I know where you live...

I am pretty busy but I would love to do this soon, hopefully within a week. Not sure how to make it interesting because I do live in a tourist city (not sure if I can turn off the tour guide talk). Will try to think of some favourite spots.
 
This is a great thread. Really brings home to me how 'young' my part of the world is.
Vancouver Island's First Nations built with cedar and nothing beyond the size of a small village.
Their history was recorded orally.
So the oldest buildings, towns and cities are maybe 150 years old.
 
Are there any First Nations reserves around Vancouver where you can still see these?
 
Are there any First Nations reserves around Vancouver where you can still see these?

I'm pretty sure there are decayed fragments of classic long houses and totems scattered in various remote areas, but none I can point to off the top of my head. The Royal BC Museum in Victoria has an excellent re-creation. But totem carving and other traditional Native carving is a living part of the community however. You can see examples in many communities.
I know a few guys who can do some magnificent stuff.
The thing is, the communities themselves are creations of European settlers.
 
Resurrection!

So I was trying to see if I can buy Doritos here or in Croatia (I can't :(), and stumbled upon this blog: https://serbiathroughamericaneyes.wordpress.com

Some blog of an American dude who visits/works in Serbia a lot about his experience here. It's quite interesting if you want to find out more about life differences between USA and Serbia :)
 
Deal. Go Crimea all over it, up until you mentioned it I was convinced it's a city in Bulgaria anyway :p
 
Resurrection in honor of the 1st anniversary of me moving from Samsun, which I talked about on this thread about a 1,5 years ago, to a new home, where my university is located. This time, it's a much more familiar name.

Ankara is quite an old city. It was inhabited by Hattians and Hittites, so we're talking about a Bronze Age city here. It saw a large expansion under Phyrgian rule, as Phrygian capital of Gordion was located just 70 kms away. But it wasn't until the Turkish War of Independence and the founding of TBMM that Ankara became a very significant place. Ankara was eventually chosen as a decision center because of its placement in the country, more so than anything else.

The most significant sight in Ankara is the Anıtkabir, which is Atatürk's mausoleum. It can be seen from some of the most lively locations in the city and looks particularly nice in the night.

Anitkabir-Slayt2.jpg


Kocatepe Mosque is the most famous mosque in the city. It's probably one of the Top 5 most famous mosques in the country, accompanying Sultanahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque), Hagia Sophia and Süleymaniye Mosque of Istanbul and Selimiye Mosque of Edirne. Religious or not, the architecture of these mosques can fascinate anyone.

640px-KocatepeMosque.jpg


There are two places in Ankara that you can call the "heart of the city". The first is Kızılay, the second is Ulus. The former is a significantly more modern site than the latter and has an active social life. Ulus would more charming to a tourist, because it's located where the foundations of the city lie. You can find Monumentum Ancryanum, where the most intact copy of Augustus' funerary inscription lies, and the Ankara Castle there. It's more or less the cultural heart of the city, you can really experience Ankara to the fullest there.

MonumentumAncyranum28Nov2004.jpg


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The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in Ulus is an absolute must-see for a visitor. It received the European Museum of the Year Award back in 1997 and is very, very cool. Other than that, you'll find a shit ton of shopping malls throughout the city. It's pretty much what the city is known for apart from its obvious political value, thanks to the massively corrupt city mayor who's been in charge for almost 25 years. You can visit Atatürk Forest Farm and Zoo, although it is recently have been ruined by an abomination called Aksaray, which was illegally built despite blockage from several courts to be the biggest presidential palace in the world. I'm not going to post a picture of it.

Getting used to the lack of a sea has been a bit more difficult for me than I thought it would be, having lived in a seaport town my entire life. All in all, Ankara is an okay city. It's more of a business city than anything, which is boring, but what are you gonna do. If you're ever gonna visit Turkey, you should probably just go to Istanbul, Izmir, Antalya or another touristic town on the Mediterrenean coast, or Cappadocia. Avoid Ankara. :p
 
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Just found this AMAZING thread and decided to contribute...
I live in Houston TX and have for most of my life. It is one of the most racially diverse cities in the US and most people who live here are NOT native Houstonians. It is a city of constant influx of people. Some arrive for the Texas Medical Center
one of the most respected (and well traveled to) medical locations in the US. I love the variety of choices to take my son to like Space Center Houston which incorporates NASA (right next door) in the tour
images

or the many museums found in Hermann Park, which in addition to the Houston Zoo, has the Museum of Natural Science
There are many large parks like Memorial Park or George Bush park.
What about concerts? Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion (an outdoor concert place) is where Maiden has played for a decade now
Toyota Center in downtown Houston is where I saw Rush, Metallica, and many others (also home to the Houston Rockets!)
Speaking of sports...can't talk about Houston without mentioning the Texans and Astros as well. Here is NRG Park (home of the Texans) next to the Astrodome (former home of the Astros)
Weather wise...well you better like it HOT. 100% humidity EVERYDAY and we have no spring or fall...just summer and a few days of winter. I can count on one hand how many times it has snowed in Houston in my lifetime.
Galleria is one of the destination places for well off shoppers from around the world (and a nice part of town)
 
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