London has turned out to be a fine city to host a modern Olympics. Lots of diversions, plenty of local expertise to make it all happen, good facilities, nice people, easy to reach …

London is not new at this, though, having hosted twice before, including in 1948. But that was long ago, before the world changed and the Olympics became, in part, about showcasing a new city breaking out or an old one reaffirming its place among world cities.

I’ve been thinking about which cities might be fun hosts of future Summer Games, and here is my list of 10 (counting down) which would be good choices:

10. Berlin. Nearly everyone who goes to the German capital these days comes back raving about the place. Germans would run a great Games, of course, and they have the 2006 World Cup as recent proof of their organizational skills. Plus, it would be nice to make the 1936 Olympics the other Berlin games.

9. Madrid. A serious world city. Spain’s economy is in the tank, at the moment, but for down the line … keep Madrid in mind.

8. Istanbul. In this part of the world, it has been noticed that no predominately Muslim city has even hosted the Summer Games. Turkey’s No. 1 city is becoming a tourist favorite, and has shown recent interest in a Olympics. I doubt anyone would go there and regret it.

7. St. Petersburg. Russia, not Florida. Better weather than in Moscow. Just as many sights. And Russia could afford it, with all the commodity money they have rolling in. And it might be time to go back there, considering the 1980 Moscow Games were crippled by the U.S.-led boycott.

6. Singapore. They could so do it. And talk about exotic.

5. Kuala Lumpur. See above.

4. Buenos Aires. With Rio de Janeiro up next, South America will have to wait a while to get another Summer Games, but Argentina’s capital would make an excellent place to stage them. Maybe along about 2032. (See you there!)

3. Dubai. The greatest party town in the Gulf. With more five-star hotels than the IOC honchos could ever hope to stay in. The indoor ski slope, the world’s tallest building, the mega-malls. Glitter Gulch, UAE style. The Games would have to be held in, oh, November to escape the summer heat, but perhaps Dubai could put all the events indoors. No. Really.

2. Paris. It’s time. The City of Light hosted in 1924 … but that’s 88 (!) years ago now. Everyone wants to go to Paris. Everyone. And an Olympics in Paris? Paris thought it would get 2012, but London snatched it in a late campaign. The reality is, both London and Paris deserved an Olympics, and it should be Paris’s turn. And soon.

1. New York City. The world’s greatest city never to host the Olympics. Sometimes it seems as if the Big Apple hasn’t tried hard enough (another failed 2012 suitor), but if/when it does … Lots of facilities already in place there, a great transportation and communications center, and it would absorb the Olympics without much strain — and create some memorable times. I’m thinking 2024. Just get it done, NYC.