| Archive for Our Scotland - www.our-scotland.org Scottish Politics Discussion Forum / Messageboard - Dedicated to online discussion about Scottish Politics and an Independent Scotland, as well as Scottish Society today. We also have a section dedicated to Banter, Sport and Recommended Sites. |
| Cymro |
Top 10 CitiesFollowing on from the thread about Glasgow being named by Lonely Planet as a top 10 world city to visit I was wondering what are peoples Top 10 Cities to visit (you don't have to have been there yourself, you could be desperate to go there).Here are mine (in no particular order): 1. New York - just got back from there yesterday and loved it, was my third visit and I'm trying to work out the logistics of my 4th visit now! 2. Boston, Massachusets - never been but really want to go. 3. San Fransisco - never been but really want to go. 4. St Petersburg - never been but really want to go. 5. Glasgow - loved by two visits too the city. Going back for the rugby in Feb 6. Belfast - fascinating and very friendly city. Great bars and shops too. 7. Hong Kong - never been but really want to go. 8. Volgograd - never been but really want to go (and don't know why). 9. Cardiff - had to put it in. Really enjoy going there, especially on International Rugby weekends 10. Galway - never been but really want to go. |
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| mairead |
Rome is definately one of the top ten in my book. I'll have to think about the others, but New York won't get a mention. Didn't like it at all, or London either come to think of it. | ||||
| Cymro |
What was your problem with New York Mairead? Can see it's very busy and not everyone likes that but amongst the nicest parts of the city I saw was the Greenwich Village area. Not full of skyscrapers, and very laidback there.
Hells Kitchen was also very cool. |
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| Blackadder |
1 ) Edinburgh
2 ) Nice 3 ) Acapulco 4 ) Lima 5 ) St Petersburg 6 ) Abu Dhabi 7 ) Seoul 8 ) London 9 ) New York 10) San Francisco 11) London 12) Paris Naturally, mine ain romantic toun is head and shoulders above the rest ... as soon as all the bloody roadworks stop!!! 
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| Cymro |
ok I've not got 11 but I started this thread so I'll bend the rules:
11. Pyongyang - capital of North Korea, pretty much the last example of a totally closed country in the world. Think it would be a trully fascinating and eerie place. |
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| Blackadder |
No-one seems to follow any rules on this part of the forum, so you can disabuse yourself of any notion otherwise!
And I would've thought North Korea was a suitable place for you to live, Comrade!
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| Red Justice |
1. Dublin
2. Edinburgh 3. Galway 4. Havana 5. New York 6. Boston 7. Moscow 8. Bejing 9. Toronto 10. Oslo |
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| Blackadder |
Is that a wish-list of cities you WANT to visit or have visited, Bloody Commie??
I have actually been to all of my favourite cities ... though I missed out magnificent Melbourne and Hong Kong, Monaco and a whole host of others. It's just a little unseemly to flaunt the extent of one's travels, isn't it??
Nice to see you and Comrade visit the Blackadder Thread though. Feel free to come again and pipe up. I don't play favourites (apart from Carol, but she's a 'special case') so you'll get the same treatment as the rest of the jackasses who are regulars!
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| mairead |
Cymro,
Maybe something to do with being accosted in a store in NY by a very large man who demanded my cigarettes and pleading that he was a Vietnam Veteran. Well he looked, big, strong and healthy enough to do a days work and I doubt if he ever saw Vietnam. He got no ciggies from me. Didn't like that experience at all, and the bustle of the place frightened me, although I went to one of the suburbs, Buffalo, and found that very nice and welcoming. |
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| mairead |
Red Justice,
I too would love to visit Moscow. One of these days I hope to do just that. |
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| Blackadder |
I'd like you to visit Moscow too, Mairead ..... in a crate marked 'Siberia'!!!
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| Red Justice |
Only been to Dublin, Galway and of course Edinburgh. The rest are a wish- list Blackie. Peasants within capitalism don't always have the cash to travel but I still have my passport that gets me from Dundee to Fife 
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| Red Justice |
Check this out Mairead Moscow Nights http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=In8DaeDs9KA&feature=related |
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| Red Justice |
Easy just fall out with President Putin 
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| Blackadder |
Would it be TOO much to ask you peasants to address my as MY LORD?? It IS the correct form of address to use for a peer of the realm after all!!! Calling me "Blackie" is extremely insulting! 
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| mairead |
In a word YES | ||||
| Blackadder |
Well, I wasn't talking to you, Miss Potato-head!! I expect no more from you!!! Witch!!!
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| mairead |
You can call me "Your ladyship' any time though | ||||
| Blackadder |
Aye right .... you haven't been that for decades!!!
And when was it you start hawking yourself round the streets of all the places you'd love to visit in your mind?? Hmm??
