Cities in the world

H Group 2014 

City Paragraphs First draft

1. Three things you need to know about Valparaiso.

Valparaiso is one of my favorite places in the world; it is located in the center of Chile at the bottom of the South American continent. One of the main aspects of the city is its lifestyle, since it is a port of entry of many international cruisers and navy boats from countries like the U.S., England, Puerto Rico and even China, which creates a very multicultural life, and you can appreciate it in its people, food, costumes, etc. Secondly, this is a city of poetry; many important Chilean poets lived here and produced a lot of their work in this place. You can also visit their houses or their tombs, this being a very important tourist attraction.

Finally we have the nightlife, which is very active and attractive; there are a lot of famous places where you can dance, drink and have an awesome time with friends or also connect and meet new people.    -Victor

2. Nashik: The Religious Capital of Maharashtra, India

India is home to countless religions, castes and belief systems, all living together under the safe roof, mostly in harmony. I come from a small town in the State of Maharashtra called Nashik. In my mother tongue the name means ‘nose’, which according to my culture represents a person’s honor. So the name represents the honor of my country, my state. The name appears in many Holy Scriptures, mythologies as well as sagas and has been intimately involved in the history of my culture and my country. It has more than a thousand temples, places of worship for Hindus, and at the same time it has plenty of mosques and churches. It is one of the 4places in the country where the famous 'Maha Kumbh'  happens, every 12 years. It is surrounded by hills on all sides, providing plentiful scenic locations and hiking and trekking spots. These scenic mountains also are abode to many deities; people come from far and wide to meet and worship their family deities. It gets to experience all kinds of weathers possible, summer - scorching hot, winter, spring, rains, fall, etc. The city is only a few hours away from the major cities like Mumbai or Pune, thus making it easier for people to travel for education and jobs. It holds the largest military base in Asia in its center. The city is also famous for its juicy sweet grapes which are exported worldwide to make quality wines of all kinds. It also houses the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, which is a major government company that manufactures aerocraft and its parts for the country. Also it houses the India Security Press, which prints the country’s currency. At the same time the city houses the Central Jail, one of the biggest and safest prisons in the country, which houses many high profile convicts. It is indeed the ‘honor’ of the country.  -Patil

3. Sydney

Three things you should learn about Sydney are the weather, its fantastic places and its bays. First of all, the climate in Sydney is temperate due to its altitude and its coastal location. It is always spring there. People can have leisure at all times through the year, have a walk and enjoy the nice weather. The second thing about this city that should be highlighted is its tourist attraction places such as the Opera House, Sydney Harbor Bridge, Sydney Tower, etc. Most importantly, one of the biggest and the most fascinating aquariums in the world is located in the downtown of this city. The last point that should be mentioned about this spectacular city is its numerous bays that give the opportunity to swim almost anywhere in the city. Sydney has a coral coast that makes the water become blue-green, which complements the pleasure of swimming under the sun in that city. This city should be in the list of the must-see places of our planet.  -Saman

4. Three things you need to know about Moscow.

Moscow is the capital of Russia and is one of the biggest cities in Europe. It has everything you might need, with culture, night life, shopping and history, but you can find all that in any tourist guide or on Wikipedia, so I'll just give some Moskovite tips. 

First, Moscow is difficult to get around, because originally the city was supposed to be the “sun” city and it would grow in circles around the center. But after the October revolution, the communists decided to go their own way, and rebuilt Moscow in parallel lines. After mixing these two concepts we ended up with streets which cross themselves several times, making Moscow difficult to navigate.
 
 Second, though, it isn't hopeless; the Moscow metro is easy to use. It’s very unique; it may not be the biggest or the oldest subway system, but Moskovites believe it is the most beautiful metro in the world, with every station a unique work of art. Some of the stations are covered in marble, and others have impressive statues, pictures and paintings. They are old (built in Stalin’s times) or brand new. Every station tells its own story and represents its time; all together they tell a lot about the former Soviet Union, Russia, Moscow and its history. It’s not just transportation, it makes Moscow a museum under the ground.

Third, I think it's important to say that Moskovites may seem unfriendly or grumpy. It's a fast city and people have to rush to work and around. But that doesn't mean it's an unfriendly city. If you stop someone to ask them a question they'll stop to help you, and will actually be happy to help.

