37 replies · 535 views
Don't know how many people can actually answer this, but it might be interesting.
In interviews over here, when they ask people to compare Montreal to other cities in the world, the first city that comes to mind is... Barcelona.
City is the same size, has 2 cultures, has separatists, hosted Olympics, has a mountain (apparently) in the middle of the city.
Apparently Barcelona is very similar to what Montreal is.
So, what's yours?
Dresden, circa 1945, is pretty similar to Gillingham. Except that the Germans were partly alive.
Interesting post. I can see your point, have been to Barca quite a few times and been to Montreal too. One major difference is the weather, Montreal is very cold in winter, indeed quite a lot of businesses, residences, shops etc. are located underground away from the severe cold. This is cleary nothing like Barca. The Olympics in Barca were a tremendous success with a truly global representation. This was hardly the case with Montreal.
My own home city is Plymouth, UK. The only place I have ever been to that reminds of some aspects of Plymouth is Gibraltar.
after being a tourist in my own city again for few days. i have to say Canberra is unique. it shares a few features with Washington DC, yes I have been there, but the lay out is completely different, plus Canberra is much newer.
ChrissMari wrote: Balitmore is just like Liverpool Ottawa reminds me of London
everytime i head into the Melbourne CBD, i am reminded of Philadelphia city.
i honestly can't think of anyplace that's like orlando. pretty obvious why, really.
ok, maybe anaheim?
GlasVegas wrote: Manchester reminds me of Glasgow. Rainy, run down and full of miserable cnuts.
which is why i like glasgow. ;)
as for the town i grew up in, it's most like south park. but as for real towns...jinotega, nicaragua reminds me a bit of estes park. it's a bitch to get there (windy mountain roads), it's in a valley, and a major political/terrorist movement started there (estes park--the christian identity movement, jinotega--the contras). and damn, they're both gorgeous.
AgentWood wrote: i honestly can't think of anyplace that's like orlando. pretty obvious why, really.
ok, maybe anaheim?
Okinawa, Japan is similar to Orlando. Same humidity, crazy rains, Typhoons instead of hurricanes, and Okinawa is the resort island for Japan, kind of like Orlando is for the East coast. The main difference is that it's like looking through the mirror. . .people driving on the wrong side of the road, writing is in Katakana, and everything seems, well, reversed.
As for San Diego, where I'm at. . .not sure.
JHC
68 Pontiac wrote:
AgentWood wrote: i honestly can't think of anyplace that's like orlando. pretty obvious why, really.
ok, maybe anaheim?
Okinawa, Japan is similar to Orlando. Same humidity, crazy rains, Typhoons instead of hurricanes, and Okinawa is the resort island for Japan, kind of like Orlando is for the East coast. The main difference is that it's like looking through the mirror. . .people driving on the wrong side of the road, writing is in Katakana, and everything seems, well, reversed.
As for San Diego, where I'm at. . .not sure.
JHC
the difference is: most of orlando is a normal city, but disney world, sea world, universal, and international drive are so surreal i can't think of anyplace that is as bizarre as this part of town.
68 Pontiac wrote:
AgentWood wrote: i honestly can't think of anyplace that's like orlando. pretty obvious why, really.
ok, maybe anaheim?
Okinawa, Japan is similar to Orlando. Same humidity, crazy rains, Typhoons instead of hurricanes, and Okinawa is the resort island for Japan, kind of like Orlando is for the East coast. The main difference is that it's like looking through the mirror. . .people driving on the wrong side of the road, writing is in Katakana, and everything seems, well, reversed.
As for San Diego, where I'm at. . .not sure.
JHC
So true. Also, Okinawa has a very big theme park: Island Park, filled with rides, zoos, and an aquarium. Used to go there when I was little.
AgentWood wrote: i honestly can't think of anyplace that's like orlando. pretty obvious why, really.
ok, maybe anaheim?
Where's EuroDisney again? 
Well...erm...Austin is pretty unique as far as cities in Texas go...
wouldn't know where else in the world to compare it to...
