# If you could choose, in which of these cities would you live?



## ZJovicic (Feb 26, 2017)

Select one city, where you'd be happy to live your life.


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## ZJovicic (Feb 26, 2017)

I voted for Bologna.
Other favorites include Vienna, New York, Sydney, Florence, Milan, Berlin, Vancouver


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

I voted San Francisco, but I think I'd also love Perth, Australia and Copenhagen, Denmark (as well as Paris, Vancouver, Vienna, Prague). Fabulous boating in Perth, and access to the whole of Australia's west coast and southwestern corner. Copenhagen as a gateway to all of Scandinavia.


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## Tristan (Jan 5, 2013)

I plan on living in San Francisco once I graduate 

But if I had to leave California, I would probably chose Florence. It's near where the Italian side of my family is from, I've already spent a summer in Tuscany before, I could easily see myself living there.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

I haven´t been to NY, SF, VANC, TOK, STP, SYD or RDJ, but I´d choose Paris from that list.


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## Blancrocher (Jul 6, 2013)

NY--though I'd like to see some improvements in the nightmarish subway system.


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## ZJovicic (Feb 26, 2017)

Here's how it goes for me:

New York would definitely be most exciting... but I am not so keen on living in the US in general... I'd prefer Europe or Canada, Australia...
Vienna would be a good choice, as it's so close to Bosnia, good quality of life, etc... but learning German would be quite a task right now.
Regarding Italy, I love it, I know Italian, so it would be easier... my first choice is Florence, but then I decided not to vote for it, because I guess there are SO MANY tourists there... Milan is also an instinctive choice, but maybe it's too polluted, who knows... So I voted for Bologna, which I believe is a wonderful city, youthful, full of students, great cuisine, and not so large like Milan, or touristy like Florence.
Sydney would surely be a good choice, but the sheer distance makes it kind of less realistic option.
Of the Canadian cities I've heard that Vancouver is one of the most livable cities, and also most European like. For the similar reasons I would like to live in Boston as well.
Berlin is also one of the friendlier and more vibrant cities in Europe... perhaps not a bad choice.
Of the other cities mentioned only London has some attraction. The negatives would be weather, business and extreme expensiveness.


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## Couchie (Dec 9, 2010)

Berlin, given the huge access to classical music and Opera. And my love for German things.

Vancouver is good if you can survive the winter rains and you're willing to give up culture for natural beauty.


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## Capeditiea (Feb 23, 2018)

Tokyo. well more so a city near by... i wanna go to to a university there. (basically the Japanese equivolent of Juliard.) 

But, all my favourite anime contain a foreign exchange student... (which often is a romance comedy... so there is the possible chance that i would end up having a real life experience of Nadome Cantobile.) 

*nods, did i mention i am quite delusional?


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## TxllxT (Mar 2, 2011)

St Petersburg, Russia, for the summer months.


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## Kivimees (Feb 16, 2013)

I wouldn't want to live in any city, but if I must - and had to choose of the cities listed - my choice is Vienna. Wien ist gemütlich.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Vienna, easily. No language issues, culture and history, close to the mountains, Hungary, Slovakia.....


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## Kivimees (Feb 16, 2013)

Art Rock said:


> No language issues


What do you mean, no language issues? The German spoken there is barely comprehensible! :lol:


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Yes, but at least they can understand German and speak it if necessary.


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## Blancrocher (Jul 6, 2013)

Art Rock said:


> Yes, but at least they can understand German and speak it if necessary.


As someone with lousy spoken German, I always appreciate the friendly patience of those I've spoken with in that city. I may just have gotten lucky, but it feels general.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Vienna, no doubt about it. To walk in the footsteps of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven....I tremble at the thought.

To be able to attend great concerts and opera performances 365 days a year (if I could afford it) blows my mind!

And of course there are the pastries and the coffee!

No other city even comes close for me!!!


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

I vote for Tamborine Mountain- which is better than Banjo Mountain and its in the Scenic Rim 



















https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamborine_Mountain


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## Capeditiea (Feb 23, 2018)

That is pretty.


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## LezLee (Feb 21, 2014)

I spent my first 32 years in Liverpool, then 35 years in Sheffield. I’ve been living in what is officially a ‘village’ (pop. 5,000) for 10 years and would really hate to go back to a city. I need quietness in my old age! I am within easy reach of Edinburgh and Glasgow for everything I need.
I find it amusing that Americans always put the country after the city name in case people don’t know where they are! :lol:


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

Yeah, its a nice place just up behind the Gold Coast, its even got a Cuckoo Clock Shop


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

If I had unlimited funds, San Francisco. The city is lovely, and to the north is the wine country, and to the south is Carmel/Big Sur. Of course, I'd have to get used to driving up those steep hills in the city. Some of them are pretty scary.


