I would like this thread to be a celebration of the world's great cities.

There are many here who are not from the United States, so I invite you to please add posts and hopefully photos of great cities that you know or have visited or would like to visit.

I would like this to be a truly international thread.

We had two threads that were similar: the Maps of Old Empires thread in the Historical Section and the old Castles thread, created by Denis, which I believe was also in that section. (I don't know where it is now...)

As this is not a political thread, this may not be the best place for it. However, I beg the indulgence of the moderators: please do not put it into the Off-Topic forum - the forum grab-bag of off-scourings. Thanks


Now let us start with the cities!

I will start with the great city of New York.

I was born just outside and most of my family on both sides are from there. The rest lived in Boston and Hartford.

I currently live near Chicago - and while it is a fine city, it just isn't NYC. No offense to Chicagoans...

I will also start with just one photo. This is the clock from Grand Central Station, a place I love and miss:



Photo attributed to: FreeFoto.com - Free Pictures - FreeFoto.Com

I loved the Grand Central Station. Luckily they saved it back then.
The US was quite efficient in destroying their impressive rail heritage, good that at least in the heart of the east coast it can indulge in its old pride.


I know Tim expects me to mention Vienna. I was not born there, but its the centre of my life for some time already, it is also the first big city and so far the only one I have lived in. If you want to ever see how it looks like when an empire collapses and its capital suddenly see itself with hardly any hinterland left come and see Vienna.

Old glory frozen to stone.

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""Even though our unity is our strength, our diversity remains our wealth,""
Herman Van Rompuy

I have no idea.but i prefer green viliage.

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Let me sing a song,the old song
i sing slightly,you echo slowly
can you remember the past dream
and the hopeful brilliant days
we passed toil for our ideal
we once cried
and smiled together
i wish you can rember forever
we once had shining days

... and then you realize that there is life in Vienna. ...

__________________
""Even though our unity is our strength, our diversity remains our wealth,""
Herman Van Rompuy

beautiful European style bulding.but there are many people and cars,seems as noisy as in China cities.i hate noise.i want quiet

__________________
Let me sing a song,the old song
i sing slightly,you echo slowly
can you remember the past dream
and the hopeful brilliant days
we passed toil for our ideal
we once cried
and smiled together
i wish you can rember forever
we once had shining days

ahhhhh Sorrento......and Roma....my personal fav's.

Attached Images

   

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"The captain has turned off the `No Dubbing' sign. You are free to speak any language you choose."

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.

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No man is an island...
Each man's death diminishes me,
Because I am involved in Mankind.
And therefore, never send to know
For whom the bell tolls;
It tolls for thee.
—John Donne

Edinburgh is high on my favourite visited cities as well, probably 'cause I've spent my fair amount of time there during my Scotland/ UK trips.

__________________
"Homo Homini Lupus"
Thomas Hobbes

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.

__________________
No man is an island...
Each man's death diminishes me,
Because I am involved in Mankind.
And therefore, never send to know
For whom the bell tolls;
It tolls for thee.
—John Donne

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).

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"Homo Homini Lupus"
Thomas Hobbes

Bravo!
Fine international start to the thread.

Yes, although the beautiful old Penn Station in New York (the architectural twin of Grand Central) was destroyed.

However, it may be restored, which would be very nice.


Yes, Vienna - Old glory frozen to stone
Good phrase and beautiful photos.

Cairo, Egypt







Egypt is magic!

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Your choices are very interesting. Odessa is supposed to be quite impressive - the setting as well as the city.

New York and Boston.

But I am prejudiced.

Egypt as well. And Imperator included some cities in Italy.

Very nice.