Cities across the USA

[Feathers268]

Making our move across the country, I started thinking about the places I have been as well as where we were going. I remember the first time I travelled to China to meet Jen and thought of Shanghai, how could any place in the USA compete with this place. When I came home and the plane flew right over the Golden Gate Bridge and right in front of the San Francisco skyline, I realized that YES we can compete with China, and for that matter, anywhere else in the world.

 

As I drove across the US, I thought about the different cities here I’ve been to. Los Angeles, the City of Angels, sprawled out from the beaches to well inland, Portland, OR seeming to spring right out of the forest, or Las Vegas, sin city, with all of the lights of the Strip and the never ending party I sort of remember well. As you travel east, you find places like Dallas, Salt Lake City, Cheyenne, Denver, of Phoenix. There are smaller places like Iowa City or Buffalo, much like my former home town of Sacramento, and much larger places like Chicago and the never ending metropolis of New York City. Some places, I’ve seen and know well, others I have never been.

 

So, why have I written this? I was thinking it’s time for a roll call of sorts. You familiar with a certain city here in the USA? Let’s hear about it. Is Chicago your kind of town? You frequent Atlanta or Miami? In your mind, what make Boston o San Diego special? Let’s hear about it.

[Feathers268]

Now to get things started. I could talk about New York but I just got here. I’ve been to Vegas and to Portland, they are nice, but there is only one city I can truly give justice, the city by the bay, San Francisco. SF came into prominence in the 1800’s seeing its boom after gold was discovered in the mountains outside of Sacramento. A natural inland bay, San Francisco Bay made a wonderful refuge from the treacherous waters of the North Pacific Ocean and made San Francisco the gateway to the “Golden State”.

 

In 1906, a major earthquake struck the area and the following fire destroyed much of the city. Much of the waterfront today is on top of the ruins of the former city that was dynamited to form fire breaks to stop the fire. Coit Tower is shaped like a fire nozzle as a tribute to the firefighters who helped save the city.

 

In 1937, a world class landmark opened with the opening of the Golden Gate Bridge. Built during the depths of the Great Depression, today, it’s one of the most photographed structures in the world, its color was picked to contrast against the natural colors of the surrounding landscape and channel for which it was given its name. Much like the Statue of Liberty, the Golden Gate Bridge was a symbol for many immigrants of their arrival into the United States. For safety reasons, the military wanted it painted black with yellow stripes. Most people hope for a sunny day, but I think it looks better when the fog is coming in around the bridge almost like it reaches all the way to heaven.

 

Hollywood has had a love affair with SF. You have seen Jack Nicholson try to tame “Chinatown”. Carl Malden and Kirk Douglas used to fly over the hills of “The Streets of San Francisco” and who could forget “Dirty Harry”. Even Superman and James Kirk have been here.

 

If you plan on going to California, San Francisco must be on your itinerary. Come to ride the cable cars down to Fisherman’s Wharf for some fresh crab. Venture out to the Presidio or Golden Gate Park. Head over to AT&T Park to see the Giants or out to Candlestick to catch the 49ers. The best kept secret is to go in late September or October for the best weather. Mark Twain once wrote, “The coldest winter I’ve ever spent, was summer in San Francisco.”

 

As the song says, “if you’re going to San Francisco, be sure to wear some flowers in your hair.” But be careful because you too, might leave your heart in San Francisco.

[Dan R]

But Jim, you aren't there to show them around and walk the bridge. Had a great time with you in SF.

[Feathers268]

Over 80 views and no other opinions. It's official! San Francisco is the greatest city in the nation!

[Dennis143]

Yes, I cannot believe that anywhere else can match the beauty, weather and the feel of San Francisco... and, that's from an LA guy where the farthest east I've been is Reno Nevada. ... other than the Far East.

 

Your first post reminded me of the Route 66 song. And, I've been everywhere man...

[chilton747]

Does weather play a factor?

