2323 - Taichung City, Taichung, Taiwan

As I progress further with this blog I have started looking for interesting aspects of the city, rather than giving a quick history and economic activity. For Taichung I discovered the Global and World Cities Research Network and was interested in learning more.

Twice a year, the Global and World Cities Research Network categorizes cities into four different tiers: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Sufficiency. These are based on the city's international connectedness. Connectivity is based on four areas: accountancy, advertising, banking/finance, and law. Economics are ranked more heavily than political or cultural factors. For example, you would think that Washington, DC would be an Alpha+ city because it is the capital city of the United States, considered to be the leader of the free world. Washington, however, is only considered a Beta+.

Taichung is considered a Gamma city. A gamma city are cities that link with smaller economic regions into the world economy.

In Canada, Toronto is an Alpha city and Montreal is an Alpha- city. Vancouver is a Beta+ and Calgary is a Beta-. Ottawa is classified as a Gamma city. Halifax is categorized as Sufficiency.

There are only two Alpha++ cities: London and New York.

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3227 - Mölln, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany

Mölln is a small city of about 20 000 located in northern Germany. The Elbe-Lübeck Canal flows through the town, and there are eight small lakes that surround the city. It was founded in the 12th century and was a part of the Old Salt Route. Salt that was produced in the salt mines of Lower-Saxony was shipped to the Baltic Sea. Till Eulenspiegel, a legendary trickster known for exposing vices and provoking thought, is said to have lived in Mölln the last year of his life. He apparently died of the plague in 1350, but his existence has never been proven. Mölln has several monuments dedicated to him.

3322 - Hamburg, Germany

Happy birthday to me! What a lovely handmade card from the sender. Beautiful penmanship. Am Rothenbaum is the site of the main court of the German Open Tennis Championships. The International German Open has been played at the Rothernbaum since 1892, making it Germany's longest running tennis tournament. The current stadium was built in 1999 and can hold 13 200 people.

3232 - Manitowoc, Wisconsin, United States of America

The Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal North Pierhead Light was built in 1882. There were nine keepers of the light until 1897. It was redesigned in 1903 and is 12 meters high. The Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal was started in 1872 and wasn't opened for large-scale watercraft until 1890. The canal is 2.1 kilometers long that goes from Sturgeon Bay in Lake Michigan to Green Bay. There are no locks on this canal. The canal was sold to the United States government in 1893 and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers maintains the canal.

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