Soul City

[pupsiecola]

Me again. Someone on here a while ago posted that Paris is their "soul city" and that they are planning on retiring there. With all the talk of people struggling to settle, I wonder if anyone else has a "soul city"? I thought it was a great way to describe it - just wondered if anyone has found theirs for now, or in the future?

Ooh, that was me!

Seems like you're the only one butterflies

I wouldn't use soul city, but I live just outside Los Angeles (Burbank, more specifically) and it just feels like home. I don't want anything else, I feel properly at home, I could imagine and want to live here until the day I die. This is the first place I feel I've properly fitted in- and I'm a foreigner, so didn't expect it, so I suppose it is my version of a soul city (well, town).

I felt the same in Vancouver. Sadly the Canadian Immigration system didn't agree and I had to leave after 4 years, but still imagine myself back there.

interesting question. Dont think I have one although there are lots of places I feel an affinity to. Currently in HK, and it will always have a piece of my heart as my DC were born here and we feel very settled 5 years in. However, it's no country for old men, so I wouldn't want to retire here. Love Singapore but the same applies. Really like the west coast of the US and the south of the UK (Dorset /Wiltshire). Oddly I've never felt an urge to live elsewhere in Europe, other than Switzerland (because I like chocolate, skiing and rules). All in, I think it's highly possible that we wont really retire anywhere, just spend a few months in several countries.

Agressivebunting, I could be you
Although Singapore really has no soul so could do another little stint there but definitely not settle.
I grew up partly in Switzerland and maybe yes, at the french or Italian border. It feels too "static".
I could see us spending a stretch of time in Northern California and hoping one of the children will choose to go to Uni there.
I have many moments terribly missing the old Europe, but I realize my soul is not there anymore.

Johannesburg is my soul city, love it all. The rough edges of Hillbrow, the immaculate lawns in Sandton and the heaving city centre when I think about my heart aches.

Lyon has something of this effect on me. I especially like Croix-Rousse.

York has definitely been our 'soul city' for a number of years.

I am a born and bred Londoner, but York has been special since the moment I discovered it.

In terms of non-UK, I think Mahalapye was my best town (def. not a city) It's just a sleepy little railway town in Botswana, but it was home to me for 5 years and I have very fond memories of it.

Aiofe I used to live in the Croix-Rousse and worked near la Part Dieu when I was a student on placement. Fond memories of my tiny 5th floor apartment (sans ascenseur) and finding out that the beach on the far bank of the Rhone is mostly nudist.....

Butterflies, lucky you, not the nude bit tho!