The Free Talk Live BBS

Free Talk Live => The Polling Pit => Topic started by: Phant on November 08, 2007, 11:54:53 PM

Title: Which of those foreign cities would you visit?
Post by: Phant on November 08, 2007, 11:54:53 PM: The list mostly comes from an "Inventory of World Cities (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_city#GaWC_Inventory_of_World_Cities.2C_1999)" report listing the metropolitan areas most important to the "service sector" of the global economy, biggest ones listed first. (I skipped some to limit the choices to 30.)

For an added twist, it excludes cities in English, Spanish, or Portuguese speaking countries which often are the low-hanging fruit for a typical American with some high-school Spanish. The main language(s) spoken in that city specified in parenthesis when not obvious.

I myself picked Tokyo (greatest GDP density in the world), Paris (museums, food, best shopping in the world), and Rome (opera, museums, etc).
Title: Re: Which of those foreign cities would you visit?
Post by: Lindsey on November 08, 2007, 11:56:34 PM: I picked Paris, Dusseldorf, and Rome.
Title: Re: Which of those foreign cities would you visit?
Post by: rabidfurby on November 09, 2007, 12:13:37 AM: Tokyo, Prague, Mumbai.
Title: Re: Which of those foreign cities would you visit?
Post by: Lindsey on November 09, 2007, 12:14:30 AM: Quote from: rabidfurby on November 09, 2007, 12:13:37 AM
Tokyo, Prague, Mumbai.

I get the feeling food has to do with more than one of those. :P
Title: Re: Which of those foreign cities would you visit?
Post by: Andy on November 09, 2007, 12:24:52 AM: Helsinki, Athens, Hong Kong
Title: Re: Which of those foreign cities would you visit?
Post by: YixilTesiphon on November 09, 2007, 01:09:26 AM: Seoul, Warsaw, Dubai
Title: Re: Which of those foreign cities would you visit?
Post by: Zhwazi on November 09, 2007, 01:12:47 AM: Paris, Rome, Athens.
Title: Re: Which of those foreign cities would you visit?
Post by: Elitist Bitch on November 09, 2007, 01:36:16 AM: I picked Hong Kong, Singapore, and Taipei. I'd like the chance to work on my Mandarin, and learn Cantonese.
Title: Re: Which of those foreign cities would you visit?
Post by: Taors on November 09, 2007, 01:55:25 AM: Amsterdam, Prague, Dubai.
Title: Re: Which of those foreign cities would you visit?
Post by: mikehz on November 09, 2007, 07:48:24 AM: Paris, Rome, Athens. I like the art. Besides, Athens is the birthplace of reason.
Title: Re: Which of those foreign cities would you visit?
Post by: Laetitia on November 09, 2007, 08:05:59 AM: Athens, Rome and Ho Chi Minh.

Was a toss up between Thailand & Vietnam. Chose Vietnam, just to see the places Mr. Joy talks about.
He lived there, ages ago. And I want to try the food - not in the Anthony Bourdain way, but in the normal, non-americanized sense.
Title: Re: Which of those foreign cities would you visit?
Post by: Slim on November 09, 2007, 10:36:07 AM: The only place I currently would like to visit is Amsterdam got to love that chocolate, windmills, tulips, and weed :D
Title: Re: Which of those foreign cities would you visit?
Post by: Phant on November 09, 2007, 11:22:01 AM: Quote from: mikehz on November 09, 2007, 07:48:24 AM
Besides, Athens is the birthplace of reason.

Sure, it once might have been the "birthplace" of reason (at least according to traditional Western scholarship), but is there any of it left (http://bbs.freetalklive.com/index.php?topic=10037.0) over there? :lol:

Quote from: Cyro on November 09, 2007, 08:21:48 AM
Want to go: Tokyo, Hong Kong, Ciro.

Cyro, Ciro, Cairo (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cairo)? :roll:

(Sorry it's not on the list, wanted to limit it to 30 and other Arabian cities ranked higher.)
Title: Re: Which of those foreign cities would you visit?
Post by: Rillion on November 09, 2007, 11:28:51 AM: I selected Tokyo, Johannesburg, and Athens, but I don't think I'd want to visit all of them in six continuous weeks....that's a hell of a lot of flight time.

Already been to Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, Stockholm, Rome, and Milan, so didn't choose one of those.
Title: Re: Which of those foreign cities would you visit?
Post by: Lindsey on November 09, 2007, 11:42:41 AM: I can't tell if my eyes are so tired that I'm missing it, or is London really not on the list?
Title: Re: Which of those foreign cities would you visit?
Post by: Rillion on November 09, 2007, 11:45:05 AM: Quote from: Lindsey on November 09, 2007, 11:42:41 AM
I can't tell if my eyes are so tired that I'm missing it, or is London really not on the list?

