# Which is the most different city of your country ?



## NordikNerd (Feb 5, 2011)

Which is the most exotic city of your country, I mean which city deviates the most from the other cities ?

For Sweden: it is Haparanda in the north where the majority of the population is finnish and where the finnish language is heard everywhere.

Some cities in the south has halftimbered houses and some arhitecture look more danish than swedish.

For the USA: It's probably NewYork,the melting pot where 30% of the population is born outside the USA. Also the vibrant crowded citycore Manhattan has less reassemblance with the downtowns of other US-cities.


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## Dahlis (Aug 29, 2008)

Im not sure iof i agree with you. Haparanda might be the city thats most #exotic" when it comes to language but when it comes to looks and architecture I would say that Visby is the most exotic city in sweden.


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## Brummyboy92 (Aug 2, 2007)

For britain that is so easy, London hands down in terms of size, scale, diversity, infastructure, transport etc etc. No city in the UK is comparable what so ever as far as I'm concerned, not that I am slating other British cities, if you take a visit to a good few cities in the UK, you will understand what I mean. London is like all the good and bad of our cities mashed into one.


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## earthJoker (Dec 15, 2004)

Lugano. Located in sunny southern Ticino, it looks like you're in Italy:


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## NordikNerd (Feb 5, 2011)

Brummyboy92 said:


> For britain that is so easy, London hands down in terms of size, scale, diversity, infastructure, transport etc etc. No city in the UK is comparable what so ever as far as I'm concerned, not that I am slating other British cities, if you take a visit to a good few cities in the UK, you will understand what I mean. London is like all the good and bad of our cities mashed into one.


Really ? I perceived London as a very english city. Of course huge in size but with a smalltown feeling, also low buildings of bricks which I refer to as typically England. 

But then, London is the only city I have visited in the UK.


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## Brummyboy92 (Aug 2, 2007)

I would not say London was typically English, in parts it screams out Britains History in the architecture, dining the people even, however its living amoungst hundreds of different cultures, all in one, truley unique. 

Also smalltown feeling I think not, soon to have the tallest skyscraper in Europe, as well as many other talls, the reason London's skyline does not look as dense as lets say new York's is because its skyline is spread out, with various clusters littering the whole city. Even the suberbs have skyscraper in them. 

No other city in the UK can match, however instead have various parts of London in themselves, Birmingham has the density, Liverpool the waterfront, York the rich grand historical architecture. Overall no 2 cities are the same in the UK, however London is on a whole new level in comparison.


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## Blackpool88 (Nov 15, 2007)

I'd actually say Bristol is the most different UK city. It's beautiful clean and leafy with the spectacular avon gorge, suspension bridge and harbour area as well as beautiful architecture and rolling hills.


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## Occit (Jul 24, 2005)

I guess the most different city *in Venezuela is Colonia Tovar*, which has about 20.000 inhabitants and they have their own dialect of German: Alemannisch-Tovarer or Alemán Coloniero. Etnically, all the people look very Nordics. Here some photos: 










Pics are big, so click here:
http://images.travelpod.com/tripwow...venezuela+1152_13021234157-tpfil02aw-5320.jpg

http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/14711704.jpg

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_y4bFdFrS7...I4k/ClxmcNCTZVM/s1600/IglesiaColoniaTovar.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-...-by-grocery-store-colonia-tovar-venezuela.jpg


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## Mr_Dru (Dec 15, 2008)

Rotterdam is un-Dutch. It's the skycrapercity of the Netherlands. And also it doesn't have a historical centre like other Dutch cities.



Koala said:


> Vind het zonde om weer een nieuwe tread te openen dus vandaar mijn foto bij deze 'oude'.
> 
> Panorama van Rotterdam vanaf het Haka-pand aan de Vierhavensstraat.
> 
> ...


Maastricht is also un-Dutch. It's look more like a Belgium city surrounded by hills. Also the dialect is very close to Flemish.


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## NordikNerd (Feb 5, 2011)

earthJoker said:


> Lugano. Located in sunny southern Ticino, it looks like you're in Italy:


Well, switzerland is very different in it self,part german-french-italian with 4 languages so the whole country is a mix of different cultures.

