| I'm a bit of an urbanite. I love the country, and acreage and stuff, don't get me wrong. I also have the benefit of having done a lot of travel in my lifetime, including Asia (where I was I was born and lived), Australia, Europe, and much of North America. This, I think, gives me a pretty good handle on what a "good" city is like, having experienced so many.
As far as cities go, Vancouver and Melbourne are the two most livable cities in the world. They constantly vie with one another for the top spot. This is because for both the climate is gentle, there's a lot of green space (what abaron said), and the scenery is magnificent. Also, the population density is nothing like New York, or Detroit, or Hong Kong which also happens to be my birthplace.
I'm one of those people who likes the convenience of walking a few hundred steps and having access to shopping, recreation, libraries, the arts, and most of all a good coffee shop where I can bring my laptop or book and get down to some work or quiet time. If I had the $$$, I'd be living in False Creek (a trendy urban area in Vancouver).
Now, having said that, every few months I need to escape and recharge. I do that by visiting the Gulf Islands or the Sunshine Coast and just working the body and emptying the mind with a good hard mountain bike ride. That takes country. But city is where I need to be most of the time, at least for now. |
