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Post by Deleted on Jun 27, 2013 18:53:35 GMT -5
Yeah, I did. I learned the hard way that V5 doesn't have that feature I am used to on other non-proboards forums.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 28, 2013 1:52:54 GMT -5
June 28th, 2013 - Osaka, JapanOsaka Castle: The Umeda Sky Building: 6 Facts About Osaka:1) With a population of 2.6 million, it currently ranks as the 3rd most populous city in Japan. The metro area is home to a staggering 18.7 million residents. 2) It it looks modern, that's because it is. Most of its historical sites were destroyed by bombings during World War II. 3) Osaka is served by Kansai International Airport, which is located outside the city. It is notable for being entirely on artificial land. Osaka International Airport focuses more on domestic flights. 4) The city placed a bid to host the 2008 Summer Olympics, but lost to fellow far east city Beijing, China. "Osaka 2008" posters can still be found throughout the city. 5) Believe it or not, it has some of the craziest baseball fans on the planet. 6) It had Japan's first female mayor.
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Post by FreakyFlyBry on Jun 28, 2013 2:18:32 GMT -5
Wow, Osaka really looks bright at night! Would definitely be worth visiting on a larger trip of Japan, and would make a good place to also explore Kobe and Kyoto from as both are nearby.
I'd imagine that there might've actually been more historical sites destroyed there than Hiroshima or Nagasaki just because Osaka was a bigger city to begin with.
The Gate Tower Building would be one thing I'd have to see there, given the engineering that allows a busy road to run right through it!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 28, 2013 13:24:24 GMT -5
For whatever reason, cities in the far east just look spectacular at night. I think it's one of the reasons I've always been drawn to that region.
Good point about the bombings. I think people tend to make a bigger deal about death/destruction that takes place all at once rather than what happens over time. Since Hiroshima and Nagasaki were destroyed in mere seconds, it seems like more was destroyed even if that wasn't the case.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 29, 2013 2:17:37 GMT -5
June 29th, 2013 - Ho Chi Minh City, VietnamCity Hall: Diamond Plaza, a huge shopping center: 7 Facts About Ho Chi Minh City:1) With a population of over 7.5 million residents, it ranks as the most populous city in Vietnam. 2) It was known as Saigon until 1975, when it fell under communist rule and was named after communist revolutionary Ho Chi Minh. To this day, many people still refer to the city as Saigon and many things in the city bear the Saigon name. 3) Its street food scene is widely considered to be among the world's best. Food stalls can be found on street corners and back alleys throughout the city, serving up food at all hours of the day. 4) Local young people are known to celebrate their birthdays at KFC. 5) The climate is considered undesirable by many, with hot and humid conditions year-round. Average highs are at or above 87F (30C) in all 12 months, and rainfall occurs 150 days per year. 6) As you can probably tell from the photos, congestion is a major problem here. To ease this, a light rail system is currently under construction and should be completed in 2017. 7) Despite its congested nature, Ho Chi Minh City is lined with plenty of Kapok trees. Many believes this is where Saigon got its name.
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Post by FreakyFlyBry on Jun 29, 2013 23:43:27 GMT -5
I guess what you said about East Asian cities having modern skylines really does apply to Saigon Ho Chi Minh City after all - especially that skyscraper that glows like a lighthouse beacon!
Would be cool to visit sometime, it does look very congested though, as you said. The light rail would really improve things there as shown by pictures of other cities that have it.
I also find it odd that Vietnam has KFC but not McDonald's!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 30, 2013 0:15:23 GMT -5
I guess what you said about East Asian cities having modern skylines really does apply to Saigon Ho Chi Minh City after all - especially that skyscraper that glows like a lighthouse beacon! Would be cool to visit sometime, it does look very congested though, as you said. The light rail would really improve things there as shown by pictures of other cities that have it. I also find it odd that Vietnam has KFC but not McDonald's! Yeah, to me there is just nothing like those skylines at night. I'd love to see them in person one day. That KFC/McDonald's thing is interesting now that you mention it...I didn't realize that they didn't have McDonald's in Vietnam. KFC operates in some countries that surprise me, including Kazakhstan and Laos. They also recently became the western chain to open up in Mongolia of all places.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 1, 2013 2:18:43 GMT -5
July 1st, 2013 - Orlando, Florida, United StatesThe fearsome jaws of Gatorland: A family having fun on a fake alligator: Yes, people actually do this crap with real alligators: Universal Orlando: SeaWorld Orlando: And of course, Walt Disney World: Big ball: The Amway Center, home of the NBA's Orlando Magic: During a game: 7 Facts About Orlando:1) It is home to 238,000 residents, making it the 5th most populous city in the state of Florida. The metro area boasts a population of 2.1 million. 2) The city's claim to fame lies in its tourism. Thanks to its various theme parks, it enjoys being one of the most visited cities in the entire US. Walt Disney World remains the primary attraction 42 years after opening. Unlike New York City, which draws large amounts of international tourists, Orlando primarily receives domestic visitors. 3) The city experiences hot, humid summers with average highs in July and August sitting at 92F (33C). Coupled with high humidity, heat indices routinely eclipse 100F (38C) during these months, creating dangerous conditions for unprepared tourists. Because of this, many consider it wise to visit during the warm "winter," where highs typically top out in the low 70s F (low 20s C). 4) Visitors often notice an abundance of Olive Garden and Red Lobster restaurants. This can be chalked up to the fact that Darden Restaurants is headquartered here. 5) There are over 100 lakes within city limits! 6) The city is home to one major sports team: the Orlando Magic of the NBA. They have won the Eastern Conference twice, but have yet to claim an NBA Championship. 7) Orlando has more hotel rooms than every American city except Las Vegas.
