Photo: Waikiki Highrise by Mr. NEV

Well, the draft got eaten, didn’t it? And when I sat down to post, it was nowhere to be found. Forgive the one day delay, kindly, and with no further adieu, here’s the massive link fest that’s The Carnival of Cities!

• Elizabeth Enslin presents Magnolias of Hoyt Arboretum posted at Yips and Howls.
• Top 10 free thing to do this spring and summer. Beat the heat and your budget!  Dodie @AshevilleTravel presents Asheville Travel Blog: Chill Out with Spring and Summer Travel Deals posted at Asheville Travel Blog.
• Traveling coastal New England? Cynthia Rivers presents Gold Mermaid – Plymouth, Massachusetts posted at Gold Mermaid – Tour of New England.
• Different countries = different laws. Exploring the legal use of a natural amphetamine like plant in Bangkok, Thailand. Conan Stevens presents Legal High: Chewing Betel Nut posted at Action Hero In Asia.
• Portland, Oregon has become a model of public transportation for the country: a mix of light rail, trolleys, buses and bicycles. John Chadwick presents Portland light rail and trolleys: a rail-volution? posted at Portland, Oregon: a window on the world.
• Since 1923, Lou Mitchell’s in Chicago has been serving up great food, with a smile (sometimes accompanied by Cubs earrings.) Sheila Scarborough presents Lou Mitchell’s feeds the soul of Chicago posted at Perceptive Travel Blog.
• A great resource post for both local Bostonians and travelers alike looking for things to do in Boston –useful for celebrating National Museum month. Joel Reyes presents Boston’s Best Art Museums posted at The Blog @ Directory of Boston.
• Even if you are not a mall person you can’t travel to Dubai without visiting at least one. Wendy presents IBN Battuta Dubai’s Traveler Mall posted at Escape From New York.
• For some great views of Baltimore, visit the Top of the World at Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. You can see the Inner Harbor, Fort McHenry where the Star Spangled Banner was written and all across the city. Jon presents Baltimore Inner Harbor Weekend – A Birdseye View from the Top of the World posted at The DC Traveler.
• An amusement park in San Jose, Costa Rica. Marina K. Villatoro presents The Travel Expert(a): Amusement Park Costa Rican Style posted at The Travel Expert(a).
• Anthony presents A Memorable Visit to Brandywine Falls In The Cuyahoga Valley National Park posted at The Lives and Times… of Anthony McCune.
• Take a look on what the locals of Sabah have to offer on every Sunday at Gaya street, Kota Kinabalu. Noor Melissa Nor Hadi presents A day on Gaya Street (01): trinkets and the likes posted at Picnic Basket On The Run!.
• Apryl Chapman Thomas presents Experience More Than the Derby in Louisville, Kentucky posted at Southern Byways.
• Berlin is a very green city, with green spaces dotted all over it. Berlin parks range from tiny green oasis around fountain on street corners to massive leisure parks like Grunewald, which really is a sizeable forest on the south west edge of Berlin. These parks are popular with both Berlin tourists and residents. Jack Norell presents Parks in Berlin posted at Eyeflare Travel Articles and Tips.
• This entry talks about why Hong Kong is “a curious territory: where Shanghainese money and industry, Cantonese grit and fiery doggedness, and British phlegmatism and sense of order created a place where East and West worked out a way of living together.” Pete Spurrier presents Book excerpt: King Hui posted at The Blacksmith blog.
• Experimental music in San Francisco. CatSynth presents room: PIPES posted at CatSynth.
• Museum hosts 24-hour celebration as it reopens doors after a two-year closure to complete an ambitious $41.9 million expansion and renovation. Great boost for art in Michigan and a great event that I later read drew 15,000 people! Dominique King presents Ann Arbor’s University of Michigan Museum of Art reopens on Midwest Guest.

FAQ about the Carnival of Cities:

Where’s my post? There are two possible reasons your post isn’t here. Did I mention the draft got eaten? (ARGH!)  If that’s the case, I’m really sorry. (Note to self and future hosts: Don’t delete the emails until AFTER the Carnival is published!)  Please resubmit your post for next week’s carnival, it’s hosted at Ajay’s Writings on the Wall. It’s also possible that your post just didn’t meet the guidelines for the carnival.

What guidelines? They’re here, have a read.

Can I be a host? You betcha! Contact the carnival boss here.

Can I start my own carnival or are there others I should submit my links to? Yes and yes! Check out the BlogCarnival site for additional carnivals and how to information.