Time and time again, I like to make a fun post such as this. I call them “Buzzfeed” posts, as they’re mostly just for fun and don’t seek to report actual news. These sort of posts don’t aim at informing either. They’re for fun both for those reading the articles and for me, the writer. The other night I was thinking about the similarities and differences between American and European cities.
I have been to a majority of these cities and for the other comparisons, I have insider information from friends, family, and other sources. Obviously, none of these comparisons will be 100% spot-on. I don’t expect everyone to agree, and that’s alright. Let’s get into it.
New York City, NY and London, UK
Given the title of this article, I thought this was a given comparison. The two biggest cities of their respective continents, NYC and London are so much more than just their population sizes. Both cities boast an extremely diverse set of people, culture, food, and ideas. London and NYC are both global hubs of finance. If NYC was a separate state from New York State, it would still be third in GDP behind California and Texas with ~$2.03 trillion. London is significantly less (but in comparison to Europe, still very high). If London were a state in the USA, they would be 5th in GDP.
Culturally, both cities are some of the most diverse in the world. NYC and London are #1 and #2 in cultural diversity. NYC boasts 37% foreign-born New Yorkers and London has 36%. The majority of those New Yorkers are South American while a large percent of foreign-born Londoners are South Asian.
Seeing both cities personally, they have many similarities, however they’re extremely different in their own ways. I want to clarify for this comparison (and the upcoming ones), the USA and Europe (and it’s not even comparable to compare one European city to another country’s) are so very different. Keep this mind as we continue on.
Los Angeles, CA and Barcelona, Spain
Jumping from the East coast to the West, we take a trip to Los Angeles, the City of Angels. And over in Europe, we drop down to the continent to Barcelona, Spain. I’ve been to both cities and feel this is an extremely accurate comparison.
Los Angeles, while not getting as hot as Phoenix or Las Vegas, still has very hot summers and wild winters, similar to the European comparison. They’re both lined up against bodies of water (Pacific Ocean, Baltic Sea), making for great beaches. While thinking of similar European cities, I wanted to also include the diversity, which is important to Los Angeles’ complexion. Barcelona is the second most diverse city in Spain but fits the description well.
Another essential part of Los Angeles is being one of, if not, the largest hubs of art, media, and culture in the US. I wanted to pick a city that dedicated much time to the arts of painting, writing, and films. While Barcelona hasn’t cracked the top film festivals in the world, they’re still recognized as an honorable festival. Many celebrities pass through Barcelona and it’s well-regarded as one of the best sports cities in the world, as is Los Angeles.
Boston, MA and Dublin, Ireland
This one seems like another cop-out, and it sort of is. From the U.S. Census Bureau and Boston Globe, over 22% of Bostonians claim Irish heritage (2014 survey). While this data is over a decade old, it still stands true from personal experience. Massachusetts has more Irish pubs per capita (which, yes, is a real statistic) and the culture can be seen spilling into local sports. The Boston Celtics, tied for the oldest continually operating team in the NBA (1946), are tied heavily to Boston’s Irish heritage.
Both Boston and Dublin share a love for music, story, and dance. As someone who has visited Boston more than any other city (other than Houston, since I live here), I can confirm it’s the best pick to relate to Dublin (another city close to my heart). Dublin, being a European city, thrives in old architecture and Boston, one of America’s oldest cities, is based off the same architecture. It’s unfair to use features like rivers and parks, but both cities have a central park (St. Stephens Green, Boston Common) and are situated along a river/oceanside.
Chicago, IL and Berlin, Germany
Centrally located in the USA and Europe, Chicago and Berlin are another great pairing. They have a great music scene, walkable and accessible through public transit/personal vehicles, and have industrial backgrounds. Chicagoans are extremely hard-working people and from what I’ve heard across the pond, the same can be said for Berliners. Take one look at the surrounding areas in Berlin and Chicago and this hypothesis is proven immediately. Chicago has political significance in being a safe haven for escaped slaves. Berlin was a key area in the Cold War, with the Berlin Wall being torn down in 1989.
Chicago has been known as a political stronghold in US History, being a blue mark in an otherwise red Midwest. It had importance in destroying slavery and more recently was the birthplace of President Barack Obama. Berlin has been at the heart of European politics since before WWII, being involved (firsthand) in several wars and conflicts. While both Chicago and Berlin have a lot of differences and are hard to compare at eye-level, they’re much more culturally similar than one might be willing to admit.
Portland, OR and Amsterdam, Netherlands
For the final comparison in this post, I wanted to put Portland with Amsterdam. Let’s clarify, I mean Portland, Oregon, not Portland, Maine. Both cities have extremely liberal governments and the individuals living in each respective city are some of the most down-to-earth people I have ever met. Because of the liberal governments, you’ll see things you might not in many other cities. This includes more widespread legalization and prostitution (the latter being only in Amsterdam). Amsterdam is situated along the sea and both boast water as an important feature to their cities.
Portland is known for its greenery and sustainability, along with Amsterdam, and the Netherlands as a whole. I could talk endlessly about this, but I wanted to get into one more key aspect between the two cities: food. Portland is known for its small business and independent food scene. Portland is known for having a high concentration of restaurants per citizens while Amsterdam has close to 1,900. The Oregon city also has a strong brewing scene while Amsterdam boasts a similar, vibrant scene.
I hope you enjoy this short snippet while I continue working on larger, more important projects. I hope to release another post soon so be on the lookout! All photos taken/credited to me.