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| mairead |
Oh I'm quite well travelled dearie, Been to loads of interesting places in my time. | ||||
| Cymro |
Maired, I appreciate that every person has a right to an opinion but it seems sad that you allow one person in one of the worlds biggest cities to ruin your enjoyment of it. NY does have a lot of beggars, but then I've seen more beggars accost passers by in Dublin which is a lot smaller than Manhattan island.
I appreciate though it's too busy for many people but it's not really a suprise is it? Even on Manhattan itself though you can head into the likes of Central Park and you're instantly away from the hustle and bustle. Greenwich Village is a part of Manhattan now but vastly different to downtown Manhattan in that the buildings don't seem to be higher than 3 stories, the shops as a whole are indepdently owned, the streets aren't in a grid formation they are based on the old boundaries of the farms and the streams that existed before the village was sucked into the growing city of New York. It was also a very down to earth, open area. Not been to London for many years - since I was 14 in fact on a history trip to the Imperial War Museum. I never used to like it but I'd really like to go back now and see it as a 'grown up'. Visit some random and less touristy sites, one of the things I'm interested in is finding old (and current) Welsh chapels and places of interest. Not especially religious but find it interesting an important to seek out my heritage in differing places. Especially given as I've recently found out that some of my ancestors on the mothers side where from the East End of London with some seemingly crooked family connections!
One city I've never liked though is Paris. Been 3 times most recently in 2001 on a rugby trip and I really didn't like the place. Liked going up the Eiffel Tower and the Sacre Cour was a lovely building but in terms of the 'feeling' of the city I thought it was very very over rated. |
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| mairead |
Was in Paris a couple of years ago and decided I wouldn't bother to go back. Can't say I found the French too welcoming. Polite, but not welcoming. Yes, the 'feel' of the place is very over-rated to my disappointment.
Rome also had it's share of beggars, but they were not as threatening as the guy in NY. The Roman people I found to be helpful, friendly and a joy to mingle with. The traffic wow, that was something else. Must be one of the worst places in the world to drive through. PS. The lady who was with me in NY said folk; have been shot for not giving into the demands of the type who approached me. As I say though, I found the suburb of Buffalo to be nice and friendly. |
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| Cymro |
I'm sure people have been shot by those kind of people in New York, wouldn't take that as a warning though. People are killed in such big cities for far less things I'm sure. I've just spent 6 days there and wasn't so much as threatened despite being in one or two fairly dubious areas on my own such as parts of Hells Kitchen. Been to the city of Buffalo in the North of New York State not heard of a suburb by the same name though so I don't know what tha area is like.
The people of NY I met where without exception very friendly people. I wondered into a few bars on my own and was given nothing but a friendly greeting - was even given a few drinks on the house! |
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| Blackadder |
I didn't like Boston. I wouldn't pass water over Boston.
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| kathyv |
This list is in no particular order of importance, just how they came to mind. (I have been to these cities, at least once so it's not just wishful thinking! LOL)
1. Edinburgh 2. London 3. Paris 4. Brussels 5. Venice 6. Sorrento 7. San Francisco 8. San Diego 9. York (Nothing new, the 'real' thing!) 10. Llangolen and for fun, 11. Moscow, Idaho |
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| Blackadder |
Isn't Edinburgh, the capital of Tristan da Cunha?? | ||||
| Reluctant Hero |
1. Inverness
2. Boston 3. Glasgow 4. Belfast 5. Rome 6. Dublin 7. Naples 8. Edinburgh Can't think of another two that I would rank in my top ten! |
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| Blackadder |
Surprised at all that Glasgow's in that list, RH. The place is and always will be a dump!!
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| mairead |
Disagree with you there BA. Glasgow has some wondeful architecture. I think it's a fabulous place to visit. It ranks above Edinburgh for me. | ||||
| Blackadder |
Yes, but your opinion is worthless. I'd rather see Rangoon in its place! And Inverness is just a pretendy-city!!!
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| Cymro |
Llangollen? Blimey! |
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| Blackadder |
You have to take into consideration the fact she's an American, Comrade!
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| kathyv |
LLangollen, yes because compared to the place I live, it is a city! It just wasn't crowded like the other cities I've visited, it was easy to get around, didn't need any transport other than my own 2 feet and was able to go all over the place in a very short time. Beautiful river, nice people, great road signs!
Everywhere I've been there have been nice folks, I don't understand why certain places get bad raps for their rudeness or unwelcoming attitudes, if you, as the visitor, are nice to the locals, they are usually nice to you. I guess I should add St. Andrews to my list, that will make it 12, but it's a nice place as well. |
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| Blackadder |
Those aren't cities. They're towns! In the U.K. the definition is by Royal Charter, though the other requisite is that a city must have a Cathedral. There are other factors, but those are the principal ones. Size of population has never been a determining factor. In the US, it is usually defined by state law and used to determine the responsibilities and benefits accruing to each designation. Population is the principal determinant, but not the only one. Live and learn, Kaffy!!! |
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| kathyv |
Ahhh, so it has nothing to do with the number of stop lights on the main street! 
