I was in Cleveland last year, travelling. I had heard that there was a "renaissance" (sp?) happening there as well, but sadly I found it to be untrue. The area of town called the Flats I think it was, where the new stuff was meant to be, was deserted (apart from a great restaurant/bar called the Brewery - best beer I had in all my time in America, most US beer is piss, sorry but it is).

The Rock 'n' Roll Hall of fame was great (though no Oasis in there -- YET), I spent about 8 hours in there and thoroughly enjoyed it. The University area of town was nice as well. But there were large areas of the city just full of povery, urban decay and a general atmosphere of depression. Having said that I was pleased I went there, it showed the multiple facets of life in America, which just seeing Chicago, NewYork or some gleaming big city would not do.

And the PEOPLE in Cleveland were some of the nicest I met across all of America. Very helpful and friendly and often pleased to see someone from foreign shores. I was amazed by the number of them I spoke to who had never been out of Cleveland. I mean NEVER. But there were a lot of very nice people there it has to be said.