I haven't spent too terribly much time in big cities, as in actually living in the city. But from Vancouver to Cairo, I love big cities. There is always something to do, something new to try. Theatres, museums, and public transportation, the urban jungle with all the layers of diversity that implies. I also love being out in the wilderness, or where the wilderness is just a stone's throw away. Easy to go out and hike, fish and go climbing.

The places I don't like, and this is not about safety or anything really high minded just personal taste, is suburbs. They don't have the easy access to the benefits of urban life, you can't ride the subway to an art museum or find an obscure shop or restaurant. Just malls and big box stores. People have tiny yards, but there aren't really any parks to go visit. Plus their still usually pretty far from the woods or mountains.

Count me out of the suburbs.

+1 on that Art. I've never thought of it like that.

I have to say I love New York (But can't stand the Yankees.) I visited many times and have had great experiences. We went to Windows on the World 9/8/01. I also go into Boston on a regular basis and love it there as well (a little bit more than NYC of course) Growing up (not done yet) we used to party in Worcester. That was scary, I've had more situations there than Boston and NYC combined.

I'm not a city boy though, I wouldn't want to live in a city.

Blitz

I can understand that. I would much rather be in the woods myself.

Blitz

NYC has it's good points, but for me they are all ones I can enjoy more as a tourist.

It was the commute that ground me down. Walking through Midtown at rush hour--at every corner a phalanx of people steps off the curb and marches toward each other, and there is nothing to do but turn your shoulders and plow through. That's where the over-the-shoulder stare comes in, because if you meet someone's eye you have to acknowledge them as a person and try to get out of the way, but there was no where to go. Every step was in the way. That, combined with the fact that the only people who talk to you are scammers (in Midtown and touristy areas, not so much in the neighborhoods) drove me crazy. I hated the fact that you couldn't afford to be decent and polite.

By the time I got home, the last thing I wanted to do was go out, so I only visited those great museums, shows, etc. when friends came into town. The rest of the time I may as well have been in Ohio (except for the great Cuban food and the sirens).

The crazies got to me, too. A young lady was shoved in front of an approaching train by a loony at my usual subway station, which was bad enough, but even worse was that there were two more murders during the next week, copycat crimes in the same station! Not one, but two people heard about it and thought it would be a good idea.

The open-minded attitudes were nice, but there is still a tendency of New Yorkers to dismiss the rest of the country as unworthy because it's not NYC (i.e. "fly-over country"). The solution I've found is living in a college town in the mountains. You get smart, open-minded people from all over the world, but still live in a town with a 15-minute "rush hour" where strangers hold doors, wave back using the whole hand, and start real conversations at the drop of a hat.

To each their own, of course.

I WILL keep it in mind, thanks for the offer...

Thanks, will keep that in mind also...

Reminds me of my subway ride this morning, a little. A few of those in my car did not behave like regular subway riders, they were tourists.