I still think St. Andrews and Llangollen are charming and plan to keep them on my lists! I've been through Glasgow a couple of times but haven't had the chance to spend any time looking around, hopefully next trip over. |
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| Blackadder |
Do yourself a huge favour and miss Glasgow out altogether. You'll thank me one day!
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| mairead |
Don't listen to the blockhead Kathy, Glasgow is a lovely city with some stunning old buildings. | ||||
| Blackadder |
She means stunted old buildings. Mairead is ancient and going round the bend. You really shouldn't humour her in her old age! You can trust me on this.
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| Cymro |
Well I admire you're passion for Llangollen, I actually live about 25 miles from the town and know it well. I've never liked the place. Far too touristy for my likeing, but glad you enjoyed it! I assume it was the bilingualness you liked about the roadsigns? We put the English on it for the unadventerous! |
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| mairead |
BA, Anyone who trusts you on anything would most certainly be devoid of any brain activity whatsoever. | ||||
| Blackadder |
How dare you cast aspersions like that on poor Baldrick!!!
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| kathyv |
Yep, it was pretty interesting to see Welsh written out on the familiar looking signs, having the English on them helped, of course. I took pictures of just the Welsh part of the signs. (Touristy but a nice memory!) I'd really like, someday, to come back for all the music stuff, I bet it's crowded and full then but with great, world class music, that would be worth the crowds. It was a very pleasant place to spend an afternoon. |
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| Blackadder |
Kaffy ... meet up with one Welshman and you'll be okay. Meet up with two ... and you'll have a Male Voice Choir!!!
But it won't be world-class music ... it'll be unintelligible Welsh dross ... like the unutterable wailing of the Gaelic we have up this way! I'd rather cut off my ears with red-hot shears!!!
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| mairead |
Rubbish BA. I love the sound of the Welsh Male voice choirs and I love the Gaelic singing too. I see by that reply that your education was limited. | ||||
| Blackadder |
Not at all ... the problem with these choirs is that they drone on like bagpipes ... execrable instrument of torture as it is!!!
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| Cymro |
Yes the International Eisteddfod is very very popular. I'll admit to enjoying that. it's my dads fault that I don't like the place really. He works there so doesn't like going back on his day off and that's rubbed off on me over the years. Apparently it's great in the bars during Eisteddfod week with artists from all over the world singing in the bars of the town but never been to them myself. Glad to see you liked the bilingual signs, it's a change from certain people complaining they are dangerous. |
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| Blackadder |
So, comrade ... you're not Eisteddfodder then???
Good for you. Don't encourage the Welsh gits ... they'll just keep breeding ... and "singing"!!! Ann Robinson had a point!
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| mairead |
I happen to like the Welsh a lot, and have always found them geneous and helpful.
Welsh male choirs are a joy to listen too, and the sound if the Bagpipes is a sound I adore. You have simply no taste BA. |
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| Blackadder |
Oh I have taste, Mairead ... I just choose not to exercise it when I'm "gabbing" with you peasants, so you don't feel left out when I talk beyond your meagre ability to comprehend me.
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| Celtic Indian |
In now particular order
Glasgow (There no place like home) Sydney San Francisco Las Vegas New York Buenos Aires Cape Town Bangkok (for its sheer craziness) Beijing Melbourne |
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| Blackadder |
10 cities you DON'T like ...
Glasgow Glasgow Glasgow Glasgow Glasgow Glasgow Glasgow Glasgow Glasgow and in case you missed it ... Glasgow
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| mairead |
Sorry BA. Your post infers that I am of a somewhat lower intelligence than you, but yet again, you are wrong. I actually comprehend you very well, that's why, on occasion I feel a kid of pity for you. XXX | ||||
| Blackadder |
That's alright, dear. You just keep on telling yourself that. I never mock the afflicted!
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| Celtic Indian |
What does someone from Edinburgh use as contraception ?
Their personality ! |
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| Blackadder |
What does someone from Duntocher use as contraception ?
A bus shelter!
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| Cymro |
The International Eisteddfod is different to the other 2 big Eisteddfodau we have in Wales. The International one is about more than Welsh language and culture. The one in August I enjoy as it's a laugh. |
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| Blackadder |
So what's the August one then? | ||||
| Celtic Indian |
No,no,no,no puffadder ! We use that for a love nest ! 
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| Blackadder |
I see? Teepee or not teepee??? 
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