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Amsterdam Amsterdam (area population 2,100,000) is the capital of the Netherlands as well as its largest city. It is situated on the Ij and Amstel rivers and is an important port, connected by canals to both the North Sea and the Rhine River. Amsterdam is one of the great cities of Europe, dating from the 14th century, with a long history of culture and commerce. It is the location of one of the most important stock exchanges in the world, and for many years has been a center of the diamond-cutting industry. The architecture of the city is striking. Because of the soft ground, the city is built on wooden piles, and there is an extensive canal system with many old beautiful buildings along the waterways and numerous bridges. When I was in Amsterdam, I found great pleasure in just walking around. (Of course, I am a simple fellow.) Amsterdam is a popular tourist destination with many attractions, including the Rijks Museum (where you can see Rembrandts), the municipal museum (where you can see Van Goghs), legalized prostitution and soft drugs. Web:
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Athens Athens (area population 3,500,000) is the capital of Greece. The name of the city comes from Athena, the ancient Greek goddess of wisdom and knowledge. Athens is more than the largest, busiest, most important city in modern Greece. It is also the cultural center of the ancient Greek world, the home of Plato and Socrates. Be sure to visit the Acropolis (where you'll find the Parthenon). It is on a hilltop that affords a spectacular view of much of the city. 1n 1896, Athens was the site of the first modern Olympic Games, and in 2004, the city will once again be host to the Summer Games. Athens has a lot to see and a lot to do, but I have to admit, my favorite memories are related to the food. Greek food smells and looks extremely inviting, and has the interesting quality that, no matter how much they put on your plate, you'll think you want more. Web:
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Beijing Beijing (area population 9,200,000) is the capital of the People's Republic of China. Its history is a long one: in 1057 B.C., the city was made the capital of the region by King Wu. (The name "Beijing" dates from 1421 A.D.) Beijing is located in the northeastern part of China, and contains some of the most famous places in the country: the Forbidden City (the old Imperial city), Tiananmen Square, the Temple of Heaven, and the Summer Palace. Beijing is also close to the Great Wall. The city is very large, about 10,400 square miles (16,800 sq km), and consists of 18 districts and counties. (The only larger Chinese city is Shanghai.) Beijing is more than the seat of the federal government. The city is a major industrial area, as well as the financial, educational, and transportation center of the country. Web:
Cairo Cairo (area population 15,100,000) is the largest city in Egypt, as well as its capital. Cairo is located in the northeastern part of Egypt, near the head of the Nile River delta, close to many of the pyramids and to the Sphinx. Cairo was first settled as a military camp about 642 A.D., and as a city in 968. Cairo was conquered in 1517 by the Ottoman Empire, in 1798 by Napoleon, and in 1801 by Great Britain. In 1922, the British declared Egypt to be independent, while retaining control of much of the government as well as the Suez Canal. At about the same time, a king was appointed to rule the country. It was not until the Revolution of 1952, that the British and the king were overthrown, making Cairo an independent Egyptian city. Modern Cairo is one of the most important financial and commercial centers in the Middle East. As a city, Cairo is a very intense place: it is noisy, polluted, chaotic and teeming with people. This may or may not appeal to you. Web:
Jerusalem "Ten measures of beauty were bestowed upon the world; nine were taken by Jerusalem, and one by the rest of the world." Jerusalem (area population 658,000), the most well-known city in Israel, is truly a world city. A spiritual center for Judaism, Christianity and Islam, Jerusalem is a city with connections to people all over the world. Web:
Las Vegas Las Vegas (area population 1,750,000) is a city that shouldn't really be there. The city is in the Nevada desert, more or less in the middle of nowhere. However, Las Vegas is the mecca of the gambling world and, as such, has, over the years, developed a very sophisticated tourist industry based on gambling, entertainment, gambling, shopping, gambling, family activities, gambling, glamor and gambling. Web:
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London London (area population 11,850,000), the capital of Great Britain, is located on both sides of the Thames River in southeastern England. It is one of the world's greatest ports, and is also a world center for finance, industry and culture. London is the home of some of the most famous landmarks in the world, including Westminster Abbey, Hyde Park, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, the Tower of London, and the University of London. London is also the home of one of my favorite foods, mushy peas. When I visited the city, I had a good time walking around, going to the theater, and riding on the Tube (subway). I especially appreciated that all the people took the trouble to learn how to speak English, although, as you may notice, they do have a strange accent. Web:
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New York New York (area population 21,400,000) is the largest city in the United States. It is located at the mouth of the Hudson River on the Atlantic coast of southern New York state. New York was founded by the Dutch in 1624, who named it New Amsterdam. During the Second Dutch War (1664-67), the British took the city from the Dutch and renamed it in honor of the Duke of York. New York consists of five well-known boroughs: Manhattan (an island, known as "the City"), the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island (Richmond). New York is the financial and cultural center of the U.S., the home of Wall Street, the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, as well as many museums, galleries, stores, restaurants, theaters and ethnic neighborhoods. When I am in New York, I like to ride the subway, eat pizza and visit Central Park. All I can say is, I love New York in June, how about you? Web:
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Paris Ah, romance. There is nothing more romantic than being with your very special person, relaxing after a romantic candlelight dinner in front of a warm fireplace, snuggled quietly together taking a multimedia tour of Paris on your computer. If you get a chance, you may even enjoy visiting the city in person. Paris (area population 9,800,000) is the capital and largest city in France. The city is located on the Seine River in north-central France. While you are there, you can visit the Louvre (a wonderful museum), the Eiffel Tower, the Latin Quarter, the Sorbonne (a university) and Notre Dame Cathedral. When I visited Paris, my favorite things were the garden at the Palace of Versailles, a tour of the Paris sewer system, and lots of wonderful French food. Web:
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Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro (area population 12,250,000) is the second largest city in Brazil. (The largest is São Paulo.) Rio, as it is commonly called, is in the southeast of the country, on Guanabara Bay. The city is the principal port of Brazil, the home to one of the world's most famous beaches, the Copacabana. Rio was founded in 1555, by the French Huguenots (Protestants who fled the oppression of Louis XIV). In the 1560s, the city was captured by Portugal. In 1763, it became the capital of Brazil, but it was replaced in 1960 by the newly created city of Brasilia. Rio is also the cultural center of the country, home of the famous pre-Lent Carnival. People who live in Rio are called Carioca. Web:
Rome Rome (area population 3,300,000) is located on the Tiber River in west-central Italy. Rome has an ancient history, having been founded about 700 B.C. For a long time, the city was ruled by Etruscan kings until a republic was established about 500 B.C. By the 2nd century B.C., Rome controlled most of central and southern Italy. Over the years, its influence expanded until it became the headquarters of a large empire encompassing most of the Western world. By the end of the 5th century A.D., the Roman Empire had collapsed. In 800 A.D., Rome became the center of the long-lasting Holy Roman Empire. Modern Rome is the capital of Italy and the largest city in the country. It is one of the world centers of architecture, culture and religion. The Vatican City, an independent state serving as the world center of Roman Catholicism and the home of the Pope, is contained within the boundaries of Rome. It must be a nice place. Every time I talk to the Pope, he asks me when I am coming to visit. Web:
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San Francisco San Francisco (area population 7,250,000) is one of the cultural centers of the United States. The city is located on the west coast of California, where the Pacific Ocean meets the mouth of San Francisco Bay (a strait called the Golden Gate). San Francisco was first settled in the 18th century, but its growth dates from 1848, when California joined the United States, gold was discovered, and San Francisco received a large influx of prospectors and adventurers. In 1906, the city was devastated by a severe earthquake followed by a large fire. San Francisco is one of the most popular tourist centers in the U.S., offering a wide variety of attractions and cultural diversity. I love visiting San Francisco, and here are some of my favorite things to do: (1) Take the streetcar all the way to the ocean, walk on the beach, and then visit the zoo. (2) Take the BART (subway) to Berkeley (where I used to live), and walk around the university, browse the used books stores on Telegraph Avenue, then enjoy dinner at Fondue Fred's. (3) Visit the Exploratorium, an enormous hands-on science museum. (4) Go roller skating in Golden Gate Park. (5) Have dinner at the Stinking Rose (a garlic restaurant) in North Beach, and then visit the City Lights bookstore. Web:
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Tokyo Tokyo (area population 34,900,000) is situated on the island of Honshu at the head of Tokyo Bay, an inlet of the Pacific Ocean. Tokyo was founded in the 12th century, at which time it had the name Edo. In 1868, Tokyo became the capital of the Japanese Empire. Modern Tokyo is the capital and cultural center of Japan. The city is relatively new, having been almost completely destroyed by a combination of a large 1923 earthquake and fire, and World War II bombing raids. Tokyo is a major manufacturing and transportation center, has more than 100 colleges and universities, and is one of the economic centers of the world. The city has many well-known landmarks including the Meiji and Hie shrines, ancient temples, the Korakuen landscape garden, and the large Ginza shopping and entertainment area. If you look carefully, you will also find some of my books translated into Japanese. Web:
Vienna Vienna (area population 1,875,000), the capital of Austria, is located on the south bank of the Danube River in northeastern Austria. Vienna was originally a Celtic settlement. From 1278 to 1918, the city served as the center of the Austrian Empire under the Hapsburgs. In the 18th century, Vienna was an important cultural center under the reign of Maria Theresa, being the home of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert. In later years, Vienna was also the home of Freud, Brahms and Mahler. When I was in Vienna, I had a wonderful time. Although German is the native language, English is understood widely. Vienna is the best place in the world to (1) spend time in a coffeehouse, (2) go to the opera, and (3) wait in line. One of the things I liked best was that, when I looked in the phone book, I saw a large number of Hahns. This may or may not be important to you. Web:
Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C. is the capital of the United States. The actual city itself lies within a special area called the District of Columbia. The metropolitan Washington area (population 7,850,000) also encompasses parts of northeast Virginia and southwest Maryland. In many ways, Washington is a city of superlatives. It contains more political power than any city in the world, it has the world's largest library (the Library of Congress), the largest museum complex in the world (the Smithsonian Institutions: 16 museums and galleries, and the National Zoo), the world's largest concentration of think tanks, and on and on. For a tourist, Washington is a never-ending buffet of things to do, monuments to see, and places to walk. I once had the experience of visiting the city in the middle of winter during one of the most extreme snowstorms in its history. Because of the weather, the official city was shut down, and I had a wonderful time wandering the cold, snowy streets by myself. Every American should visit Washington at least one in his lifetime. It is truly the "people's city." Web:
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