Sweden is very homogeneous and the landscape+culture does not change much between regions except in the south, far north and the island Gotland


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## julesstoop (Sep 11, 2002)

For the Netherlands I agree with @Mr_Dru on Maastricht, though it feels more French/German than Belgian perse. Not so much on Rotterdam though. It may look different - as a result of relatively recent historical events (WW2) - but for now Rotterdammers (people from Rotterdam) and their language, demographic makeup and culture aren't all that different from those in other cities in the Randstad metro.


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## Adde (May 8, 2011)

NordikNerd said:


> Sweden is very homogeneous and the landscape+culture does not change much between regions except in the south, far north and the island Gotland


I'm not sure I agree. Yeah, the culture is quite similar between regions, but not the landscape. 

Much of Skåne is gently rolling flat farmland, almost without any forest. 
Blekinge is in large part a rocky archipelago. 
Småland is heavily forested, with small patches of farmland in between hills and lakes. Both Östergötland and Västergötland has got large areas of flat farmland (even flatter than Skåne), but also large forests to the north and south. Östergötland is quite hilly, with Omberg sticking up out of the fields like a huge boulder, while Västergötland is characterized by so called "table mountains", large flat topped pieces of rock dominating the landscape. 
Halland is very hilly, with a rocky shoreline that turns into an archipelago further north in Bohuslän, which is also marked by its large tracts of coniferous forest. 
Mälardalen is characterized by long valleys of farmland in between forested ridges that run for miles, as well as hundreds of waterways connecting the center of the region (Lake Mälaren and Lake Hjälmaren) with the enormous Stockholm archipelago. 
Furter north in Dalarna and Gästrikland, the pine and spruce forests becomes bigger and bigger and the hills steeper and steeper. Along the coast in Ångermanland, the landscape becomes dramatic with fjords and steep granite cliffs, and the far north is eaqual parts tundra and mountains. 

The islands of Öland and Gotland are quite different as well, with exposed limestone everywhere and a more windswept, pine-rich fauna.


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## Tiaren (Jan 29, 2006)

julesstoop said:


> For the Netherlands I agree with @Mr_Dru on Maastricht, though it feels more French/German than Belgian perse. Not so much on Rotterdam though. It may look different - as a result of relatively recent historical events (WW2) - but for now Rotterdammers (people from Rotterdam) and their language, demographic makeup and culture aren't all that different from those in other cities in the Randstad metro.


I thought the same by just looking at that picture. It looks very German. Especially the rolling hills, the river with the brigde and then the big romanic church. Reminds me of Worms or Speyer.


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## DiggerD21 (Apr 22, 2004)

In Germany:

When it comes to climate maybe some town at Lake Constance in the south bordering Switzerland.

When it comes to mentality, maybe Berlin.

When it comes to architecture, maybe Frankfurt, as it is the only german city with a skyscraper skyline. Apart of that Germany is diverse in building styles. Northern German historic buildings usually look different than Southern German ones, for example.


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## DiggerD21 (Apr 22, 2004)

Tiaren said:


> I thought the same by just looking at that picture. It looks very German. Especially the rolling hills, the river with the brigde and then the big romanic church. Reminds me of Worms or Speyer.


But towns in Northern Germany don't look like that.


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## earthJoker (Dec 15, 2004)

NordikNerd said:


> Well, switzerland is very different in it self,part german-french-italian with 4 languages so the whole country is a mix of different cultures.


True, but the question of the OP was, which is the most different. And Lugano (as well as Bellinzona and Locarno) stands out the most because it differs in architecture, language and climate from cities in other parts of the country.


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## El Cholo (Jul 19, 2008)

In the US...

For small town I say Little Diomede. Check out the video the people even look asian.

http://youtu.be/Xy_JfCkuvxs

For big city, I say San Francisco. There is no other big city like it in the US.


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## -Corey- (Jul 8, 2005)

NYC really? NYC is like one of the most American cities in the country... Maybe Miami or Honolulu.


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## BearCave (Feb 2, 2007)

Boston seems quite different from other US cities to me...


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## Manila-X (Jul 28, 2005)

-Corey- said:


> NYC really? NYC is like one of the most American cities in the country... Maybe Miami or Honolulu.


NYC is more *international* than American. The fact you have people from every country in the world living there or are new immigrants.


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## Manila-X (Jul 28, 2005)

In The Philippines, it would be *Baguio City*, 5 hour drive north of Manila.

_All photos taken by me back in 2006_

Since it lies at a higher altitude, Baguio's climate is more temperate compared to most major Philippine cities.




















