Sydney: Is it really that great?
December 12th 2006 04:04
"A beautiful place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there"
Everyone's said it before. For Australians, usually it refers to a picturesque, coastal European city like Positano in Italy, or Marseilles in France. They're beautiful places, peaceful and quiet, a farcry from your hometown. There's always the downsides though - job security, boredom, lack of the hustle and bustle that you've grown used to. So you stick to your life, the dream of a Tuscan villa never taking more than a toehold in your mind. So how many people say the same thing about about Sydney?
As someone who's travelled but never really lived anywhere else besides Sydney, it's hard for me to judge my own town. Of course, it has many negatives - traffic, the continuing adjustment to multiculturalism. But there's always the nostalgia to overcome any negative, the feeling of home that outweighs any downside that could possibly come up against it.
So when I read an article on the idea of Sydney not being so great, all those usual barriers came up - my city's fantastic, how could anyone dare say anything otherwise. Is it true?
The article raised a few issues in favour of that sentiment. "A city in love with its own image... a party town so enamoured with its postcard-perfect imagery that reality rarely gets an invite..." Depends what you define reality. The day-to-day urban sprawl living, the horrible traffic, the toaster-like apartment blocks - Sydney's got it all and more. In fact, the postcard-perfect imagery exists, but in small air pockets scattered throughout Sydney. There's the obvious - The Rocks - but then there's the perfect suburbs - Summer Hill, Concord, the Inner West - and others that don't even come to mind now.
Inevitably, it's impossible to rate Sydney as the worst or the best. As far as "worse road rage than Italy" goes, that's handsdown - Italy doesn't have that much road rage, just alot of accidents. Sydney definitely isn't the cheapest city around, in fact with GST, IR laws, and the market boom, it's pretty hard to start on pittance in Sydney. But for what its worth, it's a pretty good city.
| 112 |
| Vote |
Shared on
Subscribe to this blog
Comment by MelissaA
Fun Facts
Comment by Jimbo
Short Film Making
Media Blotch
Punk Rawk News
Comment by MelissaA
Fun Facts
Melbourne is too crowded plus Sydney has better weather.
Brisbane is also congested. not that the Sydney isn't but it feels different.
Adelaide is more spacious but there's nothing to do.
Perth - I do love the wide open spaces but it's still not on par with the attractions we have here in Sydney. Hobart is similar....and the list pretty much goes on like that. We have more attractions here in Sydney, more temperate weather and a better all around design I feel.
Comment by Jimbo
Short Film Making
Media Blotch
Punk Rawk News
Comment by Adrian
Philosophy Blog
One factor it has going for it, in Australian terms, is population. I think, in general, larger cities are more interesting. More diversity, more things happening...
Comment by Cibbuano
20/20 Filmsight
Science News
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
And then live in crime-hardened American cities.
Then in dull, government cities.
Then in polluted, smoggy cities.
Comment by Jimbo
Short Film Making
Media Blotch
Punk Rawk News
Comment by Been Away Too Long
Comment by Syd Fish