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## arpeggio (Oct 4, 2012)

I am perfectly happy where I am living now, the Washington, DC metro area.

There are all sort of community bands and orchestras that amateur musicians like myself can play with. I am a regular with the McLean Symphony, The City of Fairfax Band and the National Concert Band of America. I am an alternant with the Reston Symphony.

Since I am a band junkie, Washington is the home of four of the finest bands in the world: Air Force, Army, Navy and the best of them right now, the Marine.

The Marines also have an outstanding chamber orchestra.

The service bands have three of the great jazz bands: The Navy Commodores, the Army Blues and the Air Force Airmen of Note.

And all of the their concerts are free (Well my taxes support them).

The National Symphony is OK but the Washington Performing Arts Society and George Mason University bring in other orchestras. A few weeks ago my wife and I attended the Philadelphia Orchestra performing the _Leningrad Symphony_. The Washington Opera, National Ballet and the Virginia Opera stage some good productions every season.

There is also some great theater in Washington as well.

Within driving distance there are also many other venues. Like one can drive to Philly and attend a matinee performance of the Philadelphia Orchestra and drive back the same day.

I can go on.


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## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

If I had to choose one of the cities on the list, it would be London, UK. I was tempted by Paris & a little by Vienna, but my schoolgirl French wouldn't take me very far, and I'm too old to learn German very successfully.

London is vast, expensive & dirty & can be dangerous too, but it has beautiful buildings, wonderful parks and gardens, lots of cultural activity, and gallons of history for me to wallow in. 
Best of all, it has a good fast train service to *York*, capital city of the North of England, which is where I'd really like to be living.

And maybe by this time next year, I shall be!


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## LezLee (Feb 21, 2014)

I love York, my sister lived there for a while. 
Bit cheeky though, calling it the capital! I think Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle might have something to say about that! 
:devil:


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## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

LezLee said:


> I love York, my sister lived there for a while.
> Bit cheeky though, calling it the capital! I think Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle might have something to say about that!
> :devil:


Newcomers! 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


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## LezLee (Feb 21, 2014)

Ingélou said:


> Newcomers!
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


True.
I might have mentioned this before : 
As you know there's often a 'Roman soldier' outside the Minster and one day I made the mistake of saying "Ave" to him. I was amazed and mortified when he answered with a stream of Latin, way beyond my comprehension.


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## Becca (Feb 5, 2015)

I live in San Diego ... what was the question again?


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## Dr Johnson (Jun 26, 2015)

I wouldn't live in a city again if you paid me.


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## Klassik (Mar 14, 2017)

I have an ex-girlfriend who lives near Milan. So, yeah, not Milan.


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## Dr Johnson (Jun 26, 2015)

As cities go, I quite like Milan.


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## bharbeke (Mar 4, 2013)

I voted Vancouver because it is an English-speaking place, and Canadian culture is not too different from US in terms of being able to adjust. Sydney would also be cool.


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## Klassik (Mar 14, 2017)

Dr Johnson said:


> As cities go, I quite like Milan.


I've been there twice. It's quite nice really, but it gets quite foggy there. I'd certainly pick Milan over Florence.


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## science (Oct 14, 2010)

NYC, London, Paris, and Vienna would all be wonderful places to live, so it's not an easy call, but I'd choose San Francisco. 

The Bay Area has a good enough arts and music scene, not quite on the level of the others on the list, but enough to keep a guy busy. It's close to wine country and you can get lots of fresh, local produce all year long. It's ethnically diverse, so it has great cuisine, cultural events, and places of worship. It's about as open-minded as anywhere on earth. It has great climate and, for a city, fairly clean air. 

But what puts it over the top for me is that it's close to so much natural beauty--the Pacific temperate rainforests are the most beautiful forests I've ever seen, the Sierra Nevada mountains are among the most beautiful mountains I've ever seen, the Pacific Coast is wonderful (everything from Big Sur to Lost Coast is close enough for easy weekend trips, and Point Reyes is high there), and it's not even that far from all the glory of the Southwest. You can hike, sail, kayak, climb.... 

I don't know anywhere else on earth with such a great combination of culture, climate, cuisine, and nearby natural beauty. 

Sydney is probably its biggest competitor in my mind. But Sydney's so much further from so much! 

--------- 


Also, not on the list but high in my mind is Boston. It has quite a bit of culture on its own, plus it's close enough to NYC. But it also has the mountains and coasts of New England. In some ways it's even younger and more vibrant than SF. The farms of New England and Eastern Canada serve up some pretty good food and wine, and there's great seafood. If Death Valley and the Grand Canyon and Zion Canyon were a day's drive away, and if it had better climate, maybe I'd choose Boston. 

Also not on the list is New Orleans. If I could do anything, I'd probably be in New Orleans for about a month out of every year. Maybe I'd spend the New Year's season dancing in Vienna and then head to the Big Easy for the Mardi Gras season. Maybe just about every year....


