dbd33

You could also watch the film "Lie With Me". It's about life in Toronto, the life may be atypical but the street scenes are representative.

dboy

Thanks for posting the pics. That's how I remember it. Like I said, I really liked the urban vibe of the place. Also the second set would seem to challenge the notion that there is no architecture there. My comments are based on someone who spent only 5 days there one very humid July.

Each to their own. How you feel about a given place is as much to do with how you life falls in to place and how you 'connect' with it. Work, friends, relationships will all greatly impact how you fit in - not to mention a whole lot of attitude.

ShawnMcCrea

Great links Lychee, It really gives anybody who hasnt seen the city an idea of what its like. Cheers.

Koolio

lol if you think England has got racism, you should try coming up to the North (Scotland) and you will get the real cheese of what racism is !!. From a minority perspective I think the english are very tolerant people.

Toronto would be a safer bet from quality of life, but you need to evaluate what your future priorities are. You need to list out what is important which segments of society and then compare and contrast.

Or compare the negatives of Toronto and London and then see which is weighs heavier. Do you needs and gap analysis !!

el_richo

What, graffiti riddled and dirty?

ShawnMcCrea

haha not sure where your from or where you have been but if you consider Toronto dirty you obviously havent been to very many large cities. There was some graffiti in the first link yes and none or little in the second link.

You must be from a small town because the amount of graffiti in Toronto is not over the top for a large city. There are some legal walls where artists are able to put up mural style pieces that I personally love. If you want "culture" than there is a little art for anyone on their everyday walk. Most small throw ups or 'tags' are visually disturbing, but a lot of the larger pieces are enjoyable to look at for me. Give the place character as some may say.

el_richo

Picture 1, Dirty old stickers on the pole
Picture 4, Graffiti in background
Picture 5, Graffiti on shop
Picture 7, Dirty stickers on Stop light pole
Picture 9, Graffiti on shops
Picture 10, Dirty stickers on poles
Picture 12, Graffiti on shops
Picture 13, Graffiti on shops
Picture 15, Looks like semen stains on pole
Picture 17, Graffiti all over walls and rubbish all over the ground
Picture 19, Graffiti on shops
Picture 20, Graffiti on walls
Picture 21, Evil looking man walking out of shop
Picture 23, Graffiti on walls
Picture 25, Graffiti on walls
Picture 27, Graffiti on walls

Ok i got bored but it goes on. All of the graffiti i see in the pictures are crap and messy. I'm not a fan of it as you can tell and don't believe it adds character as dog crap on the pavement of Paris adds character.

I've been TO and didn't really enjoy it there and those pictures wouldn't entice me back.

All my own opinion of course.

dboy

Wow, sounds like those descriptors could be the UK.

el_richo

Certainly could be any city in the world. My original response was light-hearted. My latest reply was purely out boredom and a little bit of light-hearted digging at the resident TO marketing man

nooka

Have to admit I thought pretty much the same. The graffiti did stand out a bit after the fourth or fifth slide. I'm guessing it was a bit of an interest of the photographer. Both NYC and London had their their share of graffiti, it just wouldn't be what I would choose to focus on if I was taking cityscapes.

ShawnMcCrea

I did take the original graffiti comment a little to seriously, I re read it afterwards and took it in a much more light-hearted fashion. My bad.

The photographer did however chose to focus on graffiti and thats why it appears that it may an overwhelming part of Toronto streets. If you really want to see what graffiti overkill try NYC and a handfull of other American cities to see what it can really be like.

Just out of curiousity where are you from?

el_richo

I'm from a small town in Yorkshire, England. Currently living in London and previously lived in a couple of cities in UK, Sydney, Paris, and Vancouver. Travelled around many cities throughout the world with work (incl. TO) so i'm up to speed on the ins and outs of many cities for sure .

I'm only yanking your chain with my comments

ShawnMcCrea

Ya it took me a reread to realize my chain was being yanked.

Travelling through Sydney I didnt find to much graffiti at all so that may make Toronto look bad in comparison. I wasnt everywhere so I may have just not been in the right neighbourhoods. I spent a few weeks in Kings Cross (which is def a sketchy neighbourhood) where you would think there would be a lot of graffiti, but there wasnt.

Sorry to the room for strating from the original question by the way.