My "Top 50 Cities" List
- Part II - No 40 to No. 31
This is the second part of my Top 50 "Favorite Cities in the World" Countdown. No, Rome is not in my top 40; no, neither Budapest nor New Orleans is in top 40, but there is even a bigger shocker... you may be surprised what cities are not even in Top 50!!
And yes, you will find European cities are overrepresented on the whole list, which should not be a surprise. For a person born and raised in Far East and lived in North America for many years, Europe may be the most "exotic" and intriguing continent for me. It does not hurt that most European cities have great public transportation and so easy to get around by non-driver like me.
The following is No 40 to No. 31:
40. St. Petersburg, Russia: I have to say I have mixed feeling about Russia, especially I heard about Asian and Black foreign students got beat up in Moscow metro... (Moscow just barely missed my "least favorite" list). However, St. Petersburg is a very beautiful city and has one of the best museums I've ever visited in my life (Hermitage). It is hard to imagine this city just celebrated its 300 birthday (younger than Boston!? ). A Japanese comic book "Window of Russia" (『玉女英豪』，你要夠老才會記得這部漫畫) also increased my interest in this city.
39. Prague, Czech Republic The most popular and touristy city in East Europe, period. However, I haven't visited it since 1995 and maybe it is a completely different city now. The amazing buildings are everywhere and beer is strong and tasty. Of course, its popularity brings some undesirable effects. Two words specifically: "Stag Parties."
38. Venice, Italy Finally I had opportunity to re-visit it in June 2006 (That's why it ranks higher than Rome). Unfortunately, I still did not stay long enough there (less than 24 hours but at least I made it to Lido this time.) A very beautiful and romantic city. Unfortunately, it is too touristy and overcrowded with visitors. Also, the nightlife sucks. :P
37. San Diego, California, USA: A city with nice beaches and surrounded by mountains. Yes, it is like a smaller, friendlier, or should I say, improved version of Los Angeles. It is only three hours' drive from LA, so if you fly from Asia or Europe into Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), you can escape from LA to SD as soon as possible. Indeed, San Diego may be a better candidate to make you fall in love with Southern California than L.A.
36. Lisbon, Portugal: Another beautiful seaside city (Okay it is actually Tagus River) built on several hills. I last visited in 1998 and had a great impression. It had some old world charm that other Western European cities lack. It was still a little conservative (but not expensive) back in 1998. Things may change a lot now. For reasons I'm not sure, New York Times and Yahoo Travel seem trying to Lisbon the "IT" travel destination next year. Anything spectacular will happen in 2008?
35. Dublin, Ireland: Also just visited it for the first time in 2006 and I was pleasantly surprised by its vibrancy and sophistication. Now Ireland is the second wealthiest country in E.U. its capital also attracts a lot of creative young people from all over the world. Okay, the weather is shitty but people are friendly and nightlife is really vibrant. I just like the choices of beers at Porter House and a night stroll along Liffey River. Nearby there are also a lot of great natural wonders offering some choice for daytrips.
34. Bangkok, Thailand: A very crowded city with bad traffic. However, it also has some of the most beautiful Buddhist temples in the world. Great (and cheap) food if you like it spicy. Again, (and unfortunately), sex industry is so big there that it ends up attract some strange and undesirable people. Love that country and its people but not some tourists it attracts.
33. Miami (and Miami Beach), USA: Nice beaches, beautiful people, and great restaurants if you like it Latin style. Okay, it is a little superficial and attitudy, but.... Bonus point for that you can see many beautiful Europeans and South Americans there without traveling to those continents.
32. Hong Kong Returned to Top 50 for the first time since a visit I pay in November 2007. Now I have a place (in a nice but very small high-rise apartment) to crash since a good friend is now based in Hong Kong. It is actually very, very crowded but still remains relatively orderly. And of course, the best of Hong Kong are the restaurants and great shopping opportunities.
31. Sarajevo, Bosnia: It could have been ranked higher if they don't have such a hostile visa policy toward Taiwanese citizens (another country that tries to hard to kiss China's ass). I first visited it in 2006, long after the 3 years civil ended. The formerly war-torn (and still somewhat volatile) city is now vibrant with street lives that people in Baltimore (another of my unfortunate "past") will never dream to have. Its mountainous setting and smaller scale also make it quite charming. The converging of 4 religions and cultures makes its building styles especially intriguing. Its story of resiliency is inspiring. And maybe due to its still weak economy, it is still very cheap. A place reminds you both the cruelty and bravery of human spirits. Finally it is the time, visit it!
So, are you looking forward to the Part III?