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## Couchie (Dec 9, 2010)

bharbeke said:


> I voted Vancouver because it is an English-speaking place, and Canadian culture is not too different from US in terms of being able to adjust. Sydney would also be cool.


Depends where you reside. The more affordable areas are majority Chinese languages.


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## Klassik (Mar 14, 2017)

Couchie said:


> Depends where you reside. The more affordable areas are majority Chinese languages.


Wait, are you implying that there are areas of Vancouver where Chinese isn't the majority language? I assume that this are isn't near UBC, University of a Billion Chinese.


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## Couchie (Dec 9, 2010)

Klassik said:


> Wait, are you implying that there are areas of Vancouver where Chinese isn't the majority language? I assume that this are isn't near UBC, University of a Billion Chinese.


No that would be West Point Grey, which is old-money white and a lovely place to live if you have $20 million for a house.


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## Klassik (Mar 14, 2017)

Couchie said:


> No that would be West Point Grey, which is old-money white and a lovely place to live if you have $20 million for a house.


$20 million?  Pretty soon, the only people who will be able to afford those properties are Chinese investors! :lol: But, seriously, are Chinese investors buying up property in places like Vancouver and Toronto? I keep hearing about the potential for a housing bubble crash in Canada, but I'm not sure if/when that'll happen.


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## Couchie (Dec 9, 2010)

Klassik said:


> $20 million?  Pretty soon, the only people who will be able to afford those properties are Chinese investors! :lol: But, seriously, are Chinese investors buying up property in places like Vancouver and Toronto? I keep hearing about the potential for a housing bubble crash in Canada, but I'm not sure if/when that'll happen.


Yes. They are also buying up properties in most of the other cities listed. Want to live in one, hope you are fine with renting!


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

^ Hey same here too


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Klassik said:


> I have an ex-girlfriend who lives near Milan. So, yeah, not Milan.


A very expensive and fashionable city.


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## TxllxT (Mar 2, 2011)

Vienna Marathon, 22 April 2018, in front of the City Hall.










We visited Vienna and did not reckon with the marathon going on. Lovely atmosphere in the city centre, truly Viennese (28 degrees) with all terraces full of people. However, as much as we like the centre within the Wiener Ring, Vienna is not blessed with many parks and trees. Just outside the centre there are whole neighbourhoods without any green leave in the street scenery.


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## znapschatz (Feb 28, 2016)

LezLee said:


> I spent my first 32 years in Liverpool, then 35 years in Sheffield. I've been living in what is officially a 'village' (pop. 5,000) for 10 years and would really hate to go back to a city. I need quietness in my old age! I am within easy reach of Edinburgh and Glasgow for everything I need.
> I find it amusing that Americans always put the country after the city name in case people don't know where they are! :lol:


It can be necessary in many cases. There are numbers of cities in the US whose names were imported from elsewhere, for example; Birmingham (Alabama), London (Ohio), Moscow (Idaho) Kinsasha (just kidding). We were settled by people from all over the world, who for unaccountable reasons were nostalgic about the hellhole from which they had emigrated. Fortunately, I live in Columbus, Ohio, a city blessed with a brewing industry brought to us by German immigrants, but without the need to speak German. That's one of the benefits of living in the USA :cheers: :lol:


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## Klassik (Mar 14, 2017)

znapschatz said:


> We were settled by people from all over the world, who for unaccountable reasons were nostalgic about the hellhole from which they had emigrated.


When I hear people talk about visiting Paris, I wonder why they would want to visit Paris, Texas. There's not much there except for this:










:lol:


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## HenryPenfold (Apr 29, 2018)

I nearly voted for Bologna, but my curiosity won and I went for Tokyo, which I think is in Japan.


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## QuietGuy (Mar 1, 2014)

I chose Paris. I've loved the French music, art, cuisine, etc. for quite some time. I'd need help learning to speak the language, though!


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## Couchie (Dec 9, 2010)

znapschatz said:


> It can be necessary in many cases. There are numbers of cities in the US whose names were imported from elsewhere, for example; Birmingham (Alabama), London (Ohio), Moscow (Idaho) Kinsasha (just kidding). We were settled by people from all over the world, who for unaccountable reasons were nostalgic about the hellhole from which they had emigrated. Fortunately, I live in Columbus, Ohio, a city blessed with a brewing industry brought to us by German immigrants, but without the need to speak German. That's one of the benefits of living in the USA :cheers: :lol:


You don't know much about American history then. Long before it was fashionable to trash Muslim and Mexican immigrants, it was fashionable to trash German, Irish, and Italian immigrants and their weird foreign tongues. Fortunately, they all achieved White Status in the 20th century and learned to speak their native tongues at home only, because racism.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

We just stick to trashing Kiwis, its safer and only the sheep are offended


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