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When I say that Phoenix is pretty much Los Angeles without anything that makes Los Angeles enjoyable, I am referring primarily to Phoenix's lack of recreation (besides hiking), nightlife, entertainment for people of all ages, and diversity. I will stick up for Phoenix when someone launches into uncontrollable fits of verbal diarrhea about the area, especially when it is clear that they have never been here. Still, the pollution, the general lack of sophistication in many respects, and the repeated failed attempts to make Central Phoenix hip while wasting tons of money, are all elements I can do without.
You forgot to mention two additional positive attributes of L.A. which Phoenix lacks: the beach and year-round great weather. Those are two biggies. OTOH, Phoenix is much more livable, in my opinion, than L.A. is. The cost of living, taxes, traffic and overcrowding in L.A. are simply unbearable and would prevent me from ever living there. It is a fun place to visit, though.
As far as El Paso is concerned, I've been there once and I have to say that, based on my rather extensive travels throughout this part of the country, El Paso is IMO the hands-down ugliest city in the southwest. I mean, just a completely disgusting, grimy, crime-ridden, culturally devoid wasteland was my basic impression. I will say that from a strictly aesthetic standpoint, Phoenix isn't much to look at, either, although it does have its nicer areas. It's essentially flat, spread-out and spread-thin. I would agree with the posters above who prefer Tucson over Phoenix; I do, as well, for the same reasons. Tucson just seems to me like it has more of its own unique identity; it also seems to have "preserved" more of its desert environment as it's developed. The city seems actually integrated into its surroundings, rather than paved over it as most of Phoenix is. Tucson also is a bit cooler in the summer; not by much, but every little bit helps when you're talking about 100 degree+ heat.
People who move to Phoenix b/c they love the desert, I have trouble understanding- it's been almost completely built over, at least in the city proper. They paved paradise and put up a parking lot, as the cliche goes. The only thing left to remind you of what it once was is, of course, the climate, and those little brown "mountains" you see in the distance.
As far as El Paso is concerned, I've been there once and I have to say that, based on my rather extensive travels throughout this part of the country, El Paso is IMO the hands-down ugliest city in the southwest. I mean, just a completely disgusting, grimy, crime-ridden, culturally devoid wasteland was my basic impression. I will say that from a strictly aesthetic standpoint, Phoenix isn't much to look at, either.
I agree with you there. The established neighborhoods in Phoenix are very nice. Sunnyslope and Arcadia definitely have the feel that I would like more neighborhoods in Phoenix to have. However, the random streets throughout Phoenix that are filled with these tile-roofed, stucco-clad huts do not do anything to enhance the city. If there was some architectural variety even, I could accept that. Oh well.
Different perspectives but we came to the same conclusions.
How about Las Cruces and El Paso for comparison...
Las Cruces is basically a smaller El Paso with worse traffic if you can believe that...but it's true....my 28 years in El Paso had me back and forth between the cities for work. In other words....another dump. El Paso is not crime ridden in the least as one poster said. It's safer than a baby's crib at midnight. It IS ugly, but not crime ridden. I think it was voted the 6th most safest city in the nation. Surprisingly being on the border and all.....but there are few and I mean very few areas you can't walk at night(and if you're from them....you can walk them)....El Paso is a city of wanna be tough guys, wanna be gangsta's(there are some old cholo gangs around....but they don't do **** out side their neighborhoods)....the scariest thing is the violence from across the border..that has spilled into El Paso...i.e. the corrupt cop killings and drug cartel **** that has happened recently.....other than that, the lack of things to do, the lack of jobs, the lack of any beauty in the city, you're golden.
Phoenix is TEN times better than El Paso. In terms of the two economies of the cities, El Paso can't even come close to Phoenix. Then again, Phoenix is much bigger, so that makes sense. El Paso is a DUMP, and although Phoenix is basically one big suburb, compared to El Paso, it's a wonderland. As for Tucson, it's about mid size so their not as many jobs or entertainment there as there is in Phoenix. In my opinion, Phoenix is the best of the three.
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