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I know this is subjective, but there's something very unique about NYC, not in the way that any other city is unique, but it feels truly like it's own little universe in a way no other city does. The likes of London, Paris, Rome, Tokyo, Hong Kong are certainly unique, but maybe the fact there are other cities who are somewhat similar (e.g. London and Paris or HK and Shanghai), and the fact they don't seem as truly international as NY has something to do with it. Paris has a certain 'magic' no other city doesn't, but i mean there are other European cities that have a similar feel, whereas I feel NYC just has such a unique and irreplaceable feel to it. Chicago probably comes close, but NYC has a 'centre of the Universe' feel to it, and just seems so unique, like it's its own state of mind, it just feels like the world's no.1 city, the archetype of the modern 'big city.'
I probably like London almost as much for other reasons, but NYC just feels more like a typical 'big city.' I mean there are other cities just as busy, Tokyo, Seoul, Sao Paulo, to name a few, but they are very Japanese/Korean/Brazilian, while NYC is so international, despite also being very American and having it's own strong identity. Maybe it's the movie exposure, but there's something about NYC I feel that I can't quite explain. I've been to many big cities and none have had that same feel to them.
I don't think its the city, I think its the people partly because the people just have an American mind set, they seem to not care much about some countries, others countries they care a lot about like the UK, Australia...The country is just so big, its so diverse in every aspect possible, the country is such a major influence to the world. Although Americans seem to be a little ignorant of the world based on media and youtube.
NYC feels like the unofficial capital of planet Earth.
Yes, I mean the UN HQ are there. London, although very global, still feels like it's 'owned' by the UK if that makes sense, and still British. NYC feels American, but also feels like it's own micro-state.
Yes, I mean the UN HQ are there. London, although very global, still feels like it's 'owned' by the UK if that makes sense, and still British. NYC feels American, but also feels like it's own micro-state.
Really? As far as British people are concerned, London might as well be a city state because it feels so disconnected from the rest of the country. It might try to advertise itself as the face of Britain but it feels like a million miles away most of the time in terms of its feel and economy (was hardly affected by the recession, if at all).
From my viewpoint, New York is very much American and it's the city that people here would imagine immediately if you said 'America' - Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, Chrysler - all well-known landmarks that people here would associate not just with New York but the US itself. So no, I don't agree with your opening post.
From my viewpoint, New York is very much American and it's the city that people here would imagine immediately if you said 'America' - Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, Chrysler - all well-known landmarks that people here would associate not just with New York but the US itself. So no, I don't agree with your opening post.
Actually if one visits NYC one doesn't really get to know what the rest of the USA is really like. So although NYC is an international symbol of the USA, in reality it is nothing like the rest of the USA.
That's true with London vs the rest of the UK. Admittedly the US is much larger, but if you go to London wanting to experience that the UK is really like, then you're going to be disappointed.
Actually if one visits NYC one doesn't really get to know what the rest of the USA is really like. So although NYC is an international symbol of the USA, in reality it is nothing like the rest of the USA.
Definitely, NY is so unique within the US. The strong urban culture, 24 hour subway, most people living in apartments.etc, 24 hour bodegas on every corner, it's pretty unique. Chicago, Philly, and Boston and SF are a bit like that but it's not really comparable. London is unique in it's own way but I don't know, it still felt very English to me, which isn't a bad thing. I mean parts of Birmingham felt more Indian than anywhere in London.
That's true with London vs the rest of the UK. Admittedly the US is much larger, but if you go to London wanting to experience that the UK is really like, then you're going to be disappointed.
Hmmm, I went to Highgate, for example, not far from the city, to visit the cemetery, and it looks pretty quaint and quintessentially British. We'd just spent 6 days touring the country by car mind you.
I guess it's not just that NYC feels unique with the US, it just has a sort of indefinable quality of uniqueness at least to me which I haven't felt anywhere else in the world.
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