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Buenos Aires is lovely to look at in the inner zones. I also enjoyed the weather there in spring and autumn visits (and found the people to be very friendly and helpful). Provided one had A/C for the summers, I would be quite happy with the climate as well. I also liked Chicago's lakeside zones - the rest of the cityscape a lot less. San Francisco ticks plenty of boxes for me. London was a disappointment by comparison with Paris.
London ain't as pretty as Paris but it's more buzzing. My impression of Paris is a city that's like a museum, it never changes. In London there always appears to be something new popping up on the skyline.
(just my opinion of course, but I am a little biased!)
Though I've never been, this thread is making me think about Australia, in general. It's a continent of fantastic to at worst, tolerable climates, yet none of the pictures I've seen have made it seem very inviting. Very much the bland, new-world type of cities I see so often in North America.
Australians reading this: any place in your country with an old-world character? I'm thinking lots of heritage buildings, not a ton of skyscrapers, narrower street-plan, very walkable, etc.
Although I am sure Melbourne wins hands down over Sydney in this department, there are suburbs in Sydney (particularly inner eastern areas) that exhibit a lot of old world character, or at least show architecture styles that are more in common with a 19th Century flavour.
Sometimes wandering around these areas such as Oxford St, can have an old world feel to them given the number of terraced buildings, wrought iron balconys and palm trees. I would post more images, but do not have time at the moment!
Plus some other links:
1) Sydney CBD's wonderful old buildings - SkyscraperCity
2) Historic buildings and grounds | Sydney Observatory (http://www.sydneyobservatory.com.au/whatson/historic-buildings-and-grounds/ - broken link)
London ain't as pretty as Paris but it's more buzzing. My impression of Paris is a city that's like a museum, it never changes. In London there always appears to be something new popping up on the skyline.
(just my opinion of course, but I am a little biased!)
Paris didn't seem like a museum to me at all - but Vienna did. The latter was a good place to relax and recover in, though.
Semi-chaotic Rio is something else entirely - views to die for, even when affected by pollution (which is quite often). Having a poolside meal at 10.30pm or so at the Copacabana Palace at the end of a hot November day is an experience I intend to repeat (you don't have to stay at the hotel to do that).
I don't travel much (I've only seen the ocean once), but many of the places that have a great climate are usually too sparsely populated and out of the way for me to enjoy living there. I'm more of a city person. That being said, I'm sure there are plenty of otherwise walkable cities that end up too hot in the summer, if not year-round, for me to actually want to walk around in them.
I've been to Charleston; it's great. However, I prefer Savannah's shadier, moodier core with all those live oaks and quiet squares. Charleston is grander but Savannah is more atmospheric. ( Just my opinion, mind; they're both amazing spots! )
I've only seen New Orleans after Katrina, and while it was interesting and memorable, it mostly just looked like a disaster zone so it's a little hard to judge what it's like to live there.
Though I've not been to the North-East or the Midwest regions, San Francisco is my favorite big American city, Savannah my favorite mid-sized city, and my favorite small towns are probably tied between Santa Cruz, CA, and Cedar Key, FL.
I lived in London for a year and enjoyed it. There's a lot of history there; it's great. I can't speak for Paris or Tokyo, but London at least isn't all Canary Wharf and Milleni-projects yet.
Yes, Savannah and Charleston, although both in the “low country” as it’s often called...have two different personalities. Charleston has that old time grand look to it...while Savannah has more of a slow paced and less formal feel. I’ve been to both cities very often and they are both great trips for history buffs/architecture hounds like myself (lol). They make great early spring of fall trips, it one can't take the heat/humidty of high summer.
On other note...since you seem interested in history/old city architecture, walkable...etc; If you are ever again in the states there are two other locations you might find interesting:
1) Taos, New Mexico. The Taos Pueblo that borders the town of Taos on its north side was built more than 1000 years ago…and is considered to be the oldest continuously inhabited community in the United States. In 1500 and 1600’s the Spanish controlled Taos and many narrow streets and living quarters from this time period can still be found in Taos. The downtown area is very walkable and fun in Taos. The The City of Taos is in the high desert area of the Southwestern USA (7000 FT/2100 M). Thus, the climate is sunny, with cool winter days (5 - 7 C/40- 45 F highs) and warm summers (but not hot like nearby lowland deserts) with daily highs in the 27/29 C/80 -84 F range. Even when summer days get extremely hot, nights are cool:
2) Art Deco Historic area Miami Beach, Florida: Too often travelers to Southern Florida are so quick to hit the beaches and other attractions; they miss what is one of the most interesting historic preservations in the USA – the Art-Deco District. This old time style of architecture was born in Paris at the 1915 Paris Exposition - as what (at that time) was considered modernism, with a flash of fantasy. Yet, for all its make-believe sight lines and adornments – Art Deco proved to be very practical for tropical South Florida. The use of concrete, smooth faced stone, and metal as exterior architectural coverings, enabled Art Deco buildings to better withstand the heat/humidity of the tropics much better than wood that rot. Thus Art Deco flourished in Miami. The Art Deco area in Miami Beach is very walkable and interesting (many times you'll see famous people walking the district) and there are even self-guided tours of the old buildings and landmarks:
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