In praise of the city

I'm a city person, and proud of it. Not for me those little seaside towns like Pattaya or Hua Hin. Give me Bangkok, London, San Francisco, Sydney. Over 30 years ago a book about that great city, London, and the joys of living there was written by Jonathan Raban. He called it Soft City. In this weekend's Financial Times he's written a retrospective article that's well worth reading - http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/247bc052-64dc ... fd18c.html (http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/247bc052-64dc-11dd-af61-0000779fd18c.html)

[Wesley]

There is no way I can express the profound joy of knowing such a well read and widely traveled man such as yourself. I shall click on your URL addy immediately and escape to the world of your extensive and profound reading . I shall make sure I use it in my foot notes on my next journal on the great gay cities of the world.

Wes

DELETED

[Smiles]

" ... I'm a city person, and proud of it. Not for me those little seaside towns like Pattaya or Hua Hin. Give me Bangkok, London, San Francisco, Sydney ... "
Please don't lump Hua Hin in with Pattaya. They are two totally different animals.
Having said that I agree with you on the whole. I'm a city guy as well . . . but rather just visit: which makes me semi-city I guess.

Your list is OK, but 'Sydney'??? Don't bloody Australians live there??

Cheers ...

You are welcome to London, I lived there for 9 years in the late 70's and early 80's. I dread having to go back every now and then on business. All the Brits are moving further out and leaving the immigrant to turn it into a shithole.

As a Londoner born and bred and living in the East End, which for many centuries has welcomed immigrants from many countries.
I am sorry and saddened that you have brought racism into the discussion.
As you have not lived here for 25 years or so I am sure that you are eminently qualified to pass such a judgement!

You are welcome to London, I lived there for 9 years in the late 70's and early 80's. I dread having to go back every now and then on business. All the Brits are moving further out and leaving the immigrant to turn it into a shithole.

As a Londoner born and bred and living in the East End, which for many centuries has welcomed immigrants from many countries.
I am sorry and saddened that you have brought racism into the discussion.
As you have not lived here for 25 years or so I am sure that you are eminently qualified to pass such a judgement!

The immigrants are the best thing about London. Ethnic diversity is a good thing, unless of course you're a racist.

[Wesley]

I think Smiles is right BG is back. Gosh this forum is getting as bitchy as it was when Hedda was analyzing every ones thoughts and intentions of every post. That really was a light post to imply someone is a racist. Immigrants at least here could be almost any color. Is racism just a color thing or, does it include things you don't like about another culture like the fact that Russians take a bath only once a week. I guess that was racist as well. Should not have called names. Maybe I should have used the old words of Gog and Magog which would have served better since, it only implies an ancient people of which we can only guess were from the area of Russia.

Wes