Places and memory associations

What comes to your mind when you think of a place? A place you've visited, or a place you've lived for months, days or years...? 

For most people, there are strong ties with any place, be it a city or a town or a state, that one has lived in, or stayed on account of work or pleasure. Usually the memory associations are different in case of places that have been part of one's life out of compulsion as opposed to choice. 

While visiting places for the first time, it's the food or the special attractions that one gets attached to, quite naturally. However, sometimes, whatever we do, wherever, are always special because of the ones we share them with, when it's the people - or the relations we forge with them - attain a larger significance, and thereby provide us with a meaningful context to a place.

Delhi, more lovingly called Dilli, is a place that has been in my memory recall for a number of reasons, and none so poignant that a phantom association with certain people and the recurrent associations with the city, which otherwise brings a 'been there' and 'could've been' vibe for me, silly me.