City Of The Day

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Jun 25, 2012 1:37:52 GMT -5 FreakyFlyBry said:

I've noticed that, in Europe, the national capitals are almost always the most significant/largest city/top tourist destination/etc. Of course, there are rare exceptions (Switzerland and Turkey come to mind here as their capitals are far from their largest cities!) Contrast that with U.S. state capitals, which in many cases, are rather insignificant compared to larger cities within the same state! Of course, there are also exceptions here (Boston, Atlanta, Nashville, Phoenix, Oklahoma City, Indianapolis, Honolulu, Des Moines, Salt Lake City, Denver, etc. are all significant state capitals/largest cities/metros within the state)

I didn't notice this post until now, but you're definitely right. In some of the most populated/important states, the capitals are not the state's most significant city, or even anywhere close to it. Examples that spring to my mind are Albany, Tallahassee, Austin, Harrisburg and Jefferson City. Of course, there are plenty the other way around as you pointed out.

Speaking of which, you know your state capitals better than most Americans.

Jun 25, 2012 2:49:59 GMT -5 FreakyFlyBry said:

Speaking of state capitals...

Richmond would be an interesting place to stop over in if I found myself in Virginia, mostly to explore the history, especially that from the Civil War.

Interesting lighting on some of those buildings at night though!

The building lighting is very bizarre to me, and I'd like to see it in person. I have never been to Richmond, but I have bypassed it on I-295.

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Jule 27th, 2012 - Alexandria, Egypt

















Alexandria during Ramadan:







Fort of Qaitbay, which dates back to the 15th century:




5 Facts About Alexandria:

1) The city is home to a whopping 4.1 million residents. That makes it the 2nd most populated city in Egypt, and puts it in the top 10 for the African continent.

2) The city was founded by Alexander the Great in 331 BC. One of its key purposes was to serve as a link between Greece and the Nile Valley. A few months after its formation, Alexander left and never returned to the city until after he was dead -- his body was transferred here after his death.

3) Although once a largely Jewish city, today's Jewish population in Alexandria is a remarkably low <50. Following the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, most of the city's Jews fled to Israel, Brazil, France and other nations.

4) You may have Alexandria pegged as a very hot city, but fear not. The average high in the warmest month of August is a tolerable 87F (30C). Winters are pleasant, with temperatures rarely dipping below freezing at night.

5) At one point (around 1700), the city was a mere small town after centuries of destruction from both wars and earthquakes.

...And that's all I got for today. It's strange to say is that the internet provides much more photos and information of Alexandria, Virginia than this historic city.

[FreakyFlyBry]

Egypt definitely would be interesting to see, and the history of a place like Alexandria would be a must-see there. ;D

Had no idea that it wasn't THAT hot, but then again, I guess it's not quite in the Sahara desert like a lot of North Africa. I did know that it had become a ghost town for some time until it became revived as the city it's turned into.

The beachfront architecture there is quite stunning as well!

[Deleted]

June 28th, 2012 - Providence, Rhode Island, United States













City Hall:



The Rhode Island Capitol Building, which bears a resemblance to the US Capitol Building in Washington, DC:



The Bank of America Building:



The "world's largest bug":



The area known as Federal Hill:



Here is a throwback photo of Providence from the late 1950s:










7 Facts About Providence:

1) With a population of over 178,000, Providence ranks as the most populous city in the tiny state of Rhode Island. It also ranks as the third largest city in the entire New England region, with only Worcester and Boston, Massachusetts ahead of it.

2) It has the most coffee/doughnut shops per capita of any city in the country.

3) Providence is one of the nation's oldest cities, dating back to 1636.

4) The city is home to "the world's largest bug," a big blue termite on the roof of New England Pest Control. It is 58 feet long and 928 times actual termite size.

5) The city has seen a major demographic shift over the past 40 years. In 1970, 90% of the population was white, a number that today stands around 38%. The Hispanic population here is booming, and in 2010 a Dominican-American mayor was elected.

