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Like to travel? There are tons of lists out there curating the world’s most tech savvy cities. If you’ve been to Seattle or New York, you’ve probably marveled at the blanket of free wifi and the sprawling campuses that house some of the world’s biggest high tech firms and internet leaders – Microsoft, Amazon, Google, etc.  Asia is no slouch either. Anyone who’s been to Tokyo will have been floored by the incredible efficiency of the train system and how the city seamlessly combines ultra-modern innovation and architecture, endless shops packed floor to ceiling with gadgets, games and electronics AND traditional shrines and gardens.

The thing is, despite all those breathless write-ups and images of super high-tech cities of the future, a lot of small centers are still hopping onto the bandwagon. While you can use your cell phone to wirelessly pay for bus fare and taxis in Europe and Asia, in most small towns wireless debit machines are just starting to make an appearance.

And while everyone online is talking about Netflix and streaming video as the future of content delivery, in small and medium sized cities the local Blockbuster is still doing brisk business.

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In the last three weeks I've covered the ground from West to East accross Europe - on the hunt for depressed economic conditions.  They seem to be more rare than the sighting of the Loch Ness Monster.  From London to Paris to Budapest - Picadilly to the Champs Elysees - and East to Andrássy Avenue in Budapest - the crowds fill shop floors and businss workers I've spoken with say "...business is good..."

What struck me was the numbers of people traveling and buying.   The other thing that was apparent is whether you're used to walking down (or shopping - not my favorite pass time - but I do like to walk in and see the business models) New York's 5th Avenue or Robson Street in Vancouver, the main stay stores are all broadly distributed accross these European Cities.

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