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Miscellaneous Lists (Countries and Cities)

Being a total anorak I make lists.

I make lists for everything from shopping to daily chores. It's so bad I make lists telling me where my lists are. Does this ring a bell with anyone?

I know I'm not alone and I suppose it is some form of compulsive disorder. Apparently the great composer Anton Bruckner had an obsession for counting things. On a walk he would count railings or pavement slabs. I have been known to go for a three mile walk and count the paces (and all because my pedometer had run out of batteries). Oh well the following is a miscellaneous list of my favourite and unfavourite things in all kinds of areas. Please don't take exception to the unfavourite list as its just a personal choice (really).

So we will start with favourite countries. The problem here is I have visited a limited number and many visits were years ago and I'm sure some of the countries have changed considerably.

Favourite Unfavourite
1 Switzerland - for its scenery, people, charm and general feeling of cleanliness. I always feel at home here. Romania - My visit to Romania during the Cesescu regime showed a country of little charm and concrete jungles.
2 USA - Purely because of its diversity, nationalism and because it has given us so much - both good and horrendously bad Egypt - I know this will be an unpopular choice but the beauty of the temples etc is destroyed by the aggressive nature of the people
3 Australia - Fun, youthful and an experience. Australians have a wicked sense of humour. Yugoslavia - I know as such this country no longer exists but there was a feeling of something dreadfully wrong when I visited and shortly afterwards it evolved into civil war.
4 Italy - For its scenery, history, beautiful language and exquisitely dressed people. Russia - Maybe a strange choice as Leningrad features amongst my favourite cities. But the poverty outside the cities is unsettling.
5 France - I know Brits aren't expected to like France, but again the scenery, the beaches and two very poignant visits to first and second world war sites
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Now a journey through favourite and unfavourite Cities of the World

Favourite Unfavourite
1 Zurich (Switzerland) - A surprise choice possibly, but Zurich is wonderfully pictureque and laid back. Trams, a lake, picturesque churches, chic shops, what more can you want for a place that oozes class. Palermo (Italy) - Sadly Italy is such a country of contrasts between the rich north and the poorer south. Nowhere is this more in evidence than in with its clogged up streets, crumbling buildings and lack of order. When we visited dead cats had just been left in gutters!
2 Barcelona (Spain)- A wonderful city of so many contrasts. Just about everything you can dream of is here. Beach, sea, wonderful Goudi architecture, tapas bars, La Ramblas, top sport, cable cars. Wonderful
3 St Petersburg (Russia)- Whether St Petersburg or Leningrad this is a classic city of bridges, rivers, wide thoroughfares and historic buildings such as the Wnter Palace and the Hermitage.
4 Venice (Italy) - Very often I am disappointed by cities when I get there, but not Venice. Sailing down the Grand Canal and enjoying St Mark's Square is like being in a different world and going back 200 years. Miles and mile of uninterrupted walking.
5 Rome (Italy) - So much history to walk over and the wonderful Trevi Fountain as the sun goes down. A classic city.
6 Brisbane (Australia) - Can't really say why, but Brisbane just has that something extra. On the surface it's fairly ordinary but just so enjoyable.
7 London (England) - For all its problems London can be a stunning city. On a warm spring day with the sun shining on the city skyline there are few better places to be
8 Paris (France) - Everyone seems to enjoy Paris. It maintains a small town air despite being one of the major cities of the world
9 Bruges (Belgium) - Belgium wouldn't get into many world top tens but this is a highly colourful and historic Flemish city.
10 Boston (USA) - Probably the most English of American Cities and with a great Irish feel as well. Also a honorable mention for Dublin which just failed to make the top 10

Finally in this section to favourite and unfavourite British Cities and Towns (excluding London)
Favourites Unfavourite
1 Manchester - History, re-juvenation, good shopping, cafe society and great galleries and music venues. When they re-built Manchester they got it so right. Leeds - Sorry Leeds, I know you're working hard to turn yourself into one of the great British cities but you still can't decide whether you want to be up market expensive chic or downmarket Yorkshire value. There's just something about the place I really don't like.
2 York - York still has a small city feel, being picturesque as well as historic. Seems to have a brilliant view of what it wants to achieve and does it in a classy way Birmingham - Okay the new canal area is pleasant and the city fathers have made an effort, but I can't take to this place at all.
3 Chester - Again a smaller city and plenty of attractive buildings and good pubs. Again delightful Leicester - A city of little charm or character
4 Oxford - A close one between our two major university towns but Oxford just shades it over Cambridge. Nottingham - Again sorry Nottingham but I'm sure you really are pleasant. My time living nearby co-incided with one of the more unhappy periods in my life, so I'm probably biased and need another visit
5 Cambridge - Still a beautiful city with so much history. A walk around the backs and the River Cam in spring or summer says it all. Walk in the footsteps of some of the greatest minds ever.
6 Lincoln - Again plenty of history and wonderful hilly streets despite it being in the middle of flat Lincolnshire.
7 Bath - So long since I visited Bath, but I remember it for all the right reasons
8 Warwick - Very much the same comments as for Bath. Spectacular castle and grounds
9 Stratford on Avon - Even if you don't like Shakespeare you can't help but being enveloped by history here.
10 Take you pick from the bustle of Liverpool, the northerness of Newcastle and the improving modernity of my home city of Norwich