Monday 9 November 2009

Capital Cities - The Big Rush


Having just been to the capital of England, London, for the weekend, I returned yesterday with the view that travelling around the capital just takes so much out of your time, and you don't get to see what you wanted to see of the place as you were pretty much caught up in the rush.

So, my question today is, are capital cities all they are cracked up to be?

In fact, whilst I'm asking questions, which is the best capital city in the world that you have visited?

London offers the big City feel, with a Royal twist of course, and has some fantastic views, what with the millenium wheel being the one where you can see most of them from.

Paris, well that of course has the romance attached to it, but if I'm being fair, I didn't really get the romantic appeal, just more of a rush in the centre, and a bit of time spent up the Eiffel Tower.


Berlin, I did enjoy. Despite visiting in the middle of February, with temperatures hitting -11 degrees celsius, and having icicles hanging off my wotsits, I really liked the place. The atmosphere there was pretty good, seeing the great divide that is the Berlin Wall, going up the tower - I've forgotten it's name - and seeing the cathedral that was bombed during the war, although I have to say a favourite of mine, well two actually, no three, was visting the Brandenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charlie, and the Olympic Stadium, where the 1934 Olympics were famously held.

I've yet to taste the likes of Madrid, and Lisbon, but look forward to doing those sometime in life, have also come close to Cairo, and Athens, but never made it yet!


As for the other sides of the world, well I've not been to Australia, and have been to the US but only to Vegas & Miami - two fantastic places mind!!!

For those who have been to capital cities, did you find it such a rush in these places too, or did you manage to sit back, relax and enjoy the place?

5 comments:

  1. Lisbon is beautiful ... the Far East is awesome too. Busy, bustling, chaotic but very enjoyable :)

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  2. ok i must watch too much startgate, whats with the giant wheel?
    Ive seen photos of too many places to pick as a fav. But Ive been to seatle , with its space needle was cool and the surrounding St helens, cascade mountian range and puget sound was awesome. Id like to visit prague for the historic and babe factors. most laughable city has to be washington dc for the sybolic because being the place with the govt leaders go and just a few blocks away , the rest of the city is a ghetto slum where most are poor unemployed people. but im not sure if its a city or not.

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  3. Jeff, My two favories were Nairobi, and Cairo, neither was a rush around, and the markets and sites were great.

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  4. My comment on this subject could be lengthy, lengthy enough to consider a post, which I am doing at the moment.

    But generally I find capital cities to be the pits; starting with my own Wellington. In NZ Wellington is know as We, Windy Wellington. It has always appeared to me to a railway station with doors open at both ends. Not endearing at all.

    The rest of this will be a post. Thank you for the idea. I will of course link it.

    AV

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  5. btw, it was supposed to be Wet, Windy Wellington above.

    :-/

    AV

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