Is Houston a very international city to non-Americans? (transplants, apartment)
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How come Houston does not have a subway system? I am aware that it is at sea level. Amsterdam is at sea level but it has a subway system. In addition Hong Kong has a subway system even though it can be subject to Typhoons and I am aware that Houston can be subject to hurricanes. Hong Kong and Amsterdam are far more world known and much more popular destinations for tourists compared to Houston.
It's gotta be money. The downtown actually has an extensive network of tunnels with stores to keep people cool in the summer, the same way Montreal has tunnels with stores to keep people warm in winters, so they could have done it. Way too much of their system is at grade and interacts with street traffic, and will continue to be, it seems. At the very least, they could have done an elevated system, as did Vancouver with SkyTrain. Houston really needed a dedicated-rail system more so than light-rail.
Judging from the comments in this thread, Europeans seem to know more about Houston than I could tell you about any European city outside of London, Paris, Milan, Rome, or Amsterdam...so go figure.
Houston isn't a tourist's city, and it's not a Hollywood darling (since we know that is how most foreigners get their knowledge of the US). There's no dramatic scenery or any storied historical events that took place here. Still, it's easily one of the most underrated American cities. It's a better place to live than it is to visit. It's easily one of the most culturally diverse cities in the nation with unexpected offerings of world class ammenities, from dining, to retail, and the arts. Quite frankly, if more people knew about all that Houston had to offer, it would be more crowded than it already is, and that's not really a good thing.
Judging from the comments in this thread, Europeans seem to know more about Houston than I could tell you about any European city outside of London, Paris, Milan, Rome, or Amsterdam...so go figure.
Houston isn't a tourist's city, and it's not a Hollywood darling (since we know that is how most foreigners get their knowledge of the US). There's no dramatic scenery or any storied historical events that took place here. Still, it's easily one of the most underrated American cities. It's a better place to live than it is to visit. It's easily one of the most culturally diverse cities in the nation with unexpected offerings of world class ammenities, from dining, to retail, and the arts. Quite frankly, if more people knew about all that Houston had to offer, it would be more crowded than it already is, and that's not really a good thing.
It's gotta be money. The downtown actually has an extensive network of tunnels with stores to keep people cool in the summer, the same way Montreal has tunnels with stores to keep people warm in winters, so they could have done it. Way too much of their system is at grade and interacts with street traffic, and will continue to be, it seems. At the very least, they could have done an elevated system, as did Vancouver with SkyTrain. Houston really needed a dedicated-rail system more so than light-rail.
Part of the new line east of downtown is elevated.
It's gotta be money. The downtown actually has an extensive network of tunnels with stores to keep people cool in the summer, the same way Montreal has tunnels with stores to keep people warm in winters, so they could have done it.
I think it has more to due with the city's infrastructure. Also having as city full of NIMBY's that think they live in the suburbs doesn't help much either.
The tunnels close during the early evenings as do the businesses unless they changed the hours recently. Nightlife in downtown hasn't been the same since the late 90s. I enjoyed it much better back then. I'm hoping more people don't move to Houston. Traffic is starting to become awful.
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I drove through Houston. Not impressed. Houston boosters are like those people who think new suburbs are the best way to live and anything old is bad. It's all hot air, there's nothing there.
Houston, probably not. At least not to most internationals. I know to mexico houston is international because its one of the largest us cities to mexico similarly to how phoenix is important to people in northern mexico. On a global scale however, houston does little to make it on radar.
I dont want this to lead into a comparison thread between texan cities but, dallas is far more known internationally than houston. It has more of a culutural spread and is often seen as the center of texas by most people. Houston acts like the second largest city rather than the first.
I drove through Houston. Not impressed. Houston boosters are like those people who think new suburbs are the best way to live and anything old is bad. It's all hot air, there's nothing there.
Oh, please spare me. You're from and live in AUSTRALIA, but you hang out around the US forums constantly and pretend to posess some extensive knowledge of our regions and our cities. And if memory serves me correctly, you've started several threads in the Texas forum, expressing interest in our culture.
You're located seas away from us, and you're clearly no expert on Houston or what it offers.
As horrible as Houston is supposed to be, I'm noticing quite a few City Data posters are clearly obsessed with it. Houston threads stay flooded with those who claim this city is irrelevant to them. If I have to be a "booster/homer/troll" for stating the truth, then so be it.
Houston, probably not. At least not to most internationals. I know to mexico houston is international because its one of the largest us cities to mexico similarly to how phoenix is important to people in northern mexico. On a global scale however, houston does little to make it on radar.
I dont want this to lead into a comparison thread between texan cities but, dallas is far more known internationally than houston. It has more of a culutural spread and is often seen as the center of texas by most people. Houston acts like the second largest city rather than the first.
Dallas is only popular for being considered the hub of every goofy Texas stereotype that exists. Nothing about it is more "cultural" than Houston.
Last edited by Nairobi; 10-01-2012 at 09:49 PM..
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