Quote
For an added twist, it excludes cities in English, Spanish, or Portuguese speaking countries
Title: Re: Which of those foreign cities would you visit?
Post by: Sam Gunn (since nobody got Admiral Naismith) on November 09, 2007, 12:07:16 PM: Quote from: Lindsey on November 08, 2007, 11:56:34 PM
I picked Paris, Dusseldorf, and Rome.
I've been to all those cities and fuck them. Except Rome is cool because of the old stuff next to the new stuff making for a nice contrast, but still fuck Rome.
Title: Re: Which of those foreign cities would you visit?
Post by: Lindsey on November 09, 2007, 12:15:16 PM: Quote from: Rillion on November 09, 2007, 11:45:05 AM
Quote from: Lindsey on November 09, 2007, 11:42:41 AM
I can't tell if my eyes are so tired that I'm missing it, or is London really not on the list?

Quote
For an added twist, it excludes cities in English, Spanish, or Portuguese speaking countries

I don't remember that being there when he first posted it. Weird.
Title: Re: Which of those foreign cities would you visit?
Post by: Phant on November 10, 2007, 03:53:02 PM: I do have a tendency to edit my posts a lot, but that "added twist" message was always there. I edited it later only to add how I myself voted.

It wouldn't be very interesting to compare national metropolitan areas (ex NYC / LA) with foreign ones, and as the as the Anglosphere (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglosphere) continues to mix together other major English-speaking cities (ex. London, Sydney, and Toronto) they are becoming just as accessible. And, as two of my previous polls here ("Which Language Group (http://bbs.freetalklive.com/index.php?topic=12682.0)" and "Which Latin Language (http://bbs.freetalklive.com/index.php?topic=14378.0)") have shown, the Hispanophone (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hispanophone) (and, due to linguistic similarity, Lusophone (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lusophone)) cities (ex Madrid, Mexico City, São Paulo, and Buenos Aires) are probably within the third circle of the bullseye. This poll looks at the next rings away from the accessibility bullseye, from European tourist hot-spots all the way to Communist Asia.
Title: Re: Which of those foreign cities would you visit?
Post by: DogOn on November 13, 2007, 04:29:46 PM: Berlin should be on there in place of Frankfurt, its a great city, one of my favourites.

Also, rotterdam beats the shit out of amsterdam. Amsterdam is full of drunken british cunts, pickpockets and prostitues of dubious sexual health.

Rotterdam is far less touristy, its coffee shops, though fewer, of are a much calmer friendlier nature, the greens cheaper, theres less thievery and scamming, generally its a much nicer place unless you happen to be one of the annoying alcoholic twats i wish to avoid in amsterdam.
Title: Re: Which of those foreign cities would you visit?
Post by: Puke on November 13, 2007, 04:33:21 PM: Been to Frankfurt, it's a nice place.
I'd like to go to Sydney and Tokyo.

The wilds of New Zealand would be a cool trip also. Cities kind of suck.
Title: Re: Which of those foreign cities would you visit?
Post by: annyab on November 13, 2007, 11:13:21 PM: Warsaw, Geneva, Istanbul
Title: Re: Which of those foreign cities would you visit?
Post by: mrapplecastle on November 13, 2007, 11:13:51 PM: .......so why no latin american cities?
Title: Re: Which of those foreign cities would you visit?
Post by: Porcupine_in_MA on November 13, 2007, 11:15:32 PM: Quote from: mrapplecastle on November 13, 2007, 11:13:51 PM
.......so why no latin american cities?

Because there aren't any worth visiting.
Title: Re: Which of those foreign cities would you visit?
Post by: mrapplecastle on November 13, 2007, 11:17:12 PM: Quote from: Porcupine_in_MA on November 13, 2007, 11:15:32 PM
Quote from: mrapplecastle on November 13, 2007, 11:13:51 PM
.......so why no latin american cities?

Because there aren't any worth visiting.
(http://whatchutalkinboutwillis.com/img/whatchutitle.jpg)
Title: Re: Which of those foreign cities would you visit?
Post by: Phant on November 13, 2007, 11:22:28 PM: Quote from: mrapplecastle on November 13, 2007, 11:13:51 PM
.......so why no latin american cities?

Same reason why no English-speaking cities, because they would win in a land-slide and make this poll less interesting. (Read above.)

Quote from: Puke on November 13, 2007, 04:33:21 PM
Cities kind of suck.

Yeah, that's why smart people live in places like rural New Hampshire, and only occasionally visit world's top cities for fun and profit. ;)

(And from what I hear the best time to leave NH is January - March, when the winter stops being fun and then the mud season comes. So cities that are nice and warm around that time are advantageous.)

Quote from: DogOn on November 13, 2007, 04:29:46 PM
Berlin should be on there in place of Frankfurt, its a great city, one of my favourites.

