Do cities smell?

[jerico_cacaw]

Quote from joe_haldeman most recent post:

I don't recall Venice smelling bad when I was there five years ago in July, though most old cities in Europe to me smell faintly of ancient sewage. (So does New York, to be fair.)I remember one of Asimov's novels (maybe? I'm not really sure ...) where a character, after landing in a planet different than theirs, goes

Comments

[jerico_cacaw]

Now that you mention ports, I remember Coatzacoalcos' City smelling quite distinctively too. It had something to do with all the oil industries there, strong enough to cover the sea's salty smell.

[delphinapterus]

Yes, definitely cities smell different. Flying into Beijing you could smell the pollution before you even got out of the plane. Vancouver and Victoria both smell like the ocean but Vancouver has more of an combustion tang to its scent. I think part of it depends on where you're at in the city as well because sometimes a scent doesn't travel that far but when you're close to the source it can be overwhelming.

[jerico_cacaw]

I love the ocean's smell! And true, it depends of your location, location, location. In the city where I got my Master degree, there was a soap plant in front of the closest mall. The stores frequently complained about the heavy, sticky smell. It was quite nauseous, but only if you were in a five-six blocks area around it.

[greenwillow27]

Every new place I've gone has had its own smell. Or maybe it's a combination of elements; light, humidity, ambient sounds and smells that make different places feel so different.

Yes, every city has its own fragrance I think.

[jerico_cacaw]

"Fragrance" is much a better word than "smell" :B