-Alexandra

5. Lombok

When somebody asks me what city/place is my favorite, as an Indonesian it is kind of a hard question to answer. Of course it will be in Indonesia; however, everywhere in Indonesia is beautiful. Moreover, we have around 17,000 islands and thousands of different tribes, diverse cultures and nature, also a unique language for each tribe; most of the tribes have completely different languages and dialects. But since I have to decide, then it will be Lombok. The bad thing about Indonesia is that we have always mixed between city and province; for such a small island, Lombok is actually the name of the island; constitutionally it is a part of Nusa Tenggara Barat Province. In fact, this island has the province’s capital city, called Mataram.  Mataram is the center for government officials and that is why the city is not among the greatest places to visit in Lombok. However, when we talk about Lombok, it is just a beautiful place among another thousand beautiful places in Indonesia. The reason I choose this place as my favorite is, first, that Lombok is just right next to Bali Island, just like Bali minus the crazy crowd (The great thing is, you can just jump back and forth between Bali and Lombok with a ferry); in this case, it is a perfect getaway for anybody if someone wishes to have a real peaceful holiday. The beaches surrounding the island mostly are clear blue beaches, and most of them are uninhabitable, very original. Another thing is that this island has a volcano and a lake too; in case someone is more of a ‘mountain person' rather than ‘beach person', you can still enjoy the island.  I always say, Lombok is all in a spackage for a smart holiday. Second, I adore this island for how cheap the price is; I can always get a $35-ish king-size bed room in any local hotel near the beach. I can always get delicious and cheap food around, and since this island is visited by a lot of tourists who come from around the world, there are a lot of western restaurants too, not to mention a Middle Eastern restaurant and also Chinese and Japanese restaurants. Most tourists also rent a car, with the local driver that speaks in English; you can get around for $25 per day and you are not required to have insurance; how great is that? Third, although not the last, this place a really a safe place for its night life; I once went to a bar to get a snack; I in fact stayed longer than I expected, I met some people from another country and we ended up partying all night. Last, Indonesia is a tropical country; as such, it is summer all year long, but it is not Lubbock in summer, it is more like Spring summer, May or June summer, the right amount of the sun to tan some skin, but not that hot to dry you up.  -Eva

6. Three things that you should know about Beijing

Beijing is the capital of China, and has a history about over 1000 years; every year, thousands of foreign people will travel to Beijing. As Beijing is a very big city, I think it will be helpful if I give you some advice. First, it is a big city; it could take you 5-6 hours from the west to the east by driving, so a map is what I always recommend to you, and you should also work very hard with the routes to the places you want to go. Second, Beijing is very crowded; it has over 20 million people there, so if you want to go places, just get up early. The last thing I want to do is to recommend to you some of the scenic spots of Beijing. The first and the best one will always be the Great Wall; just as the saying goes, the man who doesn’t go to the Great Wall can’t be called a hero. The Great Wall has a history of over 2000 years and it is a giant and remarkable program in the history of China and even the world; you will enjoy the land view and also the challenge of hiking. Another place I want you to go to is the Summer Palace, which is the place the kings and queens lived; it has a history of over 800 years, so if you want learn about Chinese history and culture, the Summer Palace is a good place to go. Other landmarks like the nest stadium, the water cube and the Beijing Century Park are also great places for you. Before concluding, one more thing I’d like you to do is to learn some simple Chinese, which is always helpful in China.  -Hepeng

7. Three things you need to know in Dalian

The city that I describe in the text is my second hometown, Dalian, which is located in the northeastern part in China. As I mentioned, it is my second one because I spent seven years at Dalian University of Technology. Dalian is a coastal city and has a humid environment that is quite suitable for people to live in, especially for the elders. It is a metropolitan city with a population of 6,000,000 people. The climate in Dalian is very different from that in Lubbock, so that when I arrived in Lubbock I did not get accustomed to the local life. Now, I will demonstrate some requisite information about Dalian in three aspects.

First of all, this city has various places of interest and it has been regarded as the most vivid city and best city for traveling by a world tourist organization in the United Nations. Among all the tourist attractions, Xinghai Square is the most famous one as it was considered as the largest one in East Asia. It is divided into many small parts by roads with a circle area in the middle. Besides, there is an attractive park in the square named Xinghai Park, which is nearly 700 meters away from the square and it is highly excellent for people to swim in it.