[Thomas Promise]

[eseum]

There is some irony for you as I am sitting in a hotel room right now in Winnemucca, NV right now. I am on a temporary detail. My wife and step daughter are living in Las Vegas since this past June. My daughter could not find a job where we lived in Las Cruces, NM and my wife just got tired of living there. I took them to Las Vegas and within 24 hours my daughter landed a job at a bookstore in Chinatown. My wife is working part time and making just slightly more than 50% an hour than in Las Cruces.

 

I was able to stay with them for a few days on my way here. Hoping to take a week after Thanksgiving to go back down there for another visit. At some point I hope to move there to be with them in the future.

 

One of the highly touted things about Winnemucca is the train passing through here every day going from Chicago to San Francisco. Round trip from here to S.F. is around $100 depending on when you make the trip. It is tempting to try since I have only been in S.F. flying through to somewhere else. I would like to see Chinatown there, especially at Chinese New Year.

[warpedbored]

Portland Oregon. I've lived here since 1991. It is the most beautiful city in the USA IMO. San Francisco is nice but too crowded. Portland has all the advantages of a big city with the feel of a small town. Every neighborhood is like a small city of it's own. We are 1 1/2 hours from the ocean, an hour from Mt Hood. We have two major rivers running right through town, the Columbia and the Willamette. 30 minutes in any direction will put you in the countryside and it's green everywhere you look. My vote for 2nd place could be Ashville NC. Another beautiful place with a great quality of life.

http://thelearnersguild.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/portland-oregon-skyline1.jpghttp://mcsi-one.com/portland3.jpg

[tsap seui]

Been meanin' to answer in this thread. At first I thought the thread was about only big cities and having taught classes in so many large cities all over the US (flew into everyone of them that I taught in) I'll agree with Portland and San Francisco that were mentioned. I came home from Nam and another pilot who survived in our unit and got home before me drove up from Santa Barbara, picked me up and took me around San Francisco on my first day back in the states....got to see my first round eyed woman, first guy on a Harley (a Hells Angel no less) and eat my first state's side hamburger...you know, all the stuff a young feller fresh home from the jungle longed to see and thought was important....LOL To top it off, we got high together and road all over the city and across the bridge, he knew all the sights and I loved San Francisco....a really beautiful place built on some really cool terrain.

 

With all that said, while I find the big cities pretty exciting for a day or so, I jes ain't a big city kinda fella and I would suffocate, shrivel up and die in a big city....if forced to live in one.

 

That's jes me. I did get to see bunch of big cities in America, many out west, down south, in the mid-west when I was teaching, and before that playing in a traveling night club band, and finally large cities up in New England. Glad I got to see them, got paid actually, as someone paid my bill to fly in and teach for a couple of days.....but Bubba, I am strictly a small town guy 3,500 (preferably less) other folks breathin' oxygen around me at any one time is about enough for me. I thrive in the countryside, them big cities is jes for lookin' at for a day or two.

 

tsap seui is nothin' more than a small town hick, shucks, I don't even live in anywhere's city limits....and happy as a hummingbird drinkin' fake red sugar juice out of a dadgum yellow plastic flower on a bird feeder.

 

 

 

Jim's thread is about US cities...now ya want to see some really cool big cities, try the ones in NZ and Australia, there is only a handful of them in both countries put together but they have a look and an aura about them that is hard to describe..... and talk about clean....never seen cities so clean.

[Dan R]

Portland Oregon. I've lived here since 1991. It is the most beautiful city in the USA IMO. San Francisco is nice but too crowded. Portland has all the advantages of a big city with the feel of a small town. Every neighborhood is like a small city of it's own. We are 1 1/2 hours from the ocean, an hour from Mt Hood. We have two major rivers running right through town, the Columbia and the Willamette. 30 minutes in any direction will put you in the countryside and it's green everywhere you look. My vote for 2nd place could be Ashville NC. Another beautiful place with a great quality of life.

http://thelearnersguild.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/portland-oregon-skyline1.jpghttp://mcsi-one.com/portland3.jpg

 

Yup, I remember how nice it was overlooking the river when I made a quick weekend visit some years back. You even have good public transportation, which is unusual in America.