When I think of Philadelphia, I think of Camden, NJ or Newark. Sometimes, if I'm in certain neighborhoods, I think of Detroit.
I dunno. Where else on Earth does it rain 7 or 8 months outta the year? What other city has have no concept of an economy? Where else do people while away the hours drinking expensive coffe and crap beer and seeing each others bands in between there barrista/messenger gigs? Where else do meth addicts outnumber everyone else on the street? Where else do you get hit up for a "spare dollar" every few feet?
'Cos that would be Portland's sister city...
GlasVegas wrote: Manchester reminds me of Glasgow. Rainy, run down and full of miserable cnuts.
hey c'mon mate 
it's not always raining
Barney Army wrote:
GlasVegas wrote: Manchester reminds me of Glasgow. Rainy, run down and full of miserable cnuts.
hey c'mon mate
it's not always raining
:D
Although I've lived within a two mile radius of the street I grew up in all my life I don't hold much affection for this city. The junkie underclass seems to have quadrupled in the last ten years as has the population of wideboys looking to set about random strangers with knives.
One of my best mates was battered and slashed just the other week leaving the bar he manages at 6PM ON ARGYLE STREET!!! Jumped by 5 or 6 wee bams none of whom were a day over 16 for no reason. His face was opened up from behind his ear to just before his chin. And this is far from isolated.
As for the smackheads....trying to solve their problems by turning them into mini-entrepreneurs selling their shitey "Big Issue" rag aint a solution! There's a wasted, fucked up skeleton on every corner now doin the "junkie shuffle".
Aye, come to Glasgow...it's fuckin magic 
GlasVegas wrote: One of my best mates was battered and slashed just the other week leaving the bar he manages at 6PM ON ARGYLE STREET!!! Jumped by 5 or 6 wee bams none of whom were a day over 16 for no reason. His face was opened up from behind his ear to just before his chin. And this is far from isolated.
hope your friend's ok there, grahame.
i've always thought of glasgow as being the new york of europe--or rather new york as being the glasgow of north america.
the first time my friend aggie had a knife held to her throat during a robbery she felt rather proud. said she felt like a real, honest-to-goodness new yorker. my first 'real new yorker' experience was when i got completely pissed and beat up a guy on the N train for making smooching noises at me. kind of embarassed about that one now, though.
one night i was supposed to meet another friend at the subway station and she was 15 minutes late. when she showed up i was rather annoyed and she said 'well, sorry, i've just been lying face down on the floor for five minutes while some asshole robbed the grocery store. then i had to give a police statement.' she was more annoyed than i was. not scared, but annoyed. it was kind of funny because this was the third time it had happened to her in a year. you've gotta love livin' in harlem. it's gentrified now, but those were still the good ol' days (if that's what you want to call them).
i always thought if i moved to glasgow i'd have to live in the gorbals to get the same level of insanity i was used to.
[magenta]shedmonite61[/magenta] wrote:
68 Pontiac wrote:
AgentWood wrote: i honestly can't think of anyplace that's like orlando. pretty obvious why, really.
ok, maybe anaheim?
Okinawa, Japan is similar to Orlando. Same humidity, crazy rains, Typhoons instead of hurricanes, and Okinawa is the resort island for Japan, kind of like Orlando is for the East coast. The main difference is that it's like looking through the mirror. . .people driving on the wrong side of the road, writing is in Katakana, and everything seems, well, reversed.
As for San Diego, where I'm at. . .not sure.
JHC
So true. Also, Okinawa has a very big theme park: Island Park, filled with rides, zoos, and an aquarium. Used to go there when I was little.
Never heard it called Island park before, always refered to as Expo Park. But you are right, that Aquarium is different than any other I have seen. What other aqurium has a full sized whale shark swimming around with schools of 20 foot sun fish?
also down south there is the big memorial for the WWII battle of Okinawa. That museum is very cool, plus the huge Buddah and stuff.
JHC
OK, so it's referred to as the Expo Park. Been there and the Okinawa WWII Peace Memorial Park.
