Column Chronicles: My favourite cities of the world

My favourite cities of the world

Frank Cotolo
March 19, 2020

I have travelled the Seven Seas, only to discover I cannot memorize their names, and I have been around the world twice from each side of the Equator. My memories of cities where I have visited revolve in my memory at random.

In Amsterdam, on a balmy night after a business meeting near a small fishing village, I gathered some locals, got them drunk and told them I would pay a hundred dollars if any of them could spell Netherlands backwards.

The Castle District of Budapest lay along the beautiful Danube Embankment, which I once visited, walking hand in hand with the city's most popular Lady of the Evening. As we strolled the banks of the Danube we played a game called What Country Am I? Each of us gave clues to the other. When it was my turn I gave her the following clue: "I am where you can find the Andrassy Ut." She did not know the answer. I told her, "I am Hungary," to which she said, "Then let's eat."

I grew a full beard the months I lived in Athens. Every day I took a photo of my face so that when the beard was full I could take the photos in my hand and flip them in the order which they were taken and everyone could see my beard grow.

Chicago has become such a violent city that it is hard to believe it was the working city of Al Capone. I always stopped in Chicago while travelling across the United States because I have friends there, love the restaurants there and I no two people walking the streets look alike.

Stockholm is always fun to visit because it is made up of fourteen different islands. I never visit all of them when I go there. Usually I visit the odd-numbered islands if I go there in the summer and the even numbered islands if I go there in the winter.

One of my favorite beaches is in Bangkok. Pattaya Beach is so much fun, especially since so many of the lovely ladies and gentlemen there enjoy water sports.

I will end this segment of my favourite cities of the world mentioning Petra. It is the home of the industrious people known as Nabataeans. People do not realize how much the Nabataeans have contributed to world culture. Actually, I do not know either, I just love the water-channel races they put on and the array of prizes that go to the winners.

Frank Cotolo can be found hosting the talk and interview programme Cotolo Chronicles. You can send him an e-mail at this address: frank@148.ca.