What's your favorite place?

[JA]

The point of this thread is to learn about different places and what their culture is like, along with other similar attributes. I'd like to discourage any commentary on places that you have not spent a lot of time, so please just comment on places (cities, states, metro areas, regions of your state or country) where you live, have lived, or spent a lot of time in (not just visiting there briefly once or twice). Provide any characteristics about the place you think are noteworthy or important (politics, general attitudes, introverted v. extroverted, food, entertainment, cultural opportunities, quality of life, etc...). You can do that for just your favorite place or all places where you've spent a lot of time, but be sure to note your favorite. And if you're like me, a person who hasn't spent much time elsewhere, then just describe your area.

[parochial boy]

I'm going to go with Geneva, Switzerland, where I lived from age 2 to 22, and which is still very much "home" (my family and most of my friends still live there).

Most people, will, if they have any preconceptions of it, think of various cliches like the international conferences; the banks (and banking scandals) and various stereotypes like chocolate, cheese and watches.

Historically, Geneva has spent most of its history as a quasi-independent city state, and was notably home to Jean Calvin, and is where Calvinism was born. This meant that, for much of its history, it was quite an austere place (many would claim it still is...), although massive immigration and secularisation in recent decades mean that nowadays, less than 10% of the population is protestant; compared to over a third who are catholic and a similar number who are non-religious.

Despite the banker stereotype, it is a historically more working class than people think, particularly around industries like textiles, lock making and watchmaking. Despite some of the world's most expensive luxury watches originating in Geneva, it has always been a working class (albeit highly skilled) profession, and the industry has been at the heart of some of the most radical social  movements in the country. The heartlands of communism in Switzerland are still very much the traditional watchmaking towns of Romandie (French speaking Switzerland).

These days, the most obvious thing about Geneva is it's internationalism - 40% of the population are foreign, over half are immigrants, and nearly two-thirds hold a foreign passport. This is a result of many things - economic immigration from Southern Europe; refugees coming from the Balkans, and more recently Eritrea and Sri Lanka; middle class expats working for the international institutions, banks and multinationals (all taking advantage of those delightful low taxes and fiscal secrecy).

Politically, the defining factor is Social Liberalism (of a sort), most obviously, this means support for open borders, environmental politics, and so on - on any social issue, Geneva is potentially as left wing as anywhere in the world (although this doesn't equate to being particularly relaxed,or libertarian even, try mowing the lawn on a Sunday, or flushing your toilet late at night and expect a call from the police).

Across the board, it is fairly left wing (all the more so by Swiss standards) - Geneva had a Communist mayor for most of my childhood (which is hillarious when you think about it), and will always give strong support to left wing parties. In particular the Green party, whose mesh of liberalism and leftism means that the local Green party is the strongest in the country (and potentially in the world - given that the Swiss Greens are one of the most successful Green parties).

On the flip side though, the banks and the low taxes means that there is also strong support for economic liberalism (in the European sense) of deregulation and tax cuts.

These days, the key local issues are housing (very expensive); healthcare (also very expensive - make note anyone who thinks the Swiss healthcare model is something the US should try and emulate) and the phenomenon of the fronatlier (people who cross the border from France to work in Geneva, and are largely blames for taking all the jobs and causing bad traffic).

Beyond that, while exceptionally wealthy, it has the reputation of being a quiet (ie boring town), which is fair to a degree. Expats often complain, but expats usually make zero effort to integrate, so they have no right to. If you're into reggae or dubstep or metal, you'll be very happy as it turns out; and there is a thriving counter culture (lots and lots of squats...), and absolutely excellent beer (important). Also, you're on the edge of a huge lake, and surrounded by absolutely incredible countryside (and while the winters are dreary, the summers are incredible). So if you're bored, it's kind of your own fault.

Sorry for waffling on, I'm feeling kind of homesick at the moment

[RINO Tom]

Favorite place as in where I feel most at home, most comfortable, happiest on a daily basis?  Probably Iowa City with my friends and family.

Coolest place I've ever been?  That is really hard ... Paris was so unique and cool, and I was shocked by how awesome Edinburgh was.  At the end of the day, though, I have to go with St. Barths in the Caribbean.  Paris meets island.  If it weren't so important to me to be able to make every family Christmas and Thanksgiving while my grandparents and parents are still alive, I probably would have moved to somewhere by a beach by now, and while I could probably not afford to live in St. Barths possibly ever, that'd be a dream come true.

It'd really help me chill out.

[Tender Branson]

Being on top of an Austrian mountain, either with the mountainbike in summer or snowboarding/skiing/snowshoeing in winter. Or in the local woods/wilderness during the rainy spring or autumn months. I really like the solitude and absence of other people (especially tourists) during these times. But even in the summer and winter months I have trails where no tourist would ever go to.

[Del Tachi]

Starkville, Mississippi

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Other than my hometown of DaBurgh, Boston.

[Santander]

Lexington, Kentucky. I fell in love with it when I first visited, and that's why I moved there. Horses, bourbon, and SEC girls. What is there not to love?