6) Providence has a climate typical of coastal New England cities. Summers tend to be tourist-friendly, with average highs in the warmest month of July at 83F (28C). Winters can be cold, but average highs remain above freezing even in January.

7) The 26-story Bank of America Building, which was built in 1927, has been the tallest building in all of Rhode Island for over 80 years!

[FreakyFlyBry]

Providence would be one of those cities that I'd stop by if I were somewhere nearby, just to see it.

That large bug there is one I hadn't known about, but would be a must-see!

They sure do a great job of mixing their architecture with the natural surroundings though!

[Deleted]

July1st,2012 - Buenos Aires, Argentina













Street food is a common sight in many South American cities, and Buenos Aires is no exception:







City Hall:








7 Facts About Buenos Aires:

1) It is home to nearly 2.9 million residents, making it the 8th most populous city in South America as well as the largest in Argentina. Its metro area ranks as the 2nd most populous on the continent, with only Greater Sao Paulo in Brazil being ahead of it.

2) Often called "the Paris of South America," European influence is said to be stronger here than in other South American cities.

3) Do you like to tango? If so, you should know that it was invented here.

4) Buenos Aires was founded twice. It was originally founded in 1536 by conquistador Pedro de Mendoza but attacks from Native tribes in 1539 drove the small population away. By 1541, the city was completely abandoned. In 1580 a new settlement was established, and needless to say this one lasted.

5) Buenos Aires has a relatively tourist-friendly climate, although summer heat waves and year-round rainfall are common. In fact, the city averages 49 inches (1,242.6 mm) of rain per year!

6) Believe it or not, this largely Catholic city is home to the 10th largest Jewish population in the world, and the largest in South America.

7) Italian food, Spanish food and just about anything involving beef are the most popular types of cuisine here.

[FreakyFlyBry]

I'd really like to visit Buenos Aires at some time. Had no idea they had their own little version of Times Square/various other illuminated intersections though, it does have that kind of feel!

Not surprised about the climate being warm though, that would be a prime reason to visit!

The historic architecture can be quite stunning there!

[Deleted]

July 2nd, 2012 - Baghdad, Iraq















Baghdad International Airport:



Victory Arch, one of the most iconic modern-day sights in Baghdad:



Some views of damage the city has suffered as a result of the war and other violence:









An idea of what dust storms are like:







The Green Zone, or International Zone:








7 Facts About Baghdad:

1) As I'm sure everyone knows, Baghdad is one of the most dangerous cities on earth and absolutely not a tourist destination. Baghdad is a war zone. Many Iraqis are armed, and car bombs are detonated on regular basis. Foreigners are prone to everything from refusal of service to kidnapping and murder.

2) What many people may not realize is just how rich in history the city is. Dating back to the year 762, it was considered the world's largest city for hundreds of years between 1000-1300. Throughout its history, the city has been controlled by the Mongols, the Ottomans and the British, among others.

3) Just before the U.S. invaded Iraq in 2003, nearly $1 billion was stolen from the Central Bank of Iraq. This is considered the largest bank robbery in world history.

4) Throughout Baghdad, street vendors sell bootleg DVDs of varying quality.

5) Baghdad is hot! In fact, it's one of the hottest cities anywhere on earth. The average high during July is a sweltering 111F (44C), and that's just the average day. Temperatures as high as 122F (50C) have been recorded, and dust storms are a common occurrence here.

6) The city has a walled area known as The Green Zone. It is an international zone thought to be safer than the rest of Baghdad, but this isn't always the case.

7) Believe it or not, orange soda is very popular here and is sold by countless street vendors. It is the most popular soft drink in Iraq.

[FreakyFlyBry]

Interesting choice... and while the history of the general Iraq region is quite fascinating, the fact that it's very dangerous due to war and such would likely put me off ever visiting Baghdad, no matter how interesting some things there might be.

Not surprised about the dust storms though.

[Deleted]

I've got to be one of the only people who would talk about Baghdad in this way. It's a shame that Iraq is such a dangerous place, because it's one of the most history-rich areas there is. And if I'm not mistaken, it is a very important region for Christians, Muslims and Jews alike.

[FreakyFlyBry]

Jul 2, 2012 22:46:23 GMT -5 @bestintheworld said:

I've got to be one of the only people who would talk about Baghdad in this way. It's a shame that Iraq is such a dangerous place, because it's one of the most history-rich areas there is. And if I'm not mistaken, it is a very important region for Christians, Muslims and Jews alike.

Yeah, that whole Middle East area has a lot of holy sites. Especially in and around Israel... Jerusalem in particular has holy sites for all three religions.

[Deleted]

July 3rd, 2012 - Jacksonville, Florida, United States







EverBank Field, home of the NFL's Jaguars:



The 42-story Bank of America Tower, the tallest building in Florida outside of Miami:


















7 Facts About Jacksonville:

1) Most people would probably guess that either Miami, Tampa or Orlando is Florida's most populous city. However, that honor goes to Jacksonville with a population of over 820,000 residents.

2) In terms of area, Jacksonville is the largest city in the entire United States! It also has the nation's largest system of urban parks, with over 80,000 acres of parks and community areas.

3) The city is mild year-round, with an average of just 10-15 nights per year with the temperature dipping below freezing. Average highs in January are an impressive 64F (18C), and highs during the summer months tend to be over 90F (32C).

4) By population, Jacksonville is the 11th largest city in the country. However, due to its rural surroundings, it ranks as the 49th largest media market.

5) Elvis Presley performed his first indoor show at the Florida Theatre in 1957. A judge monitored the show to ensure that The King's hip shaking didn't get too racy!

6) Jacksonville is home to one major league sports team, the NFL's Jaguars. This is unusual, because cities with only one major league franchise tend to have an NBA or NHL team.

7) Rock music fans may know Jacksonville as the birthplace of legendary southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, but they aren't the only notable band to come from here. Limp Bizkit, Shinedown, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus and Cold all got their stars in Jacksonville.

[FreakyFlyBry]

I wouldn't mind visiting Jacksonville sometime... looks like there are some hidden treasures there! Especially the neon-lit fountains and the pictures at night.

Doesn't look like there are that many tall buildings, but they do light up quite well!

I think, aside from Jacksonville, Green Bay is the only other city that only has NFL and no other "big four" sports.

I knew about all those bands that came from Jacksonville, and I'd imagine because of it, they have a great rock music scene. I knew because when I talk to Fredz, we often mention the city of origin of certain bands, and Jacksonville came up a lot.

Still, it's quite misleading when it's the largest city proper in Florida, yet only the 4th largest metro area!

[Deleted]

LOL I wonder what Churrasquitos are lol

[Deleted]

Jul 3, 2012 2:37:24 GMT -5 FreakyFlyBry said:

I think, aside from Jacksonville, Green Bay is the only other city that only has NFL and no other "big four" sports.

Yeah, that's right. And Green Bay is a more sensible case, since the Packers franchise dates back to the days when many small towns had NFL teams. The Jaguars debuted in 1995, and imo have by far the lowest fan support in the league.

Jul 3, 2012 2:37:24 GMT -5 FreakyFlyBry said:

I knew about all those bands that came from Jacksonville, and I'd imagine because of it, they have a great rock music scene. I knew because when I talk to Fredz, we often mention the city of origin of certain bands, and Jacksonville came up a lot.

I like how he always does that hockey team thing on his chart. ;D

Jul 3, 2012 2:37:24 GMT -5 FreakyFlyBry said:

Still, it's quite misleading when it's the largest city proper in Florida, yet only the 4th largest metro area!

Yeah, Jacksonville is a very strange case. It's almost like the opposite of Miami.

Jul 3, 2012 16:11:34 GMT -5 @xfer said:

LOL I wonder what Churrasquitos are lol

They sound like the latest dessert from Taco Bell.