One of the significant aspect of Baguio is the fusion of native Ifugao, Ilokano, American and European feel to the city. And with the influx of Koreans moving in to the city, Korean.














































Baguio's high altitude makes a temperate climate and pine trees and other nature activities are common.




























Which create a perfect environment for growing strawberries at nearby La Trinidad





































The streets of Baguio's city centre is busy with pedestrians. Shopping is popular here especially "Ukay Ukay"


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## -Corey- (Jul 8, 2005)

Manila-X said:


> NYC is more *international* than American. The fact you have people from every country in the world living there or are new immigrants.


Most of those people are very AMERICANIZED! ^^


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## Manila-X (Jul 28, 2005)

-Corey- said:


> Most of those people are very AMERICANIZED! ^^


If these immigrants have lived there for years and have adapted to the American culture and lifestyle.

But even if these immigrants got their green card or US citizenship, their traditional culture is preserved.


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## Skyrazer (Sep 9, 2009)

-Corey- said:


> NYC really? NYC is like one of the most American cities in the country... *Maybe Miami or Honolulu.*


Miami or Honolulu?....errr no. What on earth makes those the most unique cities in the US?

As others have said, NYC is in a world of its own. There's simply nothing, anywhere, that's anything like NYC. Runner up would be SF IMO.


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## Manila-X (Jul 28, 2005)

Skyrazer said:


> Miami or Honolulu?....errr no. What on earth makes those the most unique cities in the US?
> 
> As others have said, NYC is in a world of its own. There's simply nothing, anywhere, that's anything like NYC. Runner up would be SF IMO.


And NY is one of those American cities where you don't need a car.

SF is also different the fact this must be the only major US city with cable cars or street trams running through its city centre.

Plus the skyline, location and geographical terrain as well.

And it is an East Coast style city on The West Coast.


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## NordikNerd (Feb 5, 2011)

DiggerD21 said:


> In Germany:
> 
> When it comes to architecture, maybe Frankfurt, as it is the only german city with a skyscraper skyline. .


^^
I agree, it's a surreal feeling to approach Frankfurt with train. I thought I was in America or in Japan when I saw the skyscrapers. I understand why they call it "Mainhattan" The video is from this summer when travelling home from vacation in France.

Frankfurt shows up at: 05.40 in the videoclip


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## isaidso (Mar 21, 2007)

*Canada* 

Easily it's *Toronto* with Vancouver a close 2nd. Toronto's the least Canadian culturally due to 50% of the population being foreign born. A large proportion of Torontonians live in high rise condos, use public transportation, follow foreign pursuits like soccer/cricket, and speak languages other than English or French. I still know I'm in Canada when I'm there as other Canadian traits are still prevalent, but it's a watered down version of the rest of the country.

Most typical Canadian city of significant size? Some place like London, Winnipeg, Ottawa, or Saint John.


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## isaidso (Mar 21, 2007)

Brummyboy92 said:


> For britain that is so easy, London hands down in terms of size, scale, diversity, infastructure, transport etc etc. No city in the UK is comparable what so ever as far as I'm concerned, not that I am slating other British cities, if you take a visit to a good few cities in the UK, you will understand what I mean. London is like all the good and bad of our cities mashed into one.


Agree with you 100%. It's a similar scenario in Canada, but we have 2 cities that deviate substantially from the Canadian norm: Toronto and Vancouver. My explanation is above.


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## sebvill (Apr 13, 2005)

In Peru every city is very different

Cusco has the typical red tiles on the roof










Lima is HUGE










Arequipa is more expanded and the city mixes frequently with the rural areas around. The historic centre is all white because of the use of Sillar.



















Piura is green and hot. With a lot of Algarrobo Trees all over



















Chiclayo is a Republican city so it has no colonial architecture










Huancayo is a mix of andean architecture and modern buildings










Trujillo is Lima in small-scale but has a very unique and colourful city centre










Iquitos is tropical










Tacna is on the middle of the desert

]


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## NorthWesternGuy (Aug 25, 2005)

Any Mexican city less than 200 years old is considered as un-Mexican, due to the lack of historical downtown with colonial buildings.


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## LANative (Aug 28, 2005)

Skyrazer said:


> Miami or Honolulu?....errr no. What on earth makes those the most unique cities in the US?
> 
> As others have said, NYC is in a world of its own. There's simply nothing, anywhere, that's anything like NYC. Runner up would be SF IMO.