Secondly, Dalian is a city where people are not allowed to ride bicycles or motorbikes as the city was set up among hills rather than in a flat plain. So you will find the roads of the city go up and down, which means it would be extremely dangerous to travel by these methods. Therefore, there is a comprehensive and efficient public transportation system in Dalian like city-bus, metro system, light-rail, trams and so forth. Hence, this city provides you plenty of ways to reach destinations when you enjoy your traveling.

Finally, when people visit a strange city or country, they might have a great fancy for the local food to have a taste. As Dalian is a seaport and one of the biggest ports in China, the best restaurant is named Fishing Port where you can find many palatable seafood and steam dishes. They are nutritious and beneficial for people’s daily life to some extent. It would be a huge pity for foreign tourists if they miss the opportunity of enjoying the local food in this restaurant. 

Welcome to Dalian and I will show you the greatest hospitality of Chinese people. -Fuda Ning

8. Puebla, Mexico

I am a native of Mexico and was born in one of the most influential states of this country, the state of Puebla. Puebla has 264 cities. Its capital, which is also named Puebla, is where I was born and the city I chose to talk about. One very important thing to mention about Puebla is that,  along with Mexico City, Monterrey and Guadalajara, it is one of the most important, traditional and industrialized cities in the country. Also, a very important fact to point out is that Puebla, being a very Catholic  city, has 365 churches located all over the place. One could even say there is a different church to visit for every day of the year. One of the most attractive things about this city is its architecture. Beautiful buildings are located all over downtown and what is most interesting about it is that it has a very European touch. Some people would even dare to say that it resembles a lot of the Italian construction style. As far as weather, Puebla has exactly the right temperature to enjoy either a nice cold winter or warm summer. Last but not least I would like to mention one of the most interesting but at the same time scary things about this place. In Puebla we have a very famous volcano called “Popocateptl” which is still considered an active and awake volcano. The Popocatepl is around 730,000 years old, and we can still see smoke coming out of it at least once a month. This is a very nice natural resource to have around, although it can be a little dangerous if an eruption ever takes place and that is why all the natives from Puebla should be prepared to deal with this. Lastly, I would like to say that Puebla is a very secure city and it is certainly one of the most visited in Mexico by tourists all over the world because of its awesome food and people. -Jessica

9. Islamabad –The Peaceful City

The literal meaning of Islamabad is peaceful city. The word Islam means peace and Abad refers to a place where people live. Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan. It is located in the northern part of Pakistan. The culture in that city is diversified due to the people coming from all over the world for various reasons, like business and tourism. The city is well developed with strong infrastructure and many attractions present in the city or in suburbs. The weather varies from 20 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit round the year. The first thing I would like to discuss is the surrounding of the city. It is surrounded by mountains with grass and trees on them. You can have this beautiful view of mountains right from the balcony of your house. It is a really good place to live in for the person who admires nature and loves to explore. The surrounding mountains have various attractions like tracks for hiking, water springs and lush green scenery. One can simply go for an early morning walk, or sit down there for a while to enjoy the peace and quiet surroundings, which is a really good way to start your day. The second advantage of living in this city is that there is not much traffic in the city. The public transport is really good. One can easily travel to shopping malls and parks using public transport at a very affordable price. Every block has its own small market area which has all the basic necessities like clinics, grocery stores and restaurants, though the blocks are, more or less, equal to ten blocks of what we call a block in United States. The third strong point of living in it is the convenience with which you can go further north and explore. One can easily go for a weekend trip with family for camping or enjoying the scenery of snow-covered mountains, green fields, amusement parks, etc. These weekend picnic spots are hours of driving away. With that, I personally think that for people who like peaceful places and like to explore nature at the same time, this is the place they should be living in. -Wasif

10. Mumbai - The City That Never Sleeps

Mumbai, the most populous city in India, constitutes seven islands formed via reclamation of area around the islands. It is the biggest city as well as the financial capital of the country. The most common languages spoken here are Hindi and Marathi.

I, in my time there, could not learn about all the places in the city because of its vastness. Despite being big, it is well connected by the railway line, which is the primary means of transport for the majority of the working population of the city. 

The life here is fast and busy as in most big cities. People in the city work night jobs too and it is always alive and has a very active night life. Public modes of transportation are also available during the early morning hours.

It is also the cosmopolitan city of the country. People from all parts of the country come here for jobs. So it’s a very good place to see a glimpse of the different cultures in the country, as the cultures and languages in India vary with every state. You can differentiate people from different states because of their accent and the language they speak. The majority of the Hindi movie stars live in the city and so most of the movies are filmed here.

