Let's Hear it for Buffalo!

 A reader has chastised me for painting an unfair picture of her city. Here it is, seen from our boat.

"As a life long resident of Buffalo NY I take exception to your comment that Buffalo doesn't have much going for it. Apparently you have not been to Buffalo in a number of years or checked out what is going on in Buffalo. Buildings are being built, old ones are being rehabed as multi purpose apts, offices & retail. Waterfront is alive and well, over 800 events are held from May to Oct. the medical campus employees employees over 13000 people with growth should have 17000 within 3 years. Business are moving to Buffalo. You need to visit and have the convention and visitors bureau show you all that has happened and is happening now. It is a "new and renewed city" Barbara from Buffalo.

     I take your criticism on board, Barbara.  Alas, Londoners can be very arrogant about other places.Though I have to say in my defence that I'm a frequent visitor to Buffalo, as this blog will attest and have said some nice things about it too.  I agree that, amid the swathes of urban dereliction, there are signs of new life, not to mention the many lovely old buildings. So let's hear it for Buffalo! But speaking as a foreign observer, a few attractive cafes at the waterfront (and particularly at the marina, where I spend a lot of my time trying to avoid looking at ugly concrete and queuing for hours to get an ice cream) would prove that it really is alive and well and not just functioning on life support.  Until that happens, I hope that Barbara and other Buffalonians will forgive me for retaining a little scepticism!