SultanOfSwing

I guess when you consider just how bloody big the US actually is, things like this make sense. After all, rural counties make up 72% of the land area of the US.

Nutmegger

Very true. When I first arrived (and, like livinginyc, took the train out of the city), I was amazed by how rapidly we were in the country -- and I do mean country, not just suburbia. I had been expecting mile upon mile of urban sprawl and was very pleasantly surprised.

livinginnyc

One of the most interesting parts of the journey on the rail line I usually take - you go through the middle of sing-sing prison

SultanOfSwing

One of these days I'd love to take a really long train journey here. Something like Chicago to LA, right through the southwest or something. I'd be glued to the window like a kid in a candy store

That's ... interesting.

livinginnyc

Literally, the road/pavement literally 'stops' at a certain point down the rail, and then you get bits of humanity again when you hit cute little towns

johnwoo

I can top that, I live in California and have never been in an 'In N' Out 'Burger.
Well I did go in once, but went straight out. I was having my car smoged and thought I'd go and get breakfast, I didn't know they only did burgers.

SultanOfSwing

Yes, you win

jambey2510

The fact you got all the way to the counter and got no burger, means you definitely win!

I miss in n out burgers. A lot.

Wintersong

I don't get the hype about In-N-Out, tbh.

london_calling

You've managed to completely misunderstand and call me a snob. Well done. I took issue with your use of the word 'proper' to describe American cities. By that thinking, European cities (except maybe Frankfurt) aren't 'proper' cities because they don't resemble homages to capitalism full of shiny skyscrapers.

dc koop

You kind of prefer the fare that the Arches, Burger King and Carls Jnr put out then I assume?

Limp looking lettuce, soggy buns and patties dripping in fat with re-constituted fries. The tomatoes are okay though but then again I defy anyone to screw up a tomato or a dill pickle

jambey2510

Nope! You're wrong!

Burgers are my ultimate favourite food and I've had tonnes better in the Chicago/St Louis area than in n out.

For me, it's not just the food of in n out, but rather the memories attached with going to in n out. I worked at a summer camp in Utah, and In n Out was the place we would all hit together on the weekend for greasy food in Summer 2012 after a week of working at camp, before then heading to Park City to drink the weekend away! It was a break and a haven to have food that wasn't camp food, away from kids and to relax. I guess in comparison to the camp food, it was gourmet! So yeah, more the memories, less the 'good' food i suppose.

SultanOfSwing

If I misunderstood you, I stand corrected and offer my apologies, but you're also misunderstanding me. I never once said non-American cities weren't proper cities, I just happen to like that I live very close to a city with a 'classic' (which is probably a better word, I'll concede) skyline full of tall buildings, which I enjoy from a purely architectural perspective. I can enjoy modern high-rise architecture without thinking about what's going on inside them, in the same way that thinking the Vatican is full of beautiful buildings without being an apologist for paedophilia.

All cities have their own merits, however this thread was about what I liked about the US and it isn't exclusionary. I like skyscrapers, where I grew up, there were none. Belfast has I think 2 buildings with more than 15 floors, Chicago has a bunch of them. Yeah, I like a good old fashioned American city with its sparkling downtown and its gritty industrial attachments and everything in between. I still love Gothic castles, Georgian rowhomes, 16th century cathedrals and all the other great stuff you find in Europe. This is an additive enjoyment of mine, not subtractive.

dc koop

What's the view of New York like from the Trump penthouse suite? Pretty awesome I would imagine, especially at night

Nutmegger

Except that you're so blinded by the imitation Versailles golden bling in there that you can't focus to see out . . .