The life here is fast and busy like most big cities. People in the city work night jobs too and it is always alive and has a very active night life. Public modes of transportation are also available during the early morning hours.

There is a lot more to learn about this city and it’s worth a visit or more. - Belinda Dcosta

11. Manila

The Philippines is a country in Southeast Asia comprised of a group of 7,107 islands, highlighted by 3 major geographical divisions. Each of these islands have their own distinct regions, cities, and towns, none of which is as well-known as the capital city of the entire country, Manila. Manila is located on the largest island and geographical region, known as Luzon, and it is the second largest city of the Philippines. Oftentimes, foreigners are usually only familiar with the city of Manila and do not know too much information about any other cities. One reason that Manila is put into the limelight as the face of the Philippines is that it can be considered as the primary hub of activity for a multitude of aspects. The city is considered to be a focal point of Philippine politics, business, education, healthcare and entertainment. In Manila, there are a lot of sights, sounds, smells, and tastes that can only be found in this particular part of the world. The city can offer a variety of experiences and adventures to anyone willing to explore. The diversity provided by the city’s history and the mix of different cultures perfectly mirrors the overall Filipino culture. Manila is the site of contrasting walks of life, both bordering on the extremes.  Many Filipinos who come from the different regions and islands of the country often aspire to move to Manila with the hopes of becoming successful and leaving the simple rural life behind. The city’s rich history, dating back to Spanish, American, and Japanese occupations, coupled with the influx of new ideas and concepts brought in by visitors and guests, provides a significantly distinct culture that has a little bit of something for everyone.  Manila is a one-of-a-kind place on earth that everyone must visit at least once in their lifetime. -Miguel Gavino

12. Voronezh

Today I would like to talk about my home city of Voronezh. It is located in the south part of Russia, very near to the Ukrainian border, about five hours by car. The weather in Voronezh ranges a lot – from thirty degrees above zero in summer to thirty degrees under zero in winter. There are three things you need to know about Voronezh.

First, Voronezh has a rich history. In the 18^th century Peter the Great, the first imperator of Russia (before Peter the Great all Russian rulers were called tzars), founded a city on the river Don, in order to build ships for Russia’s Navy. He ordered the wood rafted from Voronezh down to the south, and that is how the city started to grow. 

Second, Voronezh is famous for being the largest student city of Russia. It has more than a hundred universities, colleges and schools. The first thing the visitor could notice, being in Voronezh, is that there are a lot of young people there, a lot of students: they work in cafes, shops, and restaurants, and study at the same time. The main university in the city is Voronezh State University, which has many connections with universities all over the world. 

The third thing you need to know about Voronezh is that Voronezh is one of the city-heroes of Russia. City-heroes are the cities that showed the most courage in the Great Patriotic War. The Great Patriotic War is what Russians call the part of World War II from the time Hitler invaded Russia on June 22, 1941. During the war, most of the city, 90 percent exactly, was grounded to pieces. With the city being destroyed, Voronezh people have put all their energy to build it anew. The 50s were quite depressing years for all Russians as they had to build the new Russia out of ruins. Most of them did not have enough food, clothes or other conveniences during the post-war period. That is why Voronezh got its Soviet look - because most of the buildings were built in the post-war period.

The modern Voronezh is quite big. The population is more than one million people and it is growing every day. Most of the population has good conditions to live in. The unemployment rate is very low – about 2-5 percent. They enjoy traveling more than people of other countries, probably because they did not have such an opportunity in their Soviet past with its Iron Curtain. They love holidays and like to go to picnics. There are two big holidays that Russians love to celebrate more than others: The day of victory in the Great Patriotic War (World War II) and the New Year. The Victory Day (May 9^th) is celebrated with parades, fireworks and concerts; people go to present flowers to the veterans, watch old movies about the war and even put special signs on their cars like “Thanks to granddads for the victory." This is a nice city to visit. -Masha Seredina