How are Miami and Honolulu NOT unique? You think the typical American city looks like those two cities? If you really think NYC and SF are the only unique cities in America you're wrong.


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## Skyrazer (Sep 9, 2009)

LANative said:


> How are Miami and Honolulu NOT unique? You think the typical American city looks like those two cities? If you really think NYC and SF are the only unique cities in America you're wrong.


No, I never said NYC and SF are the _only_ unique cities in the US - every city is unique in its own way. Just that NYC and SF stand out as the most unique and distinct cities.

Read the topic title, it's "Which is the *most* different city of your country ?" not "Which is the *only* different city in you country?"


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## anakngpasig (Jul 29, 2005)

sebvill said:


> Trujillo is Lima in small-scale but has a very unique and colourful city centre


oddly, this looks like the town in my mind when I read "Cien años de soledad"


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## Tchek (Oct 8, 2010)

julesstoop said:


> For the Netherlands I agree with @Mr_Dru on Maastricht, though it feels more French/German than Belgian perse.


Maybe by "Belgian" you're thinking "Flemish", but Maastricht does look a bit like Namur, Liège and Dinant (who all happen to lie on the Maas/Meuse river)... those cities can be described as French/German if you will.


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## -Corey- (Jul 8, 2005)

Manila-X said:


> NYC is more *international* than American. The fact you have people from every country in the world living there or are new immigrants.


Because i live HERE!! I know the city very well, almost 60% were born outside the country and according to the UN, Miami ranks first, followed by Toronto at 50%, NYC is not even close. And most of them behave like if they were in their countries... making the city not somewhat different from the rest of the country. Even Los Angeles i wouldn't it consider it that different, people there are very Americanized compared to Miami, and I'm sure that is the case in New York City.


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## julesstoop (Sep 11, 2002)

Tchek said:


> Maybe by "Belgian" you're thinking "Flemish", but Maastricht does look a bit like Namur, Liège and Dinant (who all happen to lie on the Maas/Meuse river)... those cities can be described as French/German if you will.


You're probably right in pointing out that I was comparing with cities in Flanders. But there's also the point that much of Wallonia is in not such a good state nowadays, while Maastricht is clearly pretty prosperous. But you're obviously right in remarking that Maastricht shares common characteristics with other Meuse-cities.


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## Tchek (Oct 8, 2010)

julesstoop said:


> You're probably right in pointing out that I was comparing with cities in Flanders. But there's also the point that much of Wallonia is in not such a good state nowadays, while Maastricht is clearly pretty prosperous. But you're obviously right in remarking that Maastricht shares common characteristics with other Meuse-cities.


Of course there are many common points:

*MAASTRICHT*:










*NAMUR:*










*MAASTRICHT:*



















*LIEGE:*


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## Manila-X (Jul 28, 2005)

-Corey- said:


> Because i live HERE!! I know the city very well, almost 60% were born outside the country and according to the UN, Miami ranks first, followed by Toronto at 50%, NYC is not even close. And most of them behave like if they were in their countries... making the city not somewhat different from the rest of the country. Even Los Angeles i wouldn't it consider it that different, people there are very Americanized compared to Miami, and I'm sure that is the case in New York City.


But I've been to NYC several times and I know the city as well too. 

Even with the statistics, The people in NYC is still very international and you can feel that vibe wherever you go. The fact that every nationality has felt its presence and also its contribution to the city.

But it is not just diversity what makes NY different but also other things. Like skyline for example, no other American city is as large or as dense as NYC and it is indeed a vertical city at most. Also infrastructure, while the residents of other US cities rely on cars, Most New Yorkers do not.


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## sebvill (Apr 13, 2005)

anakngpasig said:


> oddly, this looks like the town in my mind when I read "Cien años de soledad"


Really? Funny. Macondo was the name of the town they talk about I think...

But actually Trujillo is a city of more than 800,000 inhabitants. And the geography around is very different from the supposed to be around Macondo.