Maybe, but I was going by that Loughborough University study (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_cities#GaWC_Inventory_of_World_Cities.2C_1999), and Frankfurt is the business capital of Germany.

Here's how they see the world:

(http://www.alexlibman.com/__imagebucket/GlobalCities-WorldMap.gif) (http://www.lboro.ac.uk/gawc/citymap.html)
Title: Re: Which of those foreign cities would you visit?
Post by: mrapplecastle on November 13, 2007, 11:28:04 PM: I live in a gamma city
Title: Re: Which of those foreign cities would you visit?
Post by: hellbilly on November 13, 2007, 11:47:55 PM: prague, tokyo, moscow.
Title: Re: Which of those foreign cities would you visit?
Post by: Jason Orr on November 14, 2007, 01:35:50 PM: I'm not sure why it matters if the cities have English, Spanish, or Portuguese as the dominant language, but I'll play along.

I've never been to Europe, and Zurich, Stockholm, and Amsterdam are all very interesting cities that I mean to visit within my lifetime.

I have a certain fondness for Switzerland, and my girlfriend has shared some rather interesting stories about the Swiss from her very limited experience with them. The surrounding countryside and Lake Zurich are stunningly beautiful, as well.

Stockholm: beautiful architecture, cobblestone streets, plentiful waterways, rich history. I'd love to get my Norse on.

Amsterdam seems like a great place, too. Any place with legalized marijuana has at least a few things right.
Title: Re: Which of those foreign cities would you visit?
Post by: Beef Supreme on November 15, 2007, 11:18:39 AM: Amsterdam, Paris, and Zurich.

I did a three-week tour of Europe a couple years ago, and it was one of the best experiences of my life.
If you can do it, I HIGHLY recommend it.
Title: Re: Which of those foreign cities would you visit?
Post by: dmgov on November 15, 2007, 07:54:57 PM: Amsterdam and anywhere in japan.
Title: Re: Which of those foreign cities would you visit?
Post by: Funk D on November 15, 2007, 09:02:01 PM: Zurich, Prague, Stockholm

FunkD
Title: Re: Which of those foreign cities would you visit?
Post by: freeAgent on November 16, 2007, 11:46:07 AM: Seoul, Geneva, and Stockholm were my choices. It was fairly arbitrary however. I would probably want to go to most of the places on that list.
Title: Re: Which of those foreign cities would you visit?
Post by: Sam Gunn (since nobody got Admiral Naismith) on November 16, 2007, 01:13:26 PM: You should add Tel Aviv
Title: Re: Which of those foreign cities would you visit?
Post by: Taors on November 18, 2007, 02:20:04 AM: Quote from: joelberg on November 16, 2007, 01:13:26 PM
You should add Tel Aviv

Why?
Title: Re: Which of those foreign cities would you visit?
Post by: Evil Muppet on November 18, 2007, 02:23:47 AM: because some of us might want to visit Israel. That's why. Why not something in South or Central America? You got something against Hispanics?
Title: Re: Which of those foreign cities would you visit?
Post by: Phant on November 18, 2007, 02:37:21 AM: People tend to be scared off by a poll with too many options (http://bbs.freetalklive.com/index.php?topic=17759). I guess we can have a "Which Western Hemisphere / Anglosphere / Iberian / Israeli cities would you visit?" poll... Why don't you start one?
Title: Re: Which of those foreign cities would you visit?
Post by: Taors on November 18, 2007, 02:43:01 AM: Quote from: Evil Muppet on November 18, 2007, 02:23:47 AM
because some of us might want to visit Israel. That's why.

My condolences.
Title: Re: Which of those foreign cities would you visit?
Post by: Rillion on November 18, 2007, 10:11:26 AM: Quote from: Evil Muppet on November 18, 2007, 02:23:47 AM
because some of us might want to visit Israel. That's why. Why not something in South or Central America? You got something against Hispanics?

Buenos Aires, baby.
Title: Re: Which of those foreign cities would you visit?
Post by: Jason Orr on November 18, 2007, 11:44:29 AM: Quote from: Evil Muppet on November 18, 2007, 02:23:47 AM
Why not something in South or Central America? You got something against Hispanics?

Quote from: Phant on November 08, 2007, 11:54:53 PM
For an added twist, it excludes cities in English, Spanish, or Portuguese speaking countries which often are the low-hanging fruit for a typical American with some high-school Spanish. The main language(s) spoken in that city specified in parenthesis when not obvious.
Title: Re: Which of those foreign cities would you visit?
Post by: Phant on November 18, 2007, 01:17:50 PM: Beijing FTL (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=FTL)! (For The Loss... confusing acronym.) Take that, 2008 Olympics! :lol:

I'm surprised Bangkok got no votes, it's a total vice-city that's way cheaper than Amsterdam. You can rent 12 girls for the price of one (but your dick may fall off the next day). :lol: