City Of The Day

[Deleted]

February 9th, 2012 - Houston, Texas, United States

















City Hall:



Discovery Green, a park located downtown:



Texas Medical Center:




7 Facts About Houston:

1) Houston has roughly 2.1 million residents, making it the most populated city in Texas and the fourth most populated city in the entire United States. Only Chicago, Los Angeles and New York rank ahead of Houston.

2) Talk about unhealthy! Houston is one of the most polluted cities in the U.S. and smog is a common problem. The city also leads the nation in obesity rates, especially amongst children.

3) Houston was founded by two brothers in 1836, who were entrepreneurs hoping to start a city.

4) A strange but true law: It is illegal to sell Limburger cheese on Sundays in Houston.

5) The city is very hot during the summer months, with average highs around 92F (33C). Combined with high humidity, the heat index numbers can be downright deadly. However, during the rest of the year the weather is very tourist-friendly.

6) It is home to the largest medical center on earth, the Texas Medical Center.

7) It is home to the unique art car parade, where you can see stuff like this.

[FreakyFlyBry]

I'd love to visit Texas sometime, and Houston would be one of my top places I'd want to see.

The Johnson Space Center would be an essential place to see, given that's where astronauts train for their space missions.

It's also not far from the Gulf of Mexico, and surely there'd be some great beaches in the area.

[Deleted]

March 3rd, 2012 - Athens, Greece

















The Temple of Hephaestus:



The Temple Of Zeus:



The Philopappos Monument:



The Ancient Stadium:



A Byzantine-era church:




7 Facts About Athens:

1) Athens is a dream come true for history buffs. The city boasts a recorded history of over 3,400 years and a clouded history that dates back over 7,000 years! During its recorded history, Athens had been ruled by everyone from the Romans to the Byzantines to the Ottomans and has been governed in more ways than perhaps any city on earth.

2) Athens was home to the very first olympic games, way back in 776 BC. They were also home to the first modern olympic games in 1896, and hosted the summer olympics in 2004.

3) Theatre is believed to have been invented here.

4) The city has cool winters and long, hot summers. The average highs during July and August are a sweaty 91F (33C). Also notable is the fact that the suburbs reached a sweltering 118F (48C) back in 1977, the hightest readings ever recorded in Europe!

5) If you find youself in Athens and are bored with history, it also boasts world-class beaches.

6) There are 148 theatrical stages here, more than any other city on the planet.

7) They city was the birthplace and home of Greek Mythology, which is still widely taught and discussed to this day.


I know this is my first city in nearly a month, but I didn't stop doing this. School has just kept me really busy the past few weeks. I'm still the same wannabe globe trotter I was back in January.

[FreakyFlyBry]

Probably the thing that fascinates me the most about Athens is the amount of history that there is there. The fact that so much of our current society has roots in ancient Greece makes it all the more interesting.

If I'm ever in that part of Europe, I'm sure Athens would be a top destination.

[Deleted]

School really derailed this (among other things) for me. Now I'm looking to get it back on track to truly being city of the day. From now on, I will not be using any oversized pictures.

March 30th, 2012 - Cincinnati, Ohio, United States











Fountain Square:












7 Facts About Cincinnati:

1) Cincinnati is almost as old as the nation itself, as the city was founded in 1788. The city was originally known as Losantiville until the name Cincinnati was settled on in 1790.

2) As with many American cities, spring and fall are considered to be the most tourist-friendly times of year. Summers are warm, often with high humidity and winters can be cold and snowy.

3) Cincinnati is known for its chili, and you would be missing out big time if you visited the city without trying some of their famous bowls. The more adventurous types might enjoy trying chili seasoned with things such as cinnamon or chocolate. The city's residents eat about two million pounds of chili each year!

4) Believe it or not, the first licensed Public television station was not in New York, Philadelphia or Washington, D.C. It was WCET TV in Cincinnati.

5) The city's population has decreased over time; from over half a million residents in the '50s and '60s to less than 300,000 today.

6) Cincy is a very important place for baseball fans. The Reds were the first Major League team in 1868, and the season opens here every year.

7) Carmen Electra, Drew & Nick Lachey, Sara Jessica Parker, Steven Spielberg and Ted Turner are all from Cincinnati.

[FreakyFlyBry]

Cincinnati would definitely be an interesting city to visit... like many others in the midwest, mostly due to the history there. Wouldn't mind seeing a Reds or Bengals game there, honestly.

Had no idea all of those celebrities were from there though!

[Deleted]

March 31st, 2012 - Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada











The Esplanade Riel, a pedestrian-only bridge with a restaurant, and one of the top tourist attractions in Winnipeg:







Chinatown:



I know it's a small photo, but check out how tall some of these buildings are:




6 Facts About Manitoba:

1) With over 600,000 residents, Winnipeg is Manitoba's most populated city. The metro area ranks as Canada's 8th largest.

2) Winnipeg has 12 percent of Canada’s musicians but only 2.25 percent of the nation’s population.

3) Crime rates here are among Canada's highest, and it has been called "the auto theft capital of North America."

4) It's an exciting time for the city's hockey fans, as for the first time in over 15 years they can cheer for their Winnipeg Jets. The original Jets relocated to Arizona in the mid '90s, and the new Jets were the team formerly known as the Atlanta Thrashers.

5) The city was home to Canada's first Coca Cola bottling plant, as well as its first A&W drive-in.

6) Winnie-the-Pooh was named after Winnipeg.

[FreakyFlyBry]

I remember I visited Winnipeg back in 1996... would love to go back there again, I'm sure I'd get a totally different perspective there as an adult.

One thing I did there was visit the Royal Canadian Mint, where all of Canada's circulation coins are made. It was rather fascinating.

Winnipeg will also be the home of the Canadian Museum of Human Rights, which I'd like to see when it gets opened.

It's definitely among the most cultured cities in Canada.

I'd also like to go to a Jets game there sometime.

[Deleted]

April 3rd, 2012 - Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan









The city's Central Square, called Ala-Too Square:



The Central Square, possibly during Soviet times:



A photo taken during the Kyrgyz revolution:




6 Facts About Bishkek:

1) The city serves as the capitol of Kyrgyzstan, and with over 800,000 residents, is the nation's largest city.

2) The city once had the name Pishpek, followed by the name Frunze. It was renamed Bishkek in 1991, following the independence of Kyrgyzstan from the Soviet Union.

3) The climate is similar to what you'll see in many American cities -- warm summers and cool, snowy winters.

4) The city offers very little to tourists, and the vast majority of its visitors are people who are exploring the "silk road." Still, the city has a unique appeal that much of Eastern Europe had 20-30 years.

5) Believe it or not, the city actually has a pretty vibrant nightlife! However, it is advised not to wander around by yourself after dark, as muggings and robberies (especially of foriegners) are rather common.

6) During the 1980s, a majority of the city's residents were Russians. Today, Russians account for less than 10% of the population.


So if you're wondering why I chose this city, here's why...I actually read an article about it a couple months ago, but decided against using it here because it's such an obscure city. But when I found out FlyBry goes there for holidays, I had to do it!

[FreakyFlyBry]

Ah, the capital of Sporcle's favourite country!

If I were doing a tour of Central Asia (such as following the Silk Road), I'd make sure to stop in Bishkek.

[Deleted]

June 7th, 2012 - San Francisco, California, United States





A couple views of the city's skyline as seen from the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge:













Lombard Street:



A good view of how much different-looking San Fran is from your typical American city:



These give me a headache:










7 Facts About San Francisco:

1) With over 800,000 residents, San Francisco ranks as the 13th most populous city in the USA. However, three California cities rank higher: San Jose (10th), San Diego (8th) and Los Angeles (2nd).

2) Cable cars can be found throughout the city, and nearly 10 million people ride them each year! They are the only National Historic Landmark that moves.

3) Denim jeans were invented here by gold rush miners who needed tough yet comfortable clothing.

4) San Francisco is considered to be a key city for gay rights. 15.4% of the population identifies as being gay or lesbian, more than any other city in the country.

5) On April 18, 1906, the city was rocked by one of the most devastating earthquakes in world history. Over 3,000 people died as a result of it.

6) Like many coastal Californian cities, "seasons" aren't much of a concept in San Fran. While hot weather is certainly possible during much of the year, temperatures tend to the in the upper 60s (lower 20s Celsius). The city is more known for its dense fog, which is a staple of the area especially during summer months.

7) The city was build on 43 hills.

[FreakyFlyBry]

While I haven't been there yet, San Francisco would definitely be a great city to visit. ;D

I'm sure the views of the Golden Gate Bridge are incredible, and I'd love to just soak in the sights on the cable cars! Of course, given the amazing view from AT&T Park, I'm sure the backdrop of a Giants game would be a prime reason to see one.

While I knew about the twists and turns of Lombard Street, I had no idea some of the sites were THAT sloping that they'd look dizzying!

Of course, it has to be THE most gay-friendly city in the world, I'd be hard pressed to find another city with a greater percentage of gay population!

Alcatraz would also be fascinating to visit.

[Deleted]

Jun 7, 2012 1:29:50 GMT -5 FreakyFlyBry said:

I'm sure the views of the Golden Gate Bridge are incredible, and I'd love to just soak in the sights on the cable cars! Of course, given the amazing view from AT&T Park, I'm sure the backdrop of a Giants game would be a prime reason to see one.

Yeah, being able to ride around on cable cars is one of the things that makes this city "unique" in my opinion. Seeing a Giants game there would be nice...I always thought it was cool how the people on the water in their canoes have a shot at catching home run balls.

Jun 7, 2012 1:29:50 GMT -5 FreakyFlyBry said:

Of course, it has to be THE most gay-friendly city in the world, I'd be hard pressed to find another city with a greater percentage of gay population!

I'm also guessing 15% is the biggest gay population of any city in the world. While a lot of European countries tend to be more gay-friendly than the States, San Fran is a huge exception to that.

Jun 7, 2012 1:29:50 GMT -5 FreakyFlyBry said:

Alcatraz would also be fascinating to visit.

Yeah, I should have included something about that. I knew a few people who were really interested in it.

[Deleted]

Oh, those bent houses are amazing, I want one! <3

[Deleted]

June 8th, 2012 - Fairbanks, Alaska, United States









If you think this guy is crazy...



...Guess again!



Some looks at how brutal, yet beautiful, the winter can be in Fairbanks:









A condition known as "ice fog" is seen here:



A view of the Auroa Borealis, or Northern Lights, as viewed from the Fairbanks area:




5 Facts about Fairbanks:

1) As you can tell from many of the pictures, Fairbanks is cold for much of the year. The average highs during the month of January are a nippy 0F (-18C), while overnight lows are a bone chilling -19F (-28C). During rough years, winters are known to last from September through May, so you'd better bundle up!

2) The city is home to just over 31,000 residents, which is enough to make it the 2nd largest city in Alaska behind Anchorage. The Fairbanks metro area boasts a population of nearly 100,000.

3) The average age of streets in Fairbanks is 31 years. Unlike in most American cities, the roads are rarely, if ever, paved.

4) Every summer solstice, the city has a baseball game played known as the "Midnight Sun Game." This game is played roughly between 10:30 PM and 1:30 AM the next morning. The sun shines for 24 hours during this time of year.

5) Interestingly enough, summers in Fairbanks are noticeably warmer than those of Anchorage (a city who's winters are tame in comparison to those of Fairbanks). Typical highs in the summertime are in the low 70s (low 20s Celsius), and the record high is an amazing 99F (37C)!