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## Tiaren (Jan 29, 2006)

If this is the stereotype of a german town/city:








http://www.flickr.com/photos/vt_professor/5981781980/sizes/l/in/[email protected]/

Then *Frankfurt* is the most ungerman city:








http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/6211206967/sizes/l/in/photostream/


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## royal rose1 (Oct 4, 2009)

For the USA:

If we are talking about the lower 48, I'd definitely say San Francisco is the most different.
My reasoning, it's got its own unique architecture, it has its own unique culture, its so liberal all other cities pale in comparison, it has a completely different vibe than any other city. Likewise, its got a unique climate, comfortable but cool all year, and it's very often foggy, and it has trees unlike southern cali, but not very dense forest like further north cali. I come from San Diego and have lived all over, so that's my opinion. San Francisco is an extremely different culture than you see elsewhere in the US. 

As for outside the lower 48: I'd say Honolulu. Completely different demographics than mainland US, different culture, different ecosystem, different climate, it's the most isolated island chain in the world, what would you expect? 


Honorable mention:
Boston, MA: Mainly for its architecture, European influence, and extremely smart populace. 
Portland, ME: Small Town New England, not the hustle and bustle most think of when they think of America. 
Seattle, WA: More nature oriented than most US cities, completely alternative culture that incorporates grunge and coffee way more than any other US city. 
New York, NY: Obviously multicultural, truly a global city!


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## -Corey- (Jul 8, 2005)

Agree on San Francisco and Honolulu too ^^.


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## Xusein (Sep 27, 2005)

royal rose1 said:


> Honorable mention:
> Boston, MA: Mainly for its architecture, European influence, and extremely smart populace.
> *Portland, ME: Small Town New England, not the hustle and bustle most think of when they think of America.
> *Seattle, WA: More nature oriented than most US cities, completely alternative culture that incorporates grunge and coffee way more than any other US city.
> New York, NY: Obviously multicultural, truly a global city!


I think this is an odd one. Perhaps Portland is way different than say...El Paso, but it's really nothing special in New England. Small town with a port and history? I can find lots of that in the region.


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## Manila-X (Jul 28, 2005)

royal rose1 said:


> For the USA:
> 
> If we are talking about the lower 48, I'd definitely say San Francisco is the most different.
> My reasoning, it's got its own unique architecture, it has its own unique culture, its so liberal all other cities pale in comparison, it has a completely different vibe than any other city. Likewise, its got a unique climate, comfortable but cool all year, and it's very often foggy, and it has trees unlike southern cali, but not very dense forest like further north cali. I come from San Diego and have lived all over, so that's my opinion. San Francisco is an extremely different culture than you see elsewhere in the US.
> ...


True. Another thing is the vibe there is different compared to other West Coast cities. The fact it is a city best explored on foot rather than on the wheel.

Plus despite its size, the aura there is more of a large city.


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## anakngpasig (Jul 29, 2005)

sebvill said:


> Really? Funny. Macondo was the name of the town they talk about I think...
> 
> But actually Trujillo is a city of more than 800,000 inhabitants. And the geography around is very different from the supposed to be around Macondo.


my imagination runs wild sometimes


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## zaphod (Dec 8, 2005)

I think the in US it has to be Honolulu.

*Its the only city with a tropical climate
*A huge proportion of the population is Asian or native Hawaiian and/or in the Armed Forces.
*Its really built up and looks like a much much larger city than it really is. There is no comparison to similarly sized mainland cities like Des Moines, Iowa. When they finish their elevated metro it will also be the smallest city(metropolitan area) I think to have a "serious" rail system like that in the US.

*Honolulu is also the only city in the US to ever have been the capital of a recognized monarchy, to have experienced a serious wartime attack by a foreign military in modern history, etc.


As for NYC, I dunno. It shares a similar kind of early 20th century urban form with Chicago, Philly, Cleveland, Detroit, etc. Also the US has many lesser global cities and while NYC is massive and a bigger deal than all the others combined, its not truly a "primate city".


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## -Corey- (Jul 8, 2005)

Well, the US is the only country in the World with more than 3 global cities.. lol (LA, CHI, SF, NY..) ^^


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## Aerin (May 19, 2008)

My vote also goes to Honolulu for the US, for similar reasons that others have already cited here: exotic culture, history, tropical climate, unique and sometimes hard to pronounce place names, not to mention that it's the only city with a royal palace.

Others have used internationalism as a criteria, but I wonder if this is still relevant? Since so many cities are now quite international, the argument would just be over the degree of a city's internationalism compared to others, which almost seems like hair-splitting to me.

For Canada, I would say Quebec, for the simple reason that it didn't feel like I was still in Canada when I visited the city.


