiful and charming as Paris.

And only London is dirtier.

Paris is beautiful, but most of it´s beauty is not on the tourist trail.
If you get there again, check out the small roads west of the Champs.

That´s old Paris.

stillalive · #51 (**permalink**) 2 Weeks Ago

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sunshine

And my beloved adopted home for 20 years, Nashville -- The Athens of the South with her Greek revival architecture, the Parthenon, and 40 foot Athena, by Alan LaQuire. Again borrowed pics as mine are not on disc.

Consider Seoul too.

A google link

seoul - Google Maps

Go to see Lotte world and some guys there, cleaning cast iron benches in "Little Europe" with toothbrushes,

One of the cleanest cities in the world.
And phantastic food as well.

stillalive · #52 (**permalink**) 2 Weeks Ago

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stapo

Had the same feeling during my visits of Japan (Osaka/Tokyo) as well and given how hugh + densely populated these cities are, it's truelly surprising how almost village like some neighbourhoods seem to be and that even in the most hectic areas, some peaceful and quite places exist.

It's probably due to the culture and even more important to "our" status as gaijins ( in the Japanese case), which makes these Asian super cities so easy and peacful to visit, especially when one compares them to Indian/African/Arab or even South European/South American cities.

Ya wanna see Kyoto.

http://www.city.kyoto.jp/koho/eng/ky...o/kiyomizu.jpg

stillalive · #53 (**permalink**) 2 Weeks Ago

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slartibartfas

@Sunshine

I guess compared to Chinese cities Vienna may be a calm one, but I can't really know as I have never been to an Asian city let alone a Chinese one. Compared to central London central Vienna may indeed be calmer. The subway is not as crammed usually, and probably no way as crammed as in many Asian cities.

You want more peaceful scenes? Here we go

half as big as Zurich but twice the fun.

stillalive · #54 (**permalink**) 2 Weeks Ago

Quote:

Originally Posted by proUSA

What are your interest?
Personally I do not enjoy NY or Boston, far to busy to be enjoyable...But that is my opinion, I prefer smaller and more relaxed places.

How about Osterode in the heart of Germany ?

A small town, quiet, close to some good skiing, the Nature Park Harz and the Brocken, a mountain were the witches used to gather and then the soviets.
Beautiful hiking area too.

Sunshine · #55 (**permalink**) 2 Weeks Ago

Quote:

Originally Posted by stillalive

And only London is dirtier.

Paris is beautiful, but most of it´s beauty is not on the tourist trail.
If you get there again, check out the small roads west of the Champs.

That´s old Paris.

Cairo has to be the filthiest place I have ever been. NO rain to was the dirt away. Egypt is still magic, though!

Sunshine · #56 (**permalink**) 2 Weeks Ago

Quote:

Originally Posted by stillalive

Consider Seoul too.

A google link

seoul - Google Maps

Go to see Lotte world and some guys there, cleaning cast iron benches in "Little Europe" with toothbrushes,

One of the cleanest cities in the world.
And phantastic food as well.

I WILL! I thought Beijing was clean as far as there not being trash and dirt around, but the air was horrible.

Sunshine · #57 (**permalink**) 2 Weeks Ago

Quote:

Originally Posted by stillalive

And only London is dirtier.

Paris is beautiful, but most of it´s beauty is not on the tourist trail.
If you get there again, check out the small roads west of the Champs.

That´s old Paris.

Never been to Quebec, but I've been told that Quebec is what Paris was expected to be but wasn't.

Sunshine · #58 (**permalink**) 2 Weeks Ago

Stapo!

I would answer anyone who asked me which city in the US to see "Washington DC."

There is so much to see, and most everything is free. Every place you go is a history lesson. And there re so many surprises, like sitting on the steps of the capital building at dusk listening to a military band play.

My favorite place was........oh gee, they are ALL my favorite places, The National Museum of Art, the Enola Gay & Chuck Yeagars plane, the capital building, the White House, Arlington National Cemetery. Didn't go to the Smithsonian, but I haven't made my last trip to Washington.

Most everything is free, but you will walk your ass off. I did. And I came home with pneumonia in the summer.

Disillusioned_1 · #59 (**permalink**) 2 Weeks Ago

I'm of course USA centric, having lived here my whole life, but I have travelled to 11 different countries.

In order of the cities I've been to that I found fascinating, fun, and entertaining to visit (i.e. worth visiting):
Paris
New York
San Francisco
Rome
Amsterdam

Washington DC I might be willing to list just for the area near the capital + mall area, but outside of that, the city wasn't worth visiting IMO.

I have heard that Florence Italy is far far far better than Rome, but I haven't personally been there.

A sampling of Cities that I have been to that were NOT particularly remarkable to me (also to give a suggestion of what cities I'm comparing against):
Seattle (the bad traffic offsets the good scenery)
Phoenix
Chicago
Denver
LA
Montreal
Calgary
Miami
Madrid (Spain)
Frankfurt (Germany)
Naples (Italy)
Milan (Italy)
San Salvador (El Salvador)
Zurich (Switzerland)
Nairobi (Kenya)
Honolulu

stillalive · #60 (**permalink**) 2 Weeks Ago

Quote:

Originally Posted by Disillusioned_1

I'm of course USA centric, having lived here my whole life, but I have travelled to 11 different countries.

In order of the cities I've been to that I found fascinating, fun, and entertaining to visit (i.e. worth visiting):
Paris
New York
San Francisco
Rome
Amsterdam

Washington DC I might be willing to list just for the area near the capital + mall area, but outside of that, the city wasn't worth visiting IMO.

I have heard that Florence Italy is far far far better than Rome, but I haven't personally been there.

A sampling of Cities that I have been to that were NOT particularly remarkable to me (also to give a suggestion of what cities I'm comparing against):
Seattle (the bad traffic offsets the good scenery)
Phoenix
Chicago
Denver
LA
Montreal
Calgary
Miami
Madrid (Spain)
Frankfurt (Germany)
Naples (Italy)
Milan (Italy)
San Salvador (El Salvador)
Zurich (Switzerland)
Nairobi (Kenya)
Honolulu

Florence.
The nice part is about two square miles, some pretty sights there but no comparison to Rome.

Milan.
It´s a permanent building site, but there are some beautiful corners.

Naples.
Used to be pretty but looks like the countrys backyard these days.

Casablanca was beautiful til the french left.
Marrakesh still is.

Wonder why no one has mentioned Prague yet.
A beautiful place.
And history meets you on every corner.

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