22 Comments
May 27, 2023Liked by Christopher Elliott

The two cities in the same country that I have found the most different are Cape Town and Johannesburg South Africa. Cape Town is colorful and full of things to do. Joburg is much more urban but the city is bleak and other than some historical landmarks there is really not much to do. Joburg is the gateway to all of the countries in the south of Africa. I would definitely recommend Cape Town as a place to spend a week.

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May 27, 2023Liked by Christopher Elliott

Sorry.... but I don't think there's any GOOD Kambucha anywhere! :)

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May 27, 2023Liked by Christopher Elliott

Countries with totally different cities:

Poland - Warsaw and Krakow

Austria: Vienna and Salzburg

Italy: Venice and Rome (or any other city)

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May 27, 2023Liked by Christopher Elliott

What is that food item Aren seems enthused about?

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May 27, 2023Liked by Christopher Elliott

United Arab Emirates - Dubai is glitz abd razzle dazzle as if Liberace and Elton John became cities. Down the road, Abu Dhabi (on the Corniche) is quieter and peaceful refined elegance. Then, Sharjah is the mental image of the Middle East - sand dunes, camels, Bedouin camps.

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May 27, 2023Liked by Christopher Elliott

Kia Ora.....Been to NZ 7 times in my lifetime. Auckland usually was just a drop off for me to travel from there North or South. It is a fast, younger generation city as I see it. I mostly preferred to take the ferry to Davenport and spend a day on the island.

Chchch on the flip side is my all time relaxed, laid back city, where I can sit on a bench in a park and enjoy people watching. The most exiting thing I done in Chchch taken a few tram rides around the city.

Enjoy your stay.

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May 27, 2023Liked by Christopher Elliott

Two cities that are so totally different are Stockholm and Sodertalje, Sweden, and they are close together. Of course, Stockholm is a big city with business and traffic and the like. There is also Old Stockholm, which is exactly what its name implies. Still has cobblestone street, has a few shops, restaurants, and the like; but there is a 40 year waiting list for an apartment in Old Stockholm. I suppose you can sign up when you are 30 and hope one opens up when you are about to retire. It is so beautiful and so clean. About Stockholm and Sodertajie (my apology for not having the 2 dots over the o.). Sodertaije is a very urban feeling city with character all of its own. Everything in the city is walkable. Shops and restaurants a plenty. Shop owners all speak English. When I was there, none of the shops were air conditioned; however, I hear they are now. Even tho a third of that country is in the arctic circle, the average temperature has begun to rise. One interesting place, my cousin took me to a large IKEA. When we got to the entrance, there was an escalator that was not working and was so very long to walk up. No elevator in sight. As soon as I stepped on the escalator, it began to work. How inventive to save on electricity to keep the moving stairs motionless until someone activates it by stepping on the first step. We finally arrived at the house where my mother and her family lived before coming to the United States. My cousin went to the front door and explained that my mother used to live there and wondered if I could come in and look around. “Oh! Of course, yes. Come in and I will make coffee and I have cookies.” To be honest, if someone came to my home in the United States with that story, I would be very suspicious and most likely not let them in. The owner showed me the list of all the people that had lived in that house from the time that house was born. Isn’t it wonderful that people and history are so important? I better stop so you won’t have so much to say.

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May 27, 2023Liked by Christopher Elliott

We had lunch on our own during a tour in Christchurch and were joined by a lovely young fellow American girl. It turned out that our younger daughter had been her high school guidance counselor. Small world!

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May 27, 2023Liked by Christopher Elliott

Lived in Beijing in the mid 1990s, spent some time there and in Shanghai during Spring Festival during that time. I had read how Spring Festival was celebrated in China and was anxious to experience it. Supposedly doors were decorated with posters and sayings and pictures honoring the ancient Gods. Not in Beijing. Was told that any honoring of old traditions were frowned upon, and it was true, doors were as plain as usual. Shanghai was totally different. Doors were festive, the vibe was different and I finally found a print of a Kitchen God that I’d been looking for to no avail in Beijing. The saying went, the further you were from the emperor, the greater the freedoms. And even though the emperor was long gone…it still seemed to be true.

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Happy birthday, Aren’t

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Good to hear that Auckland is finally coming of age since the country's major airport is there and the major cruise terminal is also in Auckland. But that change makes it like all other major cities around the world. It's too bad that more of the Māori origins and history were not covered in your podcast. For people who have never been that far, it would have been an "eye opener" for people to learn how the Māori and other So. Pacific Island groups navigated their way to the islands by using the sun, stars and wave action and had the forethought to build boats that looked like today's catamarans for stability thus one reason for the Maritime history museum being such a unique gem along with Te Papa. Hopefully, I'll get back to Auckland in about 5 years and perhaps, the transformation will be complete with some thoughtful, visible acknowledgements of the Māori's 700-1000 years history and contributions in New Zealand.

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How’s it spelled?

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