What are the instantly recognizable symbols that represent your city? And more importantly, what do you think of them? We hash out the whys behind the icons that make our cities (or the cities we travel to) famous. We also ask, do you travel to a city because of the icons there, or are they what make that place feel more familiar once you arrive? Is the purpose of a city symbol, like the Seattle Space Needle, the St. Louis Arch, or the Eiffel Tour, to lure travelers to a city, or to make them feel like they have fully seen it when they leave? And what about gastronomic icons? Can you really say you've been to Seattle if you haven't had a cuppa from the original Starbucks? Would you really leave Lisbon without trying a cream cake from Pastéis de Belém? Can you go to New York without eating a Pastrami sandwich at Katz's Deli? If you don't sample a city's local dish, will you have somehow missed out? Not experienced the true city? And in that sense, where does city icon end and tourist trap begin? We discuss all this and more on the latest episode of The Bittersweet Life. -------------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travelers all over the world. Send us an email to get the conversation started. BECOME A PATRON: Pledge your monthly support of The Bittersweet Life and receive awesome prizes in return for your generosity! Visit our Patreon site to find out more. DONATE: Prefer a one-time donation? Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue. JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email at bittersweetlife@mail.com. You can also connect to us through Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram – Better yet, tag #thebittersweetlife with your story for a chance to be featured! NEW TO THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1: OUTSET SUBSCRIBE: Subscribe to the podcast to make sure you never miss an episode. Click here to find us on a variety of podcast apps. WRITE A REVIEW: Leave us a rating and a written review on iTunes so more listeners can find us. BOOK: Want to read Tiffany's book, Midnight in the Piazza? Learn more here or order on Amazon. TOUR ROME: If you're traveling to Rome, don't miss the chance to tour the city with Tiffany as your guide!