Searching the World for People Friendly Cities

Since 2006, we have been searching the world for People Friendly cities.   As we have traveled, we have made observations about the People Friendliness of a number of the world's cities and have documented excellent examples with stories and pictures.

We call ourselves Nomads.
For us, this means we have developed a special way of life, our "Nomad Lifestyle" that involves traveling much of the time, and staying in most places for a longer time than most tourists; a minimum of a week and preferably a month or more.   In a longer visit, we are able to experience a place more thoroughly and savor the local lifestyle that we encounter along the way.

- For a few hints, tips and ideas about our "Nomad Lifestyle",     click here.
- For what we look for in a space to stay,    click here
- For what are -"It Is So Civilized!",     click here

Below are links to the lists of our stories. We have divided the list by geographic area and within each, by date (latest at the top). We invite you to follow the links to whichever part of the world is of interest to you.

US and the Americas

Europe

The Rest of the World

We add new stories as we travel, so check back every now and then.

Click here to return to our PioneerWest homepage.

 

US and the Americas

  • United States and Canada
       - Early Spring 2020 - Travels before the Covid Era
       - Travels in the US - Year 2019
       - Western Canada and our Return to the Northwest US (Summer 2017)
       - Nomads with Wings Clipped (Summer 2012)
         - Stapleton - 10 Years On
       - Resuming Nomad Life - In Mexico and on to Hawaii (Spring 2012)
       - The Beginning - Discovering Our Nomad Genes
         - Ft. Myers, Florida - A Downtown Renaissance
       - Los Angeles, without a car
  • Mexico
       - Winter 2019/2020 - Navidad y Ano Nuevo en Guadalajara
       - Winter 2018/2019 - En el Camino a Mexico y En Casa en Puerto Vallarta
       - Winter of 2017/18 in Mexico - Finding the Balance Between Living Life and Exploring the World
         - Travels in Yucatan, Mexico
       - Our Escape to Mexico Extends From Winter into Spring - December 2016 to April 2017
       - Life in Puerto Vallarta - Relaxed, Easy, Urban (Fall 2013)
       - Mexico - Guadalajara, A City of Plazas, Museos, and Vital Urban Living (2012)
       - Winter 2008/2009 in Mexico - Seeking great cities and culture.

  • Central and South America
       - The Nomads Again Fly South for the Winter (2015/2016)
         -  Argentina's Big Changes
         -  We Travel North to the Atacama Desert
         -  Atacama Desert in Northern Chile (Flickr album)
         -  Santiago, Chile - Vibrant, Rich in Culture, Diverse, and Livable'
         -  Our Bus Trip from Santa Cruz to Chillan - an Adventure
         -  Perito Moreno Glacier in Patagonia, Argentina (Flickr album)
       - Finding Summer in Argentina (Winter 2013/2014)
       - Ecuador - First Nomad Journey of 2013
         - Our Galapagos Adventure
           - Galapagos Trip (Flickr album)
         - Cuenca - Ecuador's People Friendly City
         - Banos, and then on to Tena, at the Edge of the Amazon jungle
         - Quito - A City Shaped by Its Geology
       - Central and South America (2010) (Costa Rica, Argentina and Peru)