13. Chennai - The gateway of India

Chennai, a city located in the southern part of India, is one of the four most popular metropolitan cities belonging to a state called Tamil Nadu. Initially known as Madras, it is a part of the South east costal region of India and is the sixth most populated city in India. Apart from its cultural diversity and religious beliefs, I would like to mention three things about my city that helps it stand apart from the rest. Firstly, I would not do justice to my city that I was born and brought up in for 21 years, if I do not talk about the beautiful and vast beaches that surround the city. Popularly known as the “Marina Beach,” one is the largest beach in south Asia and in the country, and the second largest beach in the world. Unlike the Juhu beach in Mumbai, the Marina is primarily sandy. It is generally very crowded and a popular tourist attraction for a lot of people from all over the world. Also, it is said to have a number of attractions that include two swimming pools, a roller skating arena, restaurants, and flying kites. Secondly, people all over Tamil Nadu and especially Chennai take their movies very seriously. The northern parts of India refer to their film industry as Bollywood, but we refer to ours as “Kollywood”. I suppose we just like to have an identity of our own. The movies are usually 3 hours long, with at least 6 songs that span 5 minutes each within the entire film. Sometimes, during the release of a favourite film star’s movie people cut out huge posters of the movie star all over the city and put garlands for the poster and even dance in front of them. Lastly, Chennai is famous for its weather. We have one kind of weather all through the year – SUMMER. It is mostly sunny all through the day and humid all through the night. We don’t get much wind either, which makes it only worse. Rain is usually very erratic and scarce. If you ever plan to visit Chennai, always remember to carry your sunscreen and sunglasses. I just wanted to end this by proudly saying that, “Chennai was the only city that was voted as the must visit place in the whole of south Asia by the New York Times”. It is a beautiful city and I would definitely love to see more people share the same experience that I have for the past 21 years. -Twaritha Vijay

14. My Home town, ‘Kandy’

Kandy is considered to be the hill capital and the second capital of Sri Lanka. Located in the middle of the island at a height of 1526 feet above sea level, Kandy is blessed with a soothing climate all throughout the year. Kandy owns a rich history and culture, since it is the last kingdom of Sri Lanka that ended in 1818. Its many scenic beauties, such as the picturesque mountains, cascades, river sites and many historical monuments, including the ancient temples and castles with enduring structures decorated with grand wood carvings and stone work, have made Kandy a center of tourist attraction. The scared temple of the tooth relic, which holds the sacred tooth of Lord Buddha even to date, is another place that is tied to the rich history of the city of Kandy. One of the peak annual events held in Sri Lanka which get people to flock to the city is the ‘perahera’, the sacred pageant that roams around the city. The pageant is held to respect the sacred tooth relic and to incur blessings, and the pageant carries hundreds of traditional dancers and beautifully decorated elephants, including the ‘diyawadana nilame’, who is the respected caretaker of the sacred temple and the casket baring the sacred tooth. The sacred elephant, who carries the sacred tooth relic in such a decent manner, with all due respect to the casket, really amazes and attracts the attention of the viewers. 

Kandy, having a population of around 1395,000 and an extent of around 2000 sq,km., is a harmonious city with decent living standards and with people of many religions including Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, Catholics and Christians. The many publicly and privately owned facilities and the domestic taxi-planes that carry people around the island have been able to attract more tourists to Kandy. Mainly because, they get to go to either the sandy beaches around the island for sunbathing or further to the middle of the country for a cooler climate, well within an hour from Kandy. All these attractions make me feel so proud to be called a ‘Kandyan’ , since it is my home town and if anyone asks me, Kandy is still my favorite place to live. (C. Kalpani D.)

15. The City of Gods

Athens is the capital of Greece and it is one of the oldest cities in the world. There are many things that we should know about this ancient city. However, in this paragraph three things will be mentioned. Firstly, Athens has a very rich history.  It is the place where democracy was born around 6^th century BC. The city is built around the holy rock of the Acropolis, which is almost 2,500 years old, in order to honor Athena, the goddess of wisdom.  The architecture of the ancient monuments is breathtaking.  Moreover, every year more than 30 million tourists visit Athens to admire its history, its beauty and its amazing nightlife. Athens is characterized as the city that never sleeps; people walk along the roads day and night, they dance, they smile, and they are really loud! Secondly, the beauty of this city is incredible, as it combines mountains and hundreds of bays. It is the perfect place to visit if you are a naturalist. The land of the region is fertile; the people are able to produce a great variety of fruits and vegetables. Also, the sea is clear and it has a unique green color. The fact that Athens is very close to many popular Greek islands, such as Mykonos and Santorini, makes it even more attractive. The last thing that somebody should know about Athens is that the city has changed in the last few years due to the economic crisis and its consequences on people’s life are very prominently seen.  The financial crisis brought about dramatic decrease of the basic salary and thousands of people lost their jobs. The unemployment rates have increased considerably (around 60% for people from 18 to 35 years old) and the poverty rates as well.  However, despite the aforementioned problems this city will never sleep, because it will always be lighted by the ancient Greek gods. -Antonia

