Show us your hometown!

[NMUSpidey 3,956]

My hometown is Toledo, OH.  There are many things about it I think are very underrated (art museum, zoo, just how green it really is with the massive MetroParks, etc).  Here is downtown (I don't think I took this picture, but it's on my hard drive).

 

 

And here's 5/3 Field, where the world famous Toledo Mud Hens play minor league ball (I did take these pictures).

 

 

And here is where I lived until last year, a part of Ito called Usami.

 

And here is where I live now, a part of Ito called Ike.

 

And this is the main part of the city of Ito (the little part wedged into the valley near the water in the distance).

 

The Usami picture I took from the beach, and the Ike and Ito pictures I took from the top of my volcano, Oomuroyama.  I don't have any pictures of the two years I lived in Koshigaya, because it's just an extension of Tokyo's never-ending expansion across the Kanto plain and all the buildings look alike.  Most of the pictures I have of that time are from my wife and I sightseeing across Tokyo, because we were only like a 20-30 minute train ride out.  We lived in Osaka before that, but only for four months, but our favorite place in the world is Marquette, MI.  We lived there for four years for college, and I would move back there in a heartbeat if I could be assured of steady employment.  I don't have any good pictures of that, though.  Oh well.  I'm sure I'll go there again, and I'll be sure to take a good picture to show you guys.

[Munchiez 74]

My hometown here in Abingdon, Virginia. The beautiful mountains and the historical scenery are breathtaking and I am very happy to live here!

Below is the lower end of Abingdon, the mountain is Whitetop Mountain, the second tallest in the state.

We take great pride for our main street. Has been here since the 1700's!

[UnumProvident 1]

This is where I live

[Neto Dari 220]

My hometown is João Pessoa(Brasil), the state capital. Has 769 604 inhabitants(in city), and more than 1 million in Metropolitan area, has many beautiful beaches and is very wooded, is connected by two federal highways(BR-101 and BR-230), has the easternmost point of the Americas, etc, etc.

 

Aerial photos: http://blog.portalexamedeordem.com.br/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/foto-aerea-de-joao-pessoa-e-mail1.jpg

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1k6GGfuu9qk/UOzqrq_cDcI/AAAAAAAACOc/PF1ZAYSIrsU/s1600/joao-pessoa-praia-830x474_830x474.jpg

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Alas, my hometown is no more.  Sleepy, not very touristy, Niagara Falls, Ontario has been replaced by a honky-tonk tourist trap.  I would be embarrassed to show pictures of it.

[UnumProvident 1]

This is where I live

[Sabretooth78 808]

Alas, my hometown is no more.  Sleepy, not very touristy, Niagara Falls, Ontario has been replaced by a honky-tonk tourist trap.  I would be embarrassed to show pictures of it.

I honestly can't say which side I like less.  The Ontario side is a joke and the NY side is a dump.  Take your pick.

[Toothless Stitch 2,901]

Considering that almost the whole skyline of Niagara Falls is shaped by hotels, casinos and other tourist stuff it actually a very sad fact.

 

However you can say whatever you want but this pic is simply amazing

 

 

I don't know if it's a photomontage, though.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Pretty sure that's a photo-montage.  The Niagara Parks Commission still has enough clout to prevent anyone from building such a monstrosity on the site of Table Rock House.  Besides, with the undermining going on, the place would probably fall into the gorge.  The area depicted is sitting on a cap of dolomite that is thoroughly undermined by a softer layer of limestone.  This area is a tourist attraction called "The Cave of the Winds" and actually has a balcony that opens onto the Horseshoe Falls.

 

If you want to see the place as it was when I was a kid there, find a copy of the movie "Niagara" starring Marilyn Monroe and Joseph Cotton.  While the film was in production there was a shot of Miss Monroe in bed with a sheet over her.  Some wise-guy reporter asked if she had anything on besides the sheet and she said "The radio".

[Sabretooth78 808]

Definitely a montage.  You'll find the subject building in the far lower right of this image:

 

 

All of the touristy garbage is located on "Clifton Hill"; the actual park and gardens on the terrace immediately alongside the gorge are quite nice.  Same for the NY side (left in the above) where the entire park system is getting a facelift (the company I work for worked on portions of the design and is currently doing inspections).  The biggest detraction is seeing the Canadian side with the dressed-up concrete hotel bunkers with huge garish "Casino" signs plastered all over the place (similar to the above image).