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Post by FreakyFlyBry on Jul 1, 2013 23:39:28 GMT -5
Of course, with Orlando, there is one thing that towers over everything else to do there - Disney World. It would definitely be worth visiting for that reason alone, as well as the other theme parks around the area.
The fact that they have so many hotel rooms (indeed, thanks to Disney World) makes Orlando a hot spot for conventions.
I love how their skyline reflects on that lake there, makes it look so much better at night!
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Post by Deleted on Jul 2, 2013 2:05:59 GMT -5
July 2nd, 2013 - Maputo, MozambiqueA monument that serves as a memorial to Portuguese soldiers that died during World War I: Maputo Railway Station: Hotel Polana: Maputo Cathedral, a place of Roman Catholic worship: 6 Facts About Maputo:1) It serves as the capital of Mozambique, and with a population of over 1.7 million it is also its most populous city. 2) Originally a Portuguese settlement, it was part of a Portuguese-ruled colony until 1975 when Mozambique gained its independence. The city was a harsh, dangerous place during the long civil war between 1977-1992. 3) Poverty is a big problem here. Many people sleep in abandoned buildings and have a tough time finding clean water. While the future looks promising, there is a long way to go. 4) The city is warm year-round, with its warmest month being January, where the average day tops out at 86F (30C). 5) As you can probably tell from the photos, it is a port city. Located on the edge of the Indian Ocean, this is a big part of Mozambique's economy. 6) Maputo has survived colonial rule, communist rule, civil war, segregation and racism during its existence. Despite how recent these events were (within the last 40 years), residents are known for being warm, kind and forgiving. It's been said they are more forgiving of what happened 40 years ago than Europeans are over what happened hundreds of years in the past.
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Post by FreakyFlyBry on Jul 3, 2013 23:42:41 GMT -5
I must admit, Mozambique didn't really come to mind as a standout, but this spotlight has me intrigued in its capital city.
Looks like there are some total slums there, which is expected for sub-Saharan Africa, but some other areas that look interesting, especially the architecture that can be seen there! Would be cool to check out some of these areas.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 4, 2013 16:35:40 GMT -5
July 4th, 2013 - Oakland, California, United StatesThe Tribune Tower: 7 Facts About Oakland:1) It is home to 400,000 residents, making it the 8th most populous city in California and the 47th most populous in the United States. 2) It is one of the busiest port cities in North America. The cargo business is a crucial part of Oakland's economy. 3) It is part of the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose broadcast market, currently the 6th largest in the US (New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia and Dallas-Fort Worth are those that are bigger). 4) It has 3 major professional sports teams: the NFL's Raiders, the NBA's Golden State Warriors and Major League Baseball's Athletics. 5) The city has cool winters and mild summers. Average highs range from 58F (15C) in December and January to 74F (23C) in September. 6) It is a very diverse city with large amounts of people from various ethnic groups. 7) Clint Eastwood, Tom Hanks, Jason Kidd, Keyshia Cole, MC Hammer, Too Short, Tupac Shakur and the band Green Day have all come from Oakland.
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Post by FreakyFlyBry on Jul 5, 2013 0:28:41 GMT -5
Some of those streetscapes in Oakland look quite interesting!
To me, it seems like it's always overshadowed by its neighbour, San Francisco, which seems to get all the glory. Though it does seem like it's had a bit of a renaissance lately especially as living in San Francisco gets too expensive and that Oakland still would have a unique feel to it, especially given its racial diversity, as you mentioned.
Of course, among the first things that came to mind about Oakland is their sports teams.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 8, 2013 1:44:08 GMT -5
July 8th, 2013 - Bogota, ColombiaSome views of the Torre Colpatria, Colombia's tallest building as well as South America's 2nd tallest: 7 Facts About Bogota:1) It is Colombia's most populous city, with over 7.3 million residents calling it home. It also serves as the capital of the South American nation. 2) It has the cleanest tap water of any Latin American city. 3) What is present-day Bogota was originally settled by the Spanish in the 1530s. It would remain under Spanish rule until Colombia gained independence in 1819. 4) It traditionally has had a very high crime rate, a trend echoed in many other South American cities. While crime rates have decreased over the past couple of decades, much of the city remains dangerous and it is important for tourists to know what they are doing. 5) The city has a steady climate year-round, and it's a lot cooler than you might think. Average highs throughout the year are in the 65-70F range (19-20C) in part due to it being situated over 8,600 feet (2,600 meters) above sea level. 6) It is a predominately Roman Catholic city, with roughly 90% of its residents at least loosely associating with that faith. 7) Bogota is home to a carnival every August, although it is much less celebrated than the more famous and tourist-friendly one that occurs in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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Post by FreakyFlyBry on Jul 9, 2013 2:14:31 GMT -5
I'm quite impressed by how bright Bogota is there!
The pictures of the old part of the city there are very impressive too... almost looks like a European town square sometimes.
Would definitely be interested in checking it out sometime provided I stay out of the high-crime areas, as I'm not really surprised (drug trade? Colombia surely has a lot of that going on!)
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