16. Melbourne

I would like to introduce you to an Australian city located in the South: Melbourne. We can consider this place like the rival of Sydney. These two very famous cities always fight about which one is the best place to live in. However I shall highlight three elements you should know about Melbourne. First of all, Melbourne is a very trendy place. If you love shopping, good music, and arts this is the place to be. There are a lot of street arts: walls are decorated with graffiti and paintings on every single corner. Fine arts and contemporary arts are everywhere thanks to a wide range of museums and small hidden galleries. People can hang out in the streets and stop at some restaurants with a great amount of choices while listening to some gigs. The reason is that Melbourne is a multicultural city and there are various kinds of entertainment from all around the world. Secondly, we can notice that it is worth living in Melbourne for the lifestyle. Australians in general are famous for being very nice and friendly people. Moreover, they cultivate the spirit of the “no worries mate” which means that you should relax and you should not worry about life all the time. Australian people, especially in Melbourne, love enjoying their day. “Take it easy,” a Melbournian would say to you. Another additional feature of its lifestyle is the European architecture. We agree with the idea that Sydney looks like an American city with big skyscrapers, its CBD and huge avenues. On the contrary, Melbourne is much smaller: its downtown offers tiny streets with small lovely shops, more like in Europe indeed. This element definitely changes the way you explore a place. Finally, the third thing to know about Melbourne is probably its main attraction: the Great Ocean Road. It is 500 kilometers of coast surrounded by wide and green spaces, offering a beautiful view on the ocean. While you are driving, admire the breathtaking scenery, stop once in a while in order to glance at its fascinating wildlife – we should remember that this is the country of koalas and kangaroos. On this road, we can notice that this is the place to surf! If you have ever watched the movie “Point Break”, you should picture the surfers looking for the best waves. Surf is an amazing sport which will bring you a good spirit and some good vibes. Australian people try to fit into the motto “a good spirit in a healthy body”. Maybe that is the reason why most of them practice surfing. Even though you are a beginner or just a curious tourist, you shall find several good spots to start with, all along this road. Melbourne is waiting for you: if you get a chance to go to Australia, you should stop by this city for these three reasons. - Emilie Mathis

17. The Sparkling City: Three things you should know about Reims.

Reims is 2 hours away from Paris by car in the east part of France. The first thing you need to know is that Reims is located in the Champagne Region, where champagne is made, and we can find some of the most prestigious Houses of Champagne, such as Pommery, Veuve Clicquot or Ruinart (which was built in 1729 and is the oldest house still existing today). So, people from Reims are really lucky because they can find some really fine champagne for a very reasonable price. The second thing you need to know is that it is the city of coronations - from Clovis to Charles X - they all have been crowned in Reims and from the 13^th century; the cathedral was held in order to receive such an event. It is bigger than Notre Dame of Paris, and in my opinion it is even more beautiful; it is built with limestone, and its color is very pale. The cathedral was mostly destroyed during World War I and the rebuilding took many years. Eventually my third point about Reims is that the city is located in the region in France (and probably Europe too) which had witnessed the largest number of wars and conflicts, from the Gallic Wars to World War II. Indeed it has attended the battle which opposed Attila the Hun against the Roman Empire during the 5^th century, the many battles between the kingdom of France against the kingdom of England or the Austrian Empire throughout the years, and most recently the Triple Entente against the Triple Alliance during World War I and the Allies against the Axis during World War II. -Emeline

18. San Antonio – Great place to go

New students, who have just arrived in Lubbock and do not know a lot about Texas, may avoid frustration by knowing that Texas has really great places to visit. One of the most beautiful and interesting cities of Texas I would name is San Antonio. This city is six and a half hours away from Lubbock and has very different landscape and nature. The attraction of San Antonio can be described in many ways, but I will name just three major points of interest.

First of all is the River Walk. More than a hundred years ago the main architect of San Antonio decided to make downtown around the city’s river. He was thinking it would be great if people could have a pleasure to walk along the river, see the beautiful nature and architecture, sit in restaurants, and listen music. Now it is a very desirable place to visit. Old buildings, bridges, waterfalls, many small fountains, and sculptures along the river expose the beauty of Spanish, German, and Italian architecture. Taking a boat tour, visitors could enjoy the sidewalk view and could learn something from a small introduction to the city. It is also very good relaxation time. For those who like to experience new food, there is a variety of restaurants where they can find something very delicious. 