 

The NY side is a little less developed - whether that's a function of the park system (it's NYS Parks' cash cow) or the economic morass that has been NYS for the last 50 years...probably a combination of the two - but the city itself once you get to it is somehow even worse.  Think of the bad image you might have of Buffalo, divide it by two, and then apply it to a city 1/3 the size.  Think of the not-so-nice areas of Elizabeth, NJ but maybe not quite that bad.

 

Ok I digress...     Really, the Falls are beautiful, but if you were to visit I would lump it in (along with Buffalo) as a day trip from Toronto or something.  But to each their own!

[Sabretooth78 808]

Apologize for the double post but I figured I ought to post something relevant here as opposed to just complaining!

 

As for my hometown, Hamburg, NY, not much to say.  It's pretty much the typical former small town USA population center that has largely been subsumed by the suburbia of a larger city.  There are seriously no good pictures on the web so I'll throw this in:

 

 

Pretty standard, really.

 

We do host the Erie County Fair every August (this years' just ended) which is supposedly one of the (if not the) largest such events in the entire USA and Canada.  Anybody who has been to both will say it blows the "Great" New York State Fair (in Syracuse after they tear down here) out of the water.

 

 

As is typical for a local (see also Niagara Falls), the only times I usually go are when entertaining out-of-town company.  Yay, carnies!

[Toothless Stitch 2,901]

Oh my, and I thought I was the only one who thought "nah, Buffalo  " For some reason I just can't stand the city (I know I'm european and haven't been to any of the cities I'm talking about but that's just the opinion I got from what I could see an the net)

 

Hamburg, NY, indeed looks like a pretty standard mid sized US cities. However, this is actually one of the better looking cities. More western cities of this size look worse mostly. 

 

To show you how Hamburg could look like, here a photo of the Hamburg everybody know and which is the most beautiful city in Germany and also one of the most beautiful in Europe. When I recently went there I walked across the Holzbrücke which offers a beautiful view and reflects the two characters of the city

 

 

Unofrtunately, this is very small but it was the only one I found where you could see the Elphilharmonie ...

 

Also you got love these two shots

 

 

 

Just google "Binnenalster" or "Auß(ss)enalster" for more 

[Sabretooth78 808]

Buffalo is a very average American city.  There's a lot of good to go with a lot of bad.  It's actually quite nice in that since it's a mid-size city that was once much larger (in terms of influence at least; the metro area has remained relatively constant) it has the architecture, amenities and overall "feel" you'll often only find in cities many times its size.  Then if you want to experience the "big city", Toronto is less than 3 hours away.  It's no utopia but it's a far, far better place than the media would have you believe.  Certainly the American media anyway, which is an all-around joke to begin with.

 

I took German for 5 years in High School.  I swear we never learned any practical application of the language (especially in the last 3 years which were essentially the same curriculum) and no doubt I've forgotten most of it.  Anyway, whenever we would talk about the geography, etc of the country it usually always centered on the southern half, particularly Bavaria simply because it was the teacher's favorite region and he'd visited there so many times.  We focused on the north coast very little and hardly any time at all on the former GDR.  "Berlin is a very depressing city" I heard many times.  Mind you this was just 5-10 years after reunification so there was probably some truth to the opinion at the time.  If I ever get to Europe, Germany will be where I go first.  At the moment I still have about 100 Caribbean islands which are closer and cheaper to get to so who knows when that would be.  

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Actually, if you want a nice trip to the Honeymoon Capital of the World, avoid the hotels and casinos on Clifton Hill, except maybe the Foxhead Inn if it is still in business.  Other than that, find someplace towards Queenston if you want to stay a couple of days in the area.  The immediate parks area, as can be seen from the aerial shot, remain quite nice and controlled by the Niagara Parks Commission, but the rest is pretty grim.

 

The house I grew up in is now a Wendy's and the grade school I went to has become a McDonald's.  The High School was closed shortly after (before?) its centennial, and the neighbourhoods are destroyed.  Believe me, you can't go home again, especially after 50 years or so.

 

I recommend a tour of the wine country (the Niagara Bench).  There are tasting tours and some good restaurants there.

[Mr Saturn64 742]

Here are some pictures of Philly I took.

 

 

City Hall.  Tallest American city hall.

 

 

Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art.  

 

 

Logan Square (AKA Logan Circle.)

 

 

Masonic Hall.  Among the most beautiful buildings in the city.  (The interior is better)

 

 

Reflection

 

 

Liberty Place.  Second and Third tallest buildings in the city (and state)

[ThirtyThree 141]

^^^ I'm also from Philadelphia. 

