G77

Read on another forum and I tend to agree that Britain is becoming "identikit". I.e. go to any town/city/shopping centre anywhere in the country and you'll find the exact same list of shops....

Now shopping doesn't excite me much at all anyway, but the wife feels it's her duty to drag me along - what makes it worse is that you could go anywhere in Britain pretty much and find the same old shops selling the same old things.... Gets very dreary when you find yourself in the same shops time after time (for me anyway).

Please tell me there's more variety in Canada? I think it was dbd who said there's two malls in the GTA that are a mirror of each other? I hope that's an exception rather than a rule....

iaink

Nah, apart from "boutique" and specialty type stores, its all pretty much the same chains from one place to another. Thats modern life I suspect.

rwin

Unfortunately its the same here.

And the USA.

We drove to LA and up the coast back to Calgary. Really, you couldn't tell we left the city let alone the country.

Calgal

errrrrrr - sorry.....

but it's pretty much like that here too. Sure, everywhere has it's little places where you can find individual shops/stores; but malls are pretty much full of the same old same old wherever you go. The little guy typically gets beat out by the big guys, and people flock to the malls rather than those out of the way little places, so the inevitable is going to happen, innit?

Judy in Calgary

I've got news for you.

Much of Canada is very bland when it comes to shopping. Most of the shops are national (or North American or international) chains.

However, each city typically has one or more shopping districts that are a little more funky, edgy, whatever. These neighbourhoods have small, individually owned stores. The number of such neighbourhoods depends on the size of the city.

Most of Canada’s architecture is very bland too.

This doesn’t bother me because I’ve only ever lived in “new” countries (Swaziland, South Africa, Canada, the USA and Australia).

However, the lack of old buildings is something that gets to some British expats after a while. I’ve seen it cited as the main reason for packing everything in and returning to the UK. The tricky thing is that, as far as I can gather, there is almost no way of telling in advance how one will react to this aspect of living abroad. One could have spent a dozen holidays in a given country, one could have been absolutely enchanted with that country, and one could end up not “taking” to it when one lives there.

To my mind, Canada’s attraction is its natural scenery. Yes, to be sure, it’s a First World country with degrees of security, peace, etc., that are comparable to those of other First World countries.

But if you want unique shopping and old buildings, don’t come to Canada.

And, before anyone jumps on me, I do know that human habitation goes back a long way in Canada. For example, the Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump site in Alberta was continually inhabited for 6,000 years. But, fascinated as I am in the lifestyles of hunting-gathering peoples, they did not erect Gothic cathedrals and the like. That’s the kind of stuff that the average British expat means when he/she refers to old buildings, history or, for that matter, “culture.”

Oh, and another thing. If your wife likes shopping, I suppose she likes nice clothes. Most British expats find Canadians to be sartorially challenged. And that doesn’t even address the business of haircuts.

Actually, come to think of it, I would be grateful if Canada was merely bland in the architectural department. There are occasions on which “bland” would be sheer heaven compared with what actually exists on the ground.

A while ago they built onto the south end of Chinook Mall in Calgary a cinema complex that is so hideous that the person who designed it should be shot at dawn, in my opinion. Actually, it is so ugly that it has crossed the line from being merely ugly to being almost interesting. When something is that disgusting, it almost acquires a novelty value.

G77

I won't be bothered about not seeing old buildings anymore - but then I guess everyone says that until they don't see them anymore.... something you can't say for certain till you experience it....

I guess the size of the malls does give scope for a larger range of shops, even if they are all the same from place to place..... When I've been to the States, there seems to be a better range of shops, maybe that's just because I'm not familiar with the names yet

And on the clothes, it would be a bonus to me if there's a lack of decent clothes shops The amount of time I've lost hanging around women's clothes shops must amount to several months now in the 7 years I've known my wife!

Steve_P

I can't say the lack old old architecture here bothers me.

But it is really nice to see when visiting places like the UK.
They do become a bit of the same old, same old after a very short while.
I lucked out in that department. I married a woman who hates clothes shopping with a passion but loves to wander through hardware and stationery stores, like Rona and Home Depot or Staples and Office depot.

Rob4BC

Yes, I have to agree - we went to see a film there when we were in Calgary last month and we thought it interesting in a "horror fascination" kinda way!

CHRISRICHES

I agree - have been coast to coast across the USA, and all the mall's were so similar, I can't remember which one was where (unless one had a really good food court!)

Novocastrian

Ah. This is something that should be discussed more often. I really, really miss architecture from earlier centuries. It's probably the main reason that I will leave this country when I retire.

dbd33

Canada is much more Identikit than the US, nevermind the UK. Check out threads on where to meet in Halifax, where to meet in Calgary, where to meet in some other nowhere. People always suggest Boston Pizza, Outback Steakhouse, East Side Marios. I understand that this may be a reflection of Brits in Canada rather than Canadians but there's no concession to the idea of regional cuisine (if there is any in Canada) or regional beer (if there is any in Canada) whereas, in the US, an effort is made to differentiate between regions (Abita vs Fat Tire vs Sam Adams) and in the UK no effort need be made.

Novocastrian

The country I plan to retire to is not the USA. Figure it out, mate.

Steve_P

Once again you make a sweeping generalisation and state it as fact. People don't always suggest Boston Pizza, Outback Steakhouse, East Side Marios.

One of the reasons that Boston Pizza or the Outback Steakhouse were suggested for the upcoming meet in Calgary was that kids might be attending.

The get together that I attended in April in Calgary was at a pub (if one is allowed to call them that) in a trendy area of Calgary called Kensington. Others in Nanaimo also met in a pub.

You yourself have been known to suggest a pub for one or two of your meets with others. Do you not count as people.

hot wasabi peas

Much of the malls in Canada are like high streets in the UK - waterstones/chapters, next/le chateau, with a lot of the same sameness... Lush, Starbucks, Aveda...

If it bothers you, just find something better to do with your time and money. It's really just that simple.

hot wasabi peas

Very true... in all the BE meet-ups I've attended they've all been in local restaurants or pubs, street corners, people's homes... or in C-train stations - where I met you!