..................
World Cities

Click on a name to read his/her story.

Lanping Fu

Beijing, China

I have learned about many world cities, but if you ask me which city I like best, I will tell you that it is my hometown, Beijing, which is one of the lovliest cities in the world.

I grew up in Beijing . I went to kindergraden, elementary school and high school there.Thus, Beijing is a familiar place that I can tell you more about.

I especially love the city for its many monuments from ancient civilizations and cultures. After all, Beijing was the capital of the Liao,Jin,Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties. Some of the ancient places that you can visit include the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven and the distinctive Siheyuan, a compound with houses around a courtyard. All of these beautiful Chinese landmarks represent part of the country's history.

Beijing is also a modern city, where ancient Chinese Civilization meets with modern achievements. There are a lot of international companies which invest in Beijing , pushing economic development. Also, the Olympic Games will be held in Beijing In 2008.

These are just a few of the reasons why I love Beijing .

Maria Eugenia Suarez

 

Santiago, Chile

Santiago, a city with a population of 6,000,000, is the capital of. Chile, and for that reason, it is a principal city, too. The most important cultural, economic and political activities in the country take place in Santiago .

IT'S HISTORY

Santiago was founded between Santa Lucia Hill and the Mapocho River by Pedro de Valdivia in 1512. “The University of Chile ” was the first university in Latin America, and is now one of the most prestigious academic institutions in South America . In Santiago, you can also see the “Casa de Moneda”, the building which holds the Presidential offices and staff, and “Central Station” a very important train station that was built by Gustav Eiffel.

TOURISM

Chile is a country 'born from the mountains', and, as a result, it is home to many scenic outlooks such as “Portillo” and “”Valle Nevado”. On San Cristobal Hill, there is an enormous image of the Virgin Mary, and she looks over our city from the top of the hill. Also, in that same area, is the Santiago Zoo.

SPORTS

The most popular sports in Chile are football (soccer), and horse racing. In 1962, Santiago was the host for the World Cup, in which Chile placed third. An interesting sport-related place to visit is “Club Hipico de Santiago” the first horse club founded in South America . Horse racing and breeding is very important and Chile exports many horses.

Heechan Yoon

 

My New Hometown: Demarest

Demarest, situated in the Northern Valley of Burgen County, New Jersey, is a quiet, small city that is about a 20 minute drive from Manhattan. Most of the city is surrounded by trees and Demarest residents have striven to preserve and protect their beautiful natural environment. It has a population of approximately 5,000.

It's History
David Demarest, originally know as Davis des Markets, settled in Bergen County, New Jersey in 1677. He was the first of the Demarest family in American. In 1859, an event of utmost important took place, the opening of the Northern Railroad of new Jersey, which ran from Jersey City to Piermont, New York. It no longer took two days by ferry and stagecoach to reach Demarest. One of the men responsible for the line was Ralph S. Demarest, who was, at the time, the State Senetor from Bergen County . The community that was his home was named 'Demerest Station' in his honour. On April 8, 1903, the Borough of Demarest came into being after having separated from the Township of Harrington. The first mayor was John H. Z. Demarest.

Sightseeing
The Demarest railroad station is well-matched with its natural environment. Designed by J. Cleveland Cady, the architect for the Metropolitan Opera House and the Museum of Natural History, the station was built in 1874 of stone quarried from the slopes of the Palisades. It stands today as a monument to the achievements of the Demarest family.