mattygs Posted May 19, 2013 Report Share Posted May 19, 2013 Be interesting to find out what Olympic host cities everyone has visited (especially for some of our newer members), but almost more importantly - what Olympic host city you would most like to visit, and why? * I've been lucky enough to visit Olympia, London, Paris, Amsterdam, Tokyo, Sydney, Melbourne, Barcelona, Rome, Athens, Stockholm, Berlin, Lillehammer, Oslo, Innsbruck, Nagano, Munich and Torino. There's some fantastic Olympic hosts that I would like to cross off my list, some of the great cities of the world right down to some of the most charming Alpine villages. But funnily enough, Atlanta seems to draw me. I don't know what it is about the city, but I just have some kind of urge to go out of my way (because it would be out of my way I imagine) to visit it. Im not entirely sure how much Olympic legacy is visable, but I have heard some really good things about the way Atlanta has developed since 96. I guess I would put it along side Moscow, again, just for curiosity . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
runningrings Posted May 19, 2013 Report Share Posted May 19, 2013 I've visited: -Sydney (during 2000 Games!) -Melbourne -Paris -London -Los Angeles -Berlin -Munich (wow. Munich's Olympic Park is a truly ethereal experience for any Olympic buff, I found it quite stirring) -Montreal -Moscow -Sarajevo (like Munich, quite emotional) -Seoul (airport only) -Beijing (during 2008 Games!) -Istanbul I've also been very close (under a 1 hour drive) of both Lake Placid and Innsbruck and regretfully not visited either. I'd love to visit Vancouver and Grenoble. Even though it hasn't happened yet, and I won't attend the actual Games, I'd go out of my way to see Sochi in the next few years after the Olympics. Of the Summer cities: Athens and Barcelona are the standout Olympic hosts I've never visited. I hate that I haven't been to them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob2012 Posted May 19, 2013 Report Share Posted May 19, 2013 A very short list for me. Berlin.... ...and of course, London Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
runningrings Posted May 19, 2013 Report Share Posted May 19, 2013 Having QE2 Olympic Parkin your own city makes up for only having been to two! If you get a chance Rob, I'd recommend heading to Munich. I'd say its Park is the most similar to London, and hopefully London's will look as good 40 years from now as Munich's does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattygs Posted May 19, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2013 Agree with you about Munichs Olympic park. It's a fantastic place. It's such a vibrant living public space, a great testament to the work done for 72. Here's a photo from my trip there in 2011, spent a long time here, great place to spend a summers day. It's quite a surreal experience visiting certain Olympic cities. The cities where the Olympics have quite clearly shaped the city in question. Maybe not so apparent in the Tokyos of this world, but certainly a feeling you get when walking through a city like Barcelona. Even more so, some of the smaller places, like Lillehammer and even Nagano. It's quite strange also, walking through a place like Torino. No immediate sense of being an Olympic city, and then you'll all of a sudden see an old *Passion Lives Here* hoarding . I felt that in Athens too, you'll see a phevos soft toy hanging from a tourist shop cart in Syntagma square. haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
runningrings Posted May 19, 2013 Report Share Posted May 19, 2013 You'd enjoy visiting Sarajevo, then. It's an immensely beautiful city, with such mixed cultural influences, parts feel/look like Vienna, other parts like Moscow, and Istanbul... All in an alpine setting. We're so used to seeing cities stage Olympics after their triumph over adversity- but Sarajevo did it the other way around. To see the Olympic Rings riddled in bullet holes is a profound experience. The tragedy aside, I loved how the city was able to embrace its Olympic status. I got the feeling that 1984 means a lot to the people of Sarajevo today, maybe even more than it did at the time. It means that their city is more than just war torn, and capable of doing great things. On one of the main avenues, a huge billboard stated proudly, in English, "Welcome to Sarajevo, the Olympic City." This wasn't a legacy from 1984, but in fact erected in 2007 by the local authorities as part of a city pride campaign. I would love to see the Winter Olympics back there one day, it would be truly special. In the decade since the war it's re-emerged as a very youthful, forward-thinking cosmopolitan city. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olympian2004 Posted May 19, 2013 Report Share Posted May 19, 2013 I believe I still haven't added a new Olympic host city to my list since someone asked that question for the last time, but here's my rather short list: Amsterdam Antwerp Atlanta (before the 1996 Games, namely in 1993) Berlin Garmisch-Partenkirchen London Munich Paris I'm longing to see Barcelona and Rome, under an Olympic aspect especially the further because it was a great Olympic host with stunning venues. I guess it's a fair shot to say that in my lifetime, I'll also visit Stockholm, Oslo and maybe Vancouver. Rio de Janeiro is also on my wishlist, but I'm not sure whether I'll really go there. The other cities don't appear interesting for me right now, particularly the Asian ones (I'm not too fond of East Asia as vacation destination somehow, it's just not the kind of culture I find fascinating) or are too small to actually make a trip to them (like Lillehammer, maybe only in combination with Oslo). Tiny Lake Placid or even Squaw Valley would probably be places I'd only visit if they are on or near my road through the States. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wingspread Posted May 19, 2013 Report Share Posted May 19, 2013 Here's a photo from my trip there in 2011, spent a long time here, great place to spend a summers day. Oooh, nice view. The Olympic Park in the background doesn't look bad either. I've only been to Seoul. Wasn't able to visit the Jamsil Sports Complex (tho I saw the stadium while riding an elevated commuter train), but you can somehow see traces of the 1988 games. One subway station I passed through was Hodori-themed and had directional signs for Olympic venues. The inn I stayed at had a die-cast stadium ashtray in the lobby so I guess that also counts. Would like to visit London, Barcelona, and Munich. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baron-pierreIV Posted May 19, 2013 Report Share Posted May 19, 2013 Have set foot in: Summer: wet & soggy Amsterdam; hot & ancient Athens, gracious Atlanta, bravura Barcelona, smoggy Beijing; dense Istanbul; bustling London; contemporary Lozangeles; neo-Frenchy Montreal; rainy Munich (it was when I visited); historic Olympia; eternally beautiful Paris; decrepit Rome, and boring, crowded Tokyo. ooops, forgot, drove thru St. Louis. Winter: anonymous Albertville (nothing much there), beautiful, amazing Reno, compact Salt Lake, quaint Squaw Valley, beautiful Vancouver. Someday hope to visit: Rio, Salzburg, St. Petersburg, maybe Sydney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
intoronto Posted May 19, 2013 Report Share Posted May 19, 2013 My list is quite short (lol) Montreal London Though I live in a future Olympic Host Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FYI Posted May 19, 2013 Report Share Posted May 19, 2013 Munich, Innsbruck, St Louis, Los Angeles, Atlanta & Mexico City. Oh, & Denver, but the fools then gave them back! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athensfan Posted May 19, 2013 Report Share Posted May 19, 2013 London, Paris, Rome, Athens, LA, St. Louis. Have to get on the traveling! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olympiaki-agones Posted May 19, 2013 Report Share Posted May 19, 2013 I've been (and in some cases lived) in Athens, Paris, London, Stockholm, Antwerp, Amsterdam, Los Angeles, Berlin, Helsinki, Rome, Tokyo, Mexico City, Munich, Montreal, Barcelona, Atlanta, Rio de Janeiro, Saint Moritz, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Oslo, Innsbruck, Lillehammer, Nagano, Turin and Singapore. Among the current bidding cities: Istanbul, Madrid, Buenos Aires and Glasgow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FYI Posted May 19, 2013 Report Share Posted May 19, 2013 Are we gonna add the bidding cities & the Youth Olympic cities to this too? If so, then why stop there. Why not include the IOC session cities, too. My list would grow by at least half a dozen more cities then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
runningrings Posted May 19, 2013 Report Share Posted May 19, 2013 My uncles step daughters neighbour has been to Palembang, host of the 2011 South East Asian Games! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Rols Posted May 19, 2013 Report Share Posted May 19, 2013 Always more of a bragging topic than anything else. But here goes again: Actually attended the games in: Atlanta Sydney London Visited at other times: Paris Stockholm Amsterdam Los Angeles Berlin Garmisch Partenkirchen Helsinki Melbourne Rome Squaw Valley (skiied there) Tokyo Innsbruck (skiied there) Munich Seoul Barcelona Have travelled through and set foot on the ground briefly in: Antwerp Moscow If we're gonna count YOGs: Singapore Where I'd love to go: Rio for sure - one of my big desires now Athens is on my bucket list Been to Norway, just not to Oslo or Lillehammer - a bit of a black hole considering I've spent extended time in and travelled through most of Scandinavia extensively. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucas Posted May 19, 2013 Report Share Posted May 19, 2013 As you can see in my avatar, London but not in Olympics time. Los Angeles too. Buenos Aires is future Youth Olympic ost right? LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FYI Posted May 19, 2013 Report Share Posted May 19, 2013 Always more of a bragging topic than anything else. But here goes again: Actually attended the games in: Atlanta Sydney London If we're gonna count YOGs: Singapore Where I'd love to go: Rio for sure - one of my big desires now If you go to Rio during Games time, as well, then you'd have gone to an actual Games on virtually every continent. Asia would be left - do PyeongChang, then you'd have a Winter Games under your belt, too. And if you're counting Youth Games, I'm counting IOC sessions; Copenhagen & Guatemala City. Bid Cities; Chicago & Salzburg. Actual Games, just Atlanta. Do the satelite cities count, too?! If so, then Savannah for Sailing! lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Rols Posted May 19, 2013 Report Share Posted May 19, 2013 If you go to Rio during Games time, as well, then you'd have gone to an actual Games on virtually every continent. Asia would be left - do PyeongChang, then you'd have a Winter Games under your belt, too. I kick myself that I could have had a junket to the Beijing games, if only I hadn't been so impatient to quit my old job. Oh well, there's always Tokyo 2020! (actually, I'm starting to think Istanbul might be the one with momentum now, though). I've already started working on trying to convince the better half that I should go to Rio. Maybe i should wait for Durban and keep up my run of only going in person to English speaking games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FYI Posted May 19, 2013 Report Share Posted May 19, 2013 I kick myself that I could have had a junket to the Beijing games, if only I hadn't been so impatient to quit my old job. Maybe i should wait for Durban and keep up my run of only going in person to English speaking games. I was gonna say, all the Games you've attended on different continents, have been of the Anglo-saxon kind lol. And I knoew, I was gonna go to Beijing too. Trip was all planned to go with a buddy of mine, but then that whole SARS thing broke out at that time. Needless to say, the trip was cancelled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olympian2004 Posted May 20, 2013 Report Share Posted May 20, 2013 Always more of a bragging topic than anything else. But here goes again: In your case, it truly is a bragging topic. But olympiakoi-agones can obviously hold a candle to your travel activities. I've been (and in some cases lived) in Athens, Paris, London, Stockholm, Antwerp, Amsterdam, Los Angeles, Berlin, Helsinki, Rome, Tokyo, Mexico City, Munich, Montreal, Barcelona, Atlanta, Rio de Janeiro, Saint Moritz, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Oslo, Innsbruck, Lillehammer, Nagano, Turin and Singapore. Among the current bidding cities: Istanbul, Madrid, Buenos Aires and Glasgow. In which of these cities have you lived? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwissO Posted May 20, 2013 Report Share Posted May 20, 2013 So, we already had this kind of thread... but here we go again : Olympic Host cities visited : - Athens (before, during & after the 2004 Games) - Paris - London (before, during & after the 2012 Games) - Stockholm - Berlin - Chamonix - St. Moritz - Amsterdam - Los Angeles - Berlin - Oslo - Melbourne - Innsbruck (during the Youth Olympic Games) - Grenoble - Munich - Montreal - Moscow - Calgary - Albertville (during and after the 1992 Games) - Barcelona - Lillehammer - Atlanta - Sydney (during and after the 2000 Games) - Salt Lake City - Turin (before and during the 2006 Games) - Beijing (during the 2008 Games) - Vancouver (before and during the 2010 Games) - Singapour (during the 2010 Youth Olympic Games) - Rio de Janeiro 2018 Youth bidding cities : Glasgow 2020 bidding cities : Istanbul & Madrid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baron-pierreIV Posted May 20, 2013 Report Share Posted May 20, 2013 Next thread coming up...it's the monthly "what are your favorite Opening Ceremonies"?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
intoronto Posted May 20, 2013 Report Share Posted May 20, 2013 WOW Next thread coming up...it's the monthly "what are your favorite Opening Ceremonies"?? llol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwissO Posted May 20, 2013 Report Share Posted May 20, 2013 So in my missing ones... Would like to visit soon Seoul, Tokyo, Saporo & Nagano... an asian olympic tour ! And it is already planned to attend the Sochi Games... Tickets, flights and accommodation are booked Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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