 The next place to go would be the Alamo. This museum is very close to the River Walk, which is convenient for those who do not know the city. This place will put visitors back in time in a battle of a small group of Texas solders and the Mexican army. 

Last but not the least would be Sea World. This place of attraction will be enjoyable for any age. Kids would love to see dolphins and other sea animals. There are splash areas, amusement parks with roller coasters of different heights, and many small shops. During the day visitors can see many different shows. It can be seen that one day will not even be enough.

As it was said before San Antonio has many great places to go, but those three are probably the first which I would recommend to visit. -Natalia

19. 3 important things about a city

In my life, I have not traveled a lot so the best place I can mention some characteristics of is my hometown. The name of this city is Kermanshah, and it is located at the west of Iran. I want to introduce this city by citing 3 different important specifications.

First, Kermanshah is not crowded and so you cannot see any traffic problem there. Anyone who loves driving can enjoy the empty streets of this city and go wherever he wants in a few minutes. I’ve lived in the capital city of Iran (Tehran) for 4 years and I wasted most of my time in the traffic. Moreover, in contrast to many places in Iran, this city does not face air pollution challenges and so is a best place for living.

Second, there are lots of historical places in Kermanshah such as sculptures and ancient buildings. If you want to know about the past culture of Iran, you can see these places and be familiar with it. Besides, there are lots of beautiful places such as gardens and waterfalls which you can enjoy watching. If you want to spend your time with your family on a weekend, these places would be perfect for you.

Third, the weather of this city is fantastic. It is cool in summer and also not very cold in winter. It actually has mild weather throughout the year. It experiences good rainfalls and snowfalls so you can find many fertile plains there and as a result you can eat various fruits in all the seasons.

All in all, if you want to visit a place in Iran which makes you become relaxed and lets you experience a friendly environment, Kermanshah would be a great place plan to visit. -Masoud Moradi

20. Lahore

I come from Lahore, Pakistan. It’s very good to know some interesting things about this city. Lahore is the capital of Punjab, being very rich in culture and heritage. It had been the main hub of Mughal empires. The city has various tombs like “Hiran Minar”, “Jhangir Tomb” cultural buildings, mosques and gardens like “Shalimar gardens”, so culture is very much seen around and it’s a source of tourist attraction. On the north western side the river Ravi flows; also a canal flows from the city, and adds up to the beauty of the city. In summers the temperature goes as high as 120 F in June, being the hottest month of the year. Lahore is a warm city but in winters temperature goes as low as 32 F in December, with a lot of fog which continues for days. It’s very widely populated and is a source of employment to many people from nearby cities. Living standards vary from very low to very high. Urdu is the native language and Punjabi is used by locals; accents may vary from place to place, but overall it’s easily understood by locals. 

The canal flows from one end of the city to the other, moving straight in between the city. It’s covered with big old trees all along, providing shade to all the passersby. A straight road has been laid on both sides of the canal. During spring it is decorated beautifully with lights and flowers; this is the most beautiful thing about Lahore, as it adds beauty to the city. One may easily enjoy a long drive along the canal in the evenings. Also if you are lost anywhere in the city, you need to just find your way to the canal and once you are there you can easily locate yourself. This canal is a source of entertainment for many people, especially in summers, when the temperature hits up to 122 F. The young, the old and children feel free to take a plunge in the canal for some good swim, in order to beat the heat and enjoy their time. People of Lahore are really friendly, open hearted and courteous. They are very welcoming and warm hearted and down to earth. They make you feel at ease, very much so, even if you are new in the city; you won’t find any problem mingling with them.
Lahore is very rich in agriculture; farming is the main source of living for many farmers living in Lahore and nearby villages. Crops like wheat, corn, sugarcane and rice are harvested on a large scale. The finest quality of rice and mangos is produced in Lahore and is exported to other countries. Lahore is also very famous for producing good quality fruits like mangoes, apples, bananas, oranges, apples, strawberries and many more. All long summers and winters, canal roadsides are over flowing with trolleys of fresh fruits and vegetables. People passing by in cars, buses, rickshaws and motorbikes stop by to buy these good quality fruits at a very cheap rate. This hustle and bustle of life continues all day and night.-Hira Farooq