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    Europe

  • Summer 2019
       -  Long Summer Days and Urban Life in Netherlands and Germany
          -  Nuremberg - Friendly City with Deep History and Rich Architecture (Flickr album)
  • Summer 2018
       -  Escape to Croatia Where We Discover a Fascinating Country, and on to Hamburg and Haarlem
  • Summer 2017
       -  Return to Europe - Cherishing Nomad Life, Becoming Global Citizens and Engaged Americans
          -  Searching for Vincent Van Gogh
  • Summer 2016
       -  Back to Europe - First Stop Brussels, on to Germany, Poland & UK
         -  Discovering the Amsterdam School
         -  Poznan - Birthplace of a Nation
         -  Warsaw - A City With Its Own Identity
         -  Gdansk - Maritime History, and the Birth of the Solidarity Movement
         -  Krakow's Renaissance Architecture, Nazi Oppression and Communist Planning
         -  Krakow Highlights (Flickr photo gallery)
         -  Newcastle Upon Tyne - So Much to Enjoy Here!
         -  Hadrian's Wall - the Roman Empire Stops Here
         -  Edinburgh - A City of Scottish Charm and Fascination
           -  Visit to Edinburgh Castle
  • Summer 2015
       -  Nomads' Return to Europe - First Stop Nijmegen, Then on to France and England
         -  Nijmegen, Netherlands - A Place Where We Feel Very Much at Home
           -  Keukenhof Gardens (Flickr photo album)
         -  France: Paris and the Loire Valley
           -  France: Loire Valley - Visit to Fontevraud Abbey
           -  Blois Chateau (Flickr album)
           -  Chambord Chateau (Flickr album)
           -  Beauregard Chateau (Flickr album)
           -  Chenenceau Chateau (Flickr album)
           -  Cheverney Chateau (Flickr album)
         -  England: Reading, Cathedral Cities, The Old Farm House, Birmingham and Bath
           -  Old Sarum and the Cathedral City of Salisbury
           -  Nomads Settle in Hungerford in the English Countryside
  • Summer 2014
       -  Switzerland and More Time in Brussels
         - Lucerne - City of the Sad Lion, Blue Water, and Snowy White Peaks
         - Zermatt and the Matterhorn (Flickr photo album)
         - Story of our travels in the Interlaken region
         - Jungfrau Views from Stilthorne (Flickr photo album)
  • Summer 2013
      - Europe - Brussels, Vienna, England and Madrid
         - The Waters, Tarns, Fells and Dales of Northwest England
         - Port Sunlight - The Lever Brothers Vision Of a Village Where Their Workers Could Live a Better Life
      - Turkey - Perfect for Spring and Early Summer
         - Ancient Cities of Turkey - Building to Last
  • Fall 2012 (France)
      - Our Paris Stories
        - Hemingway's Paris
        - Haussmann's Paris
      - A Tale of Four Cities
        - Rouen - City of Spires
        - LeHavre - Port City of Auguste Perret
        - Caen - Home of William the Conqueror
        - Rennes - Brittany's Friendly Capital
      - Normandy Coast (Flickr photo album)
      - Etretat (Flickr photo album)
      - Giverny (Flickr photo album)
      - Mont St Michel (Flickr photo album)
  • Winter 2011/12 (Spain)
  • Summer 2011 (Germany)
       - Berlin - Das Leben Ist Sehr Gut! (Life is Good!)
       - Hamburg: River City and Major Port
       - HafenCity - Hamburg's Bold New Venture in Urban Living
       - Leipzig - Home Town of Johann Sebastian Bach
       - Dresden - Baroque, Revived and Restored
       - Erfurt and Eisenach - In the Footsteps of Martin Luther
  • Summer 2010 (Turkey, Netherlands and Germany)
      - Turkey
        - Istanbul: City of Blue Waters, Rich Past, Influential Future
        - Topkapi Palace - Seat of Power of the Ottoman Empire
        - Kudos to Istanbul for People Friendliness!
        - Sultanahmet Camii, The Blue Mosque
        - The Ruins of Ephesus Tell Many Stories
        - Aya Sofya, Emperor Constantine's Church of Holy Wisdom
        - Pergamon - Keystone of the Aegean Kingdoms
      - Netherlands
        - Delft - Nearly Perfect Urban Living
        - The Dutch Celebrate the Return of Their World Cup Team
        - Den Haag - Global City by the Sea
        - Climate Change - Worrying about US!
      - Germany
        - Berlin - From Somber History to the Joys of Urban Living
  • Summer 2009 (Germany and Hungary)
      - Germany
        - Our Home in Freiburg
        - Solar Region Freiburg
        - Vauban is Famous!
        - What Makes Freiberg so People Friendly?
        - Freiberg Rides and Rambles
      - Hungary
        - Budapest Calls Us Back
  • Summer 2008 (Italy, Hungary and Scandanavia)
      - Italy
        - Venice - the Ultimate Walkable Urban City!
        - Firenza - Finding Resemblances to Madrid and Santa Fe
        - Pisa - Engaging, Though the Bell Tower Leans
        - A Walk Through the Cinque Terre
        - Our Home in Roma
        - Ancient Roma
        - Herculaneum - A Roman City Preserved
        - Pompeii - A Great City in a Dangerous Location
      - Hungary
        - Szentendre and the Danube Bend - Our First Impressions of Hungary
        - The Belvaros - Budapest's Baroque Heart
        - Budapest - Finding Where People Live
        - Budapest's Transit System Provides Great Mobility Choices
      - Scandinavia
        - Through the Fjords of Norway - A Day of Sensory Overload
  • Summer 2007 (Spain, Belgium and England)
      Spain - Making Friends and Doing Business - Our Experiences
      - A map of our Travels in Spain
      - Barcelona
        - Update After Two Weeks
        - Living at the Pension Palacio
        - Urban Ecology
      - Madrid
        - Our first update about May 1
        - Our next update about May 24
        - Urban Ecology - thoughts at May 24
        - Conumbrum of Cars - thoughts at June 4
        - Madrid's Wonderful Museums
        - Time to Move On - Our Travels in Andalucia - see the links below
      - Day Trips from Madrid
        - Segovia
        - Toledo
        - El Escorial
      - Andalucia - Our Travels in Southern Spain
        - Cordoba
        - Sevilla
        - Donana National Park and Sanlucar de Barrameda
        - Algeciras and Gibralter
        - Algeciras to Granada by Train
        - Granada, with Our Picture Gallery of the Alhambra
      Brussels
        - Brussels - Our First Impressions
        - Brussels Update #2 in August
        - Brussels is a Comfortable, Livable City
        - The European Union (EU) and Its Place in Brussels, Its Capital
      - Day Trips from Brussels
        - Antwerp - The Second City of Belgium and Capital of Flanders
        - Bruges - Charming Medieval City
        - Ostend - Beach Resort City on the North Sea
      Munich for a Long Weekend - August 2007
      England - September 2007
        - Harlow 'New Town' - 60 Years Later
        - London, Dover and Greenwich
        - The Regeneration of Manchester

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    The Rest of the World

  • Seeking People Friendliness in Hong Kong and Singapore (Spring 2019)
        - 
    Understanding Hong Kong's Challenges is Hard!
        - Hong Kong (Flickr album)
        - Singapore - A Small Country, but a Great Success
        - Singapore (Flickr album)
  • New Zealand (Winter 2014/15)
        - Exploring Auckland In Search of Walkable Urban Neighborhoods
        - Christchurch - Four Years After
  • Africa (Spring 2014)
        - South Africa - Our Take
        - Durban, A Most South African City - Our Story
        - Safari to Kruger National Park (Flickr album)
        - Safari to Hluhluwe National Park & St Lucia Estuary story
        - Hluhluwe National Park (Flickr album)
        - Hippos in the St. Lucia Estuary (Flickr album)
        - Addo Elephant Park story
        - Addo Elephant Park (Flickr album)
        - Capetown story
        - Capetown, South Africa (Flickr album)
        - Simons Town & African Penguins (Flickr album)
        - Atlantic Coast of Cape Point (Flickr album)
  • Egypt (Winter 2012)
        - Where from? Welcome! - Our Experiences Meeting Egyptians
        - Egypt's People Made Our Visit Pleasurable!
        - Aswan - City at the First Cataract of the Nile and the Edge of Nubia
        - Abu Simbel and the Temple to Ramses II
        - Cruisin' Down the Nile (With a stop at Kom Ombo Temple)
        - Modern Day Luxor, Once the Ancient Egyptian Capitol of Thebes (with links to our photo albums)
        - People Friendly Cairo?
            - Sights of the City and the Coptic Area (Flickr photo album)
            - Citadel and the Pyramids at Giza (Flickr photo album)
        - Alexandria - 'Most European' of Egyptian Cities
            - Alexandria (Flickr photo album)
  • Australia and New Zealand (Winter 2010/11)
        Australia
        - Brisbane - Queensland's River City
        - Cairns - Wet Tropical Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef
        - Melbourne - The Chicago of Australia
        - Not Quite at Home in Melbourne
        - Uluru - Our Journey to Australia's Red, No, Green Center
        - Sydney - Beautiful, Really Australian and Fun!
        New Zealand
        - Christchurch Asks, "What Do We Want Our City To Look Like After the (September 2010) Earthquake?
        - Christchurch Earthquate - February 22, 2011
        - Travels Around New Zealand's South Island
        - Milford Sound - A Must See
        - Travels Around New Zealands North Island
  • India (Spring 2009)
      - Mumbai - City of Maximum Urban Vitality
      - Indian Cities are Difficult to Love!
      - India's Elections - The Greatest Exercise of Democracy on the Planet!
        - #1 - The Exercise Begins
        - #2 - Good Morning, Bangalore - It's V-Day!!
        - #3 - Jai Ho, Congress! Get to It!
      - Kerala, South India
        - Munnar - Land of Tea and Misty Mountains
        - Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary
        - Traveling By bus in Kerala - Adventurous and Then More Adventurous
        - Backwaters of Kerala
        - Varkala Beach - A 5 Minute Rickshaw Ride from India
      - Bangalore - Expectations, Realities and a 'Save the Trees' Crusade
      - Delhi
        - We Find a Home in Malviya Nagar
        - Exploring the Delhi Megalopolis by Bus and Metro
      - Ajanta - The Inspiring and Amazing Temple Caves
  • India - Spring of 2006
        -  Mumbai, India
        -  Exploring Agra, India
        -  Looking to the Past and the Future in Delhi, India
        -  Traditional Worship Ceremony in a Mountain Village in Western Arunachal Pradesh, India

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