I'm also a big fan of Tel Aviv and Bangkok.

[fhtagn]

If I had the opportunity to go back to the Brooks Range (Alaska), I would in a heartbeat. Beautiful landscape, roughing it in the wilderness, etc. Most of our camps were around/in between Chandalar Lake and Wiseman/Coldfoot, but I'd take most places within the range.

Valdez, Alaska would be a very close second.

[Grumpier Than Thou]

Portland, Maine.

[Mr. Smith]

Lake Tahoe, California/Nevada without a doubt.

The rugged mountains, the deep blue of the water, great wilderness areas on the rim, and when it gets into ski time.

[Goldwater]

Probably San Diego, with Orange County as a close second.

[Crumpets]

I love the drive between Bozeman, MT and Jackson, WY through Yellowstone and Teton National Parks. I've probably done it 5 or 6 times and every time I am just overwhelmed by the beauty and drama of it. Plus one of my best friends lives in Bozeman, so I always enjoy spending time there.

[Torie]

A certain city that in the 1790 census, was the third largest in NY state, and lost being made the capital of the state back when by one vote in the state legislature. Anyone want to guess what city that might be? 

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Lexington, Kentucky. I fell in love with it when I first visited, and that's why I moved there. Horses, bourbon, and SEC girls. What is there not to love?

I'm also a big fan of Tel Aviv and Bangkok.

VP Pence will be in Lexington tomorrow.  You should show up (assuming the Secret Service doesn't mind)

[Santander]

Lexington, Kentucky. I fell in love with it when I first visited, and that's why I moved there. Horses, bourbon, and SEC girls. What is there not to love?

I'm also a big fan of Tel Aviv and Bangkok.

VP Pence will be in Lexington tomorrow.  You should show up (assuming the Secret Service doesn't mind)

Sadly, I'm in Western NY now and only get down to Lexington once every few months.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Lexington, Kentucky. I fell in love with it when I first visited, and that's why I moved there. Horses, bourbon, and SEC girls. What is there not to love?

I'm also a big fan of Tel Aviv and Bangkok.

VP Pence will be in Lexington tomorrow.  You should show up (assuming the Secret Service doesn't mind)

Sadly, I'm in Western NY now and only get down to Lexington once every few months.

Ripley?

[Santander]

Lexington, Kentucky. I fell in love with it when I first visited, and that's why I moved there. Horses, bourbon, and SEC girls. What is there not to love?

I'm also a big fan of Tel Aviv and Bangkok.

VP Pence will be in Lexington tomorrow.  You should show up (assuming the Secret Service doesn't mind)

Sadly, I'm in Western NY now and only get down to Lexington once every few months.

Ripley?

I don't think his event is open to the public anyway. The Secret Service probably would mind if I showed up.

[OSR stands with Israel]

Portland ,Oregon

[Del Tachi]

A certain city that in the 1790 census, was the third largest in NY state, and lost being made the capital of the state back when by one vote in the state legislature. Anyone want to guess what city that might be? 

Hudson, NY

[Dr. MB]

-Coeur d'Alene Lake
-Seattle
-San Francisco

[dead0man]

home, it's where my stuff is.  I don't hate going other places, sometimes I even have fun, but I'm always ready to go home, back to my stuff.

[America's Sweetheart ❤/𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕭𝖔𝖔𝖙𝖞 𝖂𝖆𝖗𝖗𝖎𝖔𝖗]

Fairfax County, VA, naturally (since I've lived here most of my life).
My favorite place in the US that I've visited was Miami. I love the culture, food, weather, diversity, and of course the women.
My favorite country that I've visited would probably be Mexico.

[Badger]

Sitting on my back porch looking out over our wooded Meadow and Creek.

[Lechasseur]

Out of places I can say I spent quite a bit of time in, I'll go with Nordrhein-Westfalen (I've never lived there but I've been many times, especially around Cologne and Aachen), it's a place I could seriously see myself living in (although if I knew Bavaria better (I've only been once but I absolutely loved it) it would most likely rank as number 1), I also really like Tuscany where I've visited a few times.

Otherwise in France I like Normandy, Alsace and Lyon a lot (all three are very nice to visit but I'd live in one of the two latter ones, Normandy is just too rural, afterwards I could change my mind if I visited Rouen), on the other hand I'm not a huge fan of my birth city or the city I'm currently living in.

And in Belgium I actually think Flanders is a very nice place that's really worth a visit but if I were to go back I'd live in Brabant Wallon because it would be close enough to Brussels for work and they speak French there (I like visiting Brussels but I would not want to live in Brussels proper).

Then for the US out of places I've spent a lot of time in as an adult I think New Orleans is really cool to visit but I'd rather live in Oakland County, Michigan (the Midwest is a better fit for me culturally all and all, although I really like the South).

[President Johnson]

A few ones:

- Neos Marmaras, Halkidiki, Greece (Halkidiki in general, too)
- Leonberg, Germany
- Santa Monica and Malibu, USA