Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I think their article's title is misleading. They say it's about where people imagine they'd be happy, which to me clearly means "cities associated with happiness" not "happiest cities." So it's largely going to be places tourists go to have a good time.
I would guess Copenhagen, Zurich, Geneva, and Sydney as happiest. People who are employed and married tend to be happier so in the US I might go for San Jose
I don't know, aren't there many people living in slums in Rio? And how about gang violence and overall
crime rate (four times higher than in the similar sized U.S. cities as far as I know)?
"aren't there many people living in slums in Rio??" Yes, there are. And what about: L.A., NYC., Detroit, Rome, Paris, etc... and etc... aren't??
"...and how about gang and overall crime rate...?" Where has not violence, drugs in the cities from USA or Europe??
Look, my point is that the Forbes list is focused on stuff like carnivals, salsa, Copacabana etc. While these things may be great fun for rich American or European tourists you'd have a hard time proving that they enhance the lives of those impoverished citizens of Rio in any way (and I'm fairly sure there's a larger percentage of these people in Rio than in the cities you've mentioned).
Don't take me wrong, I have no doubt that Rio is a great city and I'd love to visit it someday. It seems to me as quite insensitive though to focus solely on the fancy features for tourists and rich people and ignore all the vast social issues that affect
a substantial number of Rio inhabitants.
Reading the article it looks like the people in the survey have never actually being to the cities on the list and its all about perception! Sydney is 2nd on the list and melbourne 5th, the article essentially said it was happy becuase it was full of fun loving Aussies and we sit around barbeques drinking all the time! I can assure you the reality is entirly different!
The most laid back big city Ive ever been in is Seoul. People in the city are friendly, and unhurried. People stuck in traffic jams just put on some nice relaxing music and wait it out.
I`m from Rio and living in Annapolis Md USA. I love travel, went in many cities in the world. I can say don`t have place like Rio. You don`t need to be rich for enjoy the city. People is helpfull and smiling. Good talkers. But to me, I mean the happiness come from the enviromental. Rio de Janeiro is beauty like anywhere. Mountains, ocean, forest, lake and people. So sorry if you don`t know Rio de Janeiro. Take care your self and walk in Rio`s street. You will love that city!
Oh dear oh dear! The writer(s) of that magazine article have obviously never came here to dear old Dublin where the craic is just mighty.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