 

I'm from and still reside in the Mayfair neighborhood of Philly.

(not my picture)

[BuffaloMaine 4]

Apologize for the double post but I figured I ought to post something relevant here as opposed to just complaining!

 

As for my hometown, Hamburg, NY, not much to say.  It's pretty much the typical former small town USA population center that has largely been subsumed by the suburbia of a larger city.  There are seriously no good pictures on the web so I'll throw this in:

 

... 

 

Pretty standard, really.

 

We do host the Erie County Fair every August (this years' just ended) which is supposedly one of the (if not the) largest such events in the entire USA and Canada.  Anybody who has been to both will say it blows the "Great" New York State Fair (in Syracuse after they tear down here) out of the water.

 

...

 

As is typical for a local (see also Niagara Falls), the only times I usually go are when entertaining out-of-town company.  Yay, carnies!

 

Well, that answers that question. I was wondering where in WNY you were from. I grew up in East Aurora, went to Canisius HS, and UB. Most of my family still lives in the area. My grandparents had a farm that was within sight distance of The Ralph (which will forever be Rich Stadium to me). I have been very impressed with the recent revitalization of the city.

[Alejandro24 575]

I'm still thinking that the poll is wrong. As far as I know I'm not from Central America.

 

But doesn't matter. More photos:

[Toothless Stitch 2,901]

 

Hamburg City Hall

 

I live in a "town" of 900 people. The english Wikipedia entry consists of one sentence. And pictures are not available anywhere on the net.

 

However, my place of birth is bigger but still not very common, here you got a pic.

 

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Agree the poll needs editing.  Last time I looked Mexico was a signatory of the North America Free Trade Agreement.

[ROFLyoshi 1,760]

Hamburg City Hall

I live in a "town" of 900 people. The english Wikipedia entry consists of one sentence. And pictures are not available anywhere on the net.

However, my place of birth is bigger but still not very common, here you got a pic.

Hamburg is a beautiful place.

Your home 'town' isn't Willinghusen is it? That's where my dad comes from

[Toothless Stitch 2,901]

Ah, no I'm not from Hamburg. However, I'm only 40 km away from Central Hamburg.

[anytownUSA 32]

This is where I live

 

I walked across that pedestrian bridge just this past weekend, bought a record at one of those shops in the lower right of the image.  Then we had lunch just past the museum in the left of the image.  It was such a great day.  Chattanooga doesn't look like much but it's fun place in my experience.  

[timmetje 75]

I live in apeldoorn, the netherlands.

Home of about 150.000 citizens and mainly known for the attack on the qeeun with a suzuki swift:

 

The local palace:

 

 

The train station:

 

 

and a sad thing:

 

 

This guy drove trough a mass of people to ultimately stop againts a landmark called: de Naald, while just missing the open bus the queen and the crown prince were in

[timmie 988]

Not really where I live, but I do consider it 'my city': Brussels. The photos are made by me.

 

Mont des Arts/Kunstberg ('Hill of the Arts')

 

 

A sign near the Belgian Parliament ('The Palace of the Nation')

 

 

Place de la Monnaie/Muntplein (Place of the Mint) with the opera building:

 

 

Grand Place/Grote Markt ('Big Market'):

 

[MTYland 35]

Great places everyone

 

This is my Hometown, Ciudad Madero Tampico, Tamaulipas, Mexico.

 

Is located on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, with a warm climate for most of the year, it's tropical and sub​​-tropical, here we have our port cargo ships and soon we will have a port for cruises, we also have a large river that spans nearly the entire Mexican Republic and ends here on the coast of Tampico. There are beaches, hotels, trade, housing, night club, fishing, refineries which was "PEMEX", and more.

 

 

 

 

And this little friend instead sends greetings.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

In the late 1940s or early 1950s there was a popular song about Tampico: "Tampico, Tampico, on the coast of Mexico ..."  I guess it was originated by the tourist bureau, but that certainly is a pretty city.  What's the point of the raccoons?

[Thin White Duke 4,072]

My homtown is Lagga, in Sweden;

 

[Dazzyls 576]

This is where I was born: Breda, the Netherlands (I don't live there anymore)

 

@__B: You grew up in the grass? Are you an ant?

[Thin White Duke 4,072]

@__B: You grew up in the grass? Are you an ant?

If you'd met me before you'd know that yes, I am indeed an ant.