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## Manila-X (Jul 28, 2005)

-Corey- said:


> Well, the US is the only country in the World with more than 3 global cities.. lol (LA, CHI, SF, NY..) ^^


Don't forget *China*.

It has Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong. And then the next tier like Shenzhen and Guangzhou.


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## Matheus Oliveira (Nov 6, 2011)

Brazilian south. the german, polish and other europe peoples influence makes this region different, the culture, the architeture .


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## bwistle (Feb 23, 2010)

I would probably say in Australia, it would be Melbourne. It's not that much different than the other Australian cities, it just seems to have a 'cooler' and more European vibe than the others. It still has quite a bit of the European architecture with the laneway and coffee culture taking of here more than Sydney or other Australian cities. 

Also for the US, I would agree that New York is very similar in its architecture etc. to other NE cities, but it's culture and 'vibe' is completely different than any where else in the US I have been to. It feels so much more alive than the other cities, people seem to dress better, think differently and it seems to be more effortlessly cooler and more 'indie' than any other American city.


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## FREKI (Sep 27, 2005)

In Denmark I'd say Nuuk..


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## svicious22 (Nov 16, 2011)

In the USA, I'd have to vote for New Orleans-culturally it's like nowhere else and it has relatively unique architecture by US standards as well.


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## Hia-leah JDM (May 7, 2007)

New Orleans is a good contender.


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## Manila-X (Jul 28, 2005)

The fact New Orleans is more French influenced. Plus its Jazz scene is one of the unique entries of The United States when it comes to world music.


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## -Corey- (Jul 8, 2005)

New Orleans too, along with, San Francisco, Honolulu, and Miami IMO.


Manila-X said:


> Don't forget *China*.
> 
> It has Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong. And then the next tier like Shenzhen and Guangzhou.


Oops. Yes.. Except for Shenzhen and Guangzhou..


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## fish.01 (Jul 7, 2009)

bwistle said:


> I would probably say in Australia, it would be Melbourne. It's not that much different than the other Australian cities, it just seems to have a 'cooler' and more European vibe than the others. It still has quite a bit of the European architecture with the laneway and coffee culture taking of here more than Sydney or other Australian cities.
> 
> ...


Think Darwin would get my vote assuming we can call it a city.


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## FuMan (Nov 26, 2011)

In *Israel* each city is quite different, but I would go with *Haifa* for the following reasons:

-it is the only major city in Israel where Jews and Arabs literally live side-by-side 
-it has a large Christian Arab minority (but Christian Arabs make up a small minority of Arabs across Israel)
-Hebrew is commonly unspoken (Arabic and Russian are every bit as useful in Haifa, if not moreso)
-it is probably the most heavily industrialized city not only in Israel but among all the Mediterranean cities
-it has an interesting ambiance...some exotic mix of California (scenery, views, etc), post-Soviet Russia (widepsread use of Russian language and hideous, decrepit buildings) and the Middle East (lots of Arabic influences too)


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## dave8721 (Aug 5, 2004)

zaphod said:


> I think the in US it has to be Honolulu.
> 
> *Its the only city with a tropical climate
> *A huge proportion of the population is Asian or native Hawaiian and/or in the Armed Forces.
> ...


Just a nitpick. Miami officially has a "tropical climate" as well in the US. Its at a subtropical latitude but has a "tropical monsoon climate". "Am" on the Koppen climate scale (the same as most of Central America and the Caribbean and large parts of Hawaii.


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## RM6721 (Sep 11, 2011)

In the UK. London. It's just so much bigger and different than everywhere else.
In the US, it's tricky, I'd say Anchorage because of the weather and distance from everywhere else.


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## safiot (Oct 14, 2009)

You're welcome


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## Aerin (May 19, 2008)

Sarcasticity said:


> I'd actually say Montreal would be the most different. Heck, Quebec itself feels like another country. When I went to Toronto, it very much felt like Canada. I'd even say Vancouver is second, then Toronto is third with Montreal being first





Sarcasticity said:


> Philippines: Definitely Baguio City. The American influence is just strong. The architecture and environment is very different from typical Philippine cities
> 
> US: I'd say NYC or Boston.
> 
> NYC - Many people associate US with NYC. But NYC is definitely like a different country itself. Go in a subway and you will see that most people there are immigrants. It's such a melting pot - a little too much imo. Boston - the British/Irish influence is very strong in the city. The layout and architecture itself is not typical American. Heck, it could be a Canadian or English city than American.


I'm confused. You pick New York city (along with Boston) for the most different city in the US, saying that it's "like a different country itself". You say the same thing about Quebec (on this I agree wholeheartedly), but you pick Montreal instead for the most different city in Canada. Can you explain the inconsistency?



> Go to other burroughs and sometimes you will feel you're somewhere in South America or Asia


You could say the same thing about several cities in California...


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## Sarcasticity (May 21, 2005)

Aerin said:


> I'm confused. You pick New York city (along with Boston) for the most different city in the US, saying that it's "like a different country itself". You say the same thing about Quebec (on this I agree wholeheartedly), but you pick Montreal instead for the most different city in Canada. Can you explain the inconsistency?
> 
> 
> 
> You could say the same thing about several cities in California...


I think maybe you confused me saying Quebec for Quebec City? I've been to Quebec City and it definitely felt very much like Paris. I chose Montreal since Quebec province very much is like a different country. Sorry for the confusion

I guess same can be said for other cities in California or the states, but NYC has more variety I mean. One neighborhood you have distinctly Chinese, then another is Irish etc.


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## goonsta (Sep 11, 2002)

My US picks:

New Orleans: When I visit Chicago, Boston, NYC, it seems like its filled with the same type of people. LA, SF, Portland, and Seattle are slightly different from the east, but still attract similar people. But New Orleans, wow, its the only time in America I think I'm in a different country. New Orleans is the only one that truly has a homegrown, culture, customs and dialect, and not to mention its architecture. 

All the other US cities culturally are similar, and immigrants can be found in great numbers in many cities. As someone who grew up in a Chicago neighborhood that was one of the most diverse Zipcodes in the world in the 80's (Rogers Park), it doesn't resonate to me that much to be around people from all over the world. 

Other notable choices

NYC - for the only truly car-free lifestyle
SF - Visually striking
Pittsburgh - Also Visually striking. (Too bad most people don't visit, but if you've been, you'll know what I'm talking about. Never seen so many freakin bridges)
Las Vegas - For the obvious
Detroit - For the way it operates, or doesn't. Different is not always better. 

I've never been to Honolulu so I don't know.


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## Manila-X (Jul 28, 2005)

goonsta said:


> My US picks:
> 
> New Orleans: When I visit Chicago, Boston, NYC, it seems like its filled with the same type of people. LA, SF, Portland, and Seattle are slightly different from the east, but still attract similar people. But New Orleans, wow, its the only time in America I think I'm in a different country. New Orleans is the only one that truly has a homegrown, culture, customs and dialect, and not to mention its architecture.
> 
> ...


As for Vegas, there is also Reno and Atlantic City. Vegas is bigger but Atlantic City is the most unique of the three the fact it is a coastal and has a boardwalk.


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## Minato ku (Aug 9, 2005)

Sarcasticity said:


> I think maybe you confused me saying Quebec for Quebec City? I've been to Quebec City and it definitely felt very much like Paris.


Have you really been in Paris. :nuts:


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## Manila-X (Jul 28, 2005)

Another contender for the most different city for The Philippines would be *Vigan*. It is around 8 to 10 hour drive north of Manila. But the city has a well preserved old Spanish Town unlike other cities in The Philippines.


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## Sarcasticity (May 21, 2005)

Minato ku said:


> Have you really been in Paris. :nuts:


I based it in pictures of Paris lols. They do say Quebec City was modeled after Paris, so I assume Quebec City looks and feels very much like Paris in some way


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## Aerin (May 19, 2008)

Sarcasticity said:


> I think maybe you confused me saying Quebec for Quebec City? I've been to Quebec City and it definitely felt very much like Paris. I chose Montreal since Quebec province very much is like a different country. Sorry for the confusion
> 
> I guess same can be said for other cities in California or the states, but NYC has more variety I mean. One neighborhood you have distinctly Chinese, then another is Irish etc.


Yeah, I assumed you were referring to Quebec City. Thanks for the clarification. Although, why not pick Quebec City over Montreal? Between the two of them, Quebec City feels the more different, IMO.

I wouldn't compare Quebec City to Paris though...maybe more like the small towns in, say, the Loire Valley?

I know NYC is very diverse, but with a lot of other US cities also becoming diverse (as a matter of fact, many cities already have caucasians as a minority), is it still valid to justify NYC's uniqueness in terms of the variety in its neighborhoods?


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## Sarcasticity (May 21, 2005)

Aerin said:


> Yeah, I assumed you were referring to Quebec City. Thanks for the clarification. Although, why not pick Quebec City over Montreal? Between the two of them, Quebec City feels the more different, IMO.
> 
> I wouldn't compare Quebec City to Paris though...maybe more like the small towns in, say, the Loire Valley?


I guess comparing Quebec City to Paris is reaching there.. The only reason I chose Montreal over Quebec was Quebec felt a little dead to me but nonetheless, stunning scenery and city.


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## Manila-X (Jul 28, 2005)

Sarcasticity said:


> I based it in pictures of Paris lols. They do say Quebec City was modeled after Paris, so I assume Quebec City looks and feels very much like Paris in some way


There are alot of cities worldwide that are modeled after Paris, or at least to some extent of it.

Such great examples would be Mexico City and Buenos Aires.


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## Minato ku (Aug 9, 2005)

Sarcasticity said:


> I based it in pictures of Paris lols. They do say Quebec City was modeled after Paris, so I assume Quebec City looks and feels very much like Paris in some way


Quebec city was not at all modeled after Paris and its architecture looks like nothing that exist in Paris.

Quebec city









Paris









I fail to see the similarity, if those are alike, all the european cities look the same.
The Old town of Quebec city is more similar to towns of Brittany, a region of Western France.


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## Sarcasticity (May 21, 2005)

Minato ku said:


> Quebec city was not at all modeled after Paris and its architecture looks like nothing that exist in Paris.
> 
> Quebec city
> 
> ...


If that is so, then I might have to ask for a refund from our tour guide lol. He told us Old Quebec was made to look like Paris, but now that you said it and after looking through my pictures and pictures of Paris, they dont really look similar at all. I guess I got caught up in the culture of the province.


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## Dralcoffin (Feb 27, 2010)

I'll cast another U.S. vote for New Orleans, for the unique culture, language, geography, music, festivals, so on, so on. Honolulu might be second, but it has too many retirees from the Mainland diluting the native Hawaiian culture to be as unique as La Nouvelle Orléans.


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## Manila-X (Jul 28, 2005)

Dralcoffin said:


> I'll cast another U.S. vote for New Orleans, for the unique culture, language, geography, music, festivals, so on, so on. Honolulu might be second, but it has too many retirees from the Mainland diluting the native Hawaiian culture to be as unique as La Nouvelle Orléans.


Hawaii, especially Honolulu has became too diverse. Hawaiians are now mixed with Filipino or Japanese blood.


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## Disturbing Reality (Mar 28, 2011)

Aerin said:


> Yeah, I assumed you were referring to Quebec City. Thanks for the clarification. Although, why not pick Quebec City over Montreal? Between the two of them, Quebec City feels the more different, IMO.
> 
> I wouldn't compare Quebec City to Paris though...maybe more like the small towns in, say, the Loire Valley?
> 
> *I know NYC is very diverse, but with a lot of other US cities also becoming diverse (as a matter of fact, many cities already have caucasians as a minority), is it still valid to justify NYC's uniqueness in terms of the variety in its neighborhoods?*


not counting alaska and hawaii, NYC (IMO), for so many reasons, is the most unique city in the US.. overall, I think it's Honolulu..


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## desertpunk (Oct 12, 2009)

Santa Fe


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## gabrielbabb (Aug 11, 2006)

Cancun, it is only 40 years old and it doesn't have a normal city center or an old zone, just the hotel/touristic zone and the city.


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## provinciano (Mar 9, 2008)

xrtn2 said:


> Cities like that is very hard to find
> 
> Gramado in Brazil
> ​


I disagree. There are many cities in southern brazil which have that urbanistic style and european immigration (italian and german mainly) is a part of our culture.


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## city_thing (May 25, 2006)

I guess there's a few cities in Australia if you're going to consider the Sydney model 'the norm'.

Canberra is entirely planned on the garden model. Most Australians hate it and say it's soulless. It's expensive and full of politicians.

Hobart still retains a lot of colonial architecture. It can feel like a nice English city in places.

Melbourne people are 'different' to the rest of the population. They vote green, drink coffee in litres and ride bikes around (think Portland). Skinny jeans as far as the eye can see.

Then you get cities like Darwin, which are hugely multicultural, tropical and surrounded by sharks and crocodiles.


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