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Vancouver, don't get it.

Vancouver, don't get it.

Old Jun 1st 2012, 5:48 pm
  #286  
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Default Re: Vancouver, don't get it.

Originally Posted by Kiwilass
Am I the only one who likes Toronto AND Vancouver? I could live in either city and I'd be happy.
I don't like the traffic in either one, which is one of the reasons I live here. Not a big fan of trees either, I feel hemmed in and claustrophobic in parts of BC because you can't see further than the treeline.

I agree that Vancouver isn't that racially diverse really, parts of the downtown area do remind me of Hong Kong. Lot of Han Chinese, lot of Indians, lot of Caucasians, lot of Filipinos, but not much else. It's the same in most major cities in Canada except Vancouver leans more to the Chinese than anywhere else, although there are a lot in Toronto as well. "Diverse" I assume would mean it is much different from the rest of Canada, which it's not.

The traffic situation in Vancouver isn't as bad as Toronto but when I was in Victoria I thought the road layout coming out of downtown on Hwy 17 was simply mad, two major bottlenecks for no reason that couldn't easily be solved with a couple of flyovers.
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Old Jun 2nd 2012, 1:11 am
  #287  
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Default Re: Vancouver, don't get it.

Well, maybe it's because you visited Vancouver in May. Check out Montreal or Ottawa in January, then see what you think of Van!

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Old Jun 2nd 2012, 1:26 am
  #288  
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Default Re: Vancouver, don't get it.

Originally Posted by Steve_
I don't like the traffic in either one, which is one of the reasons I live here. Not a big fan of trees either, I feel hemmed in and claustrophobic in parts of BC because you can't see further than the treeline.

I agree that Vancouver isn't that racially diverse really, parts of the downtown area do remind me of Hong Kong. Lot of Han Chinese, lot of Indians, lot of Caucasians, lot of Filipinos, but not much else. It's the same in most major cities in Canada except Vancouver leans more to the Chinese than anywhere else, although there are a lot in Toronto as well. "Diverse" I assume would mean it is much different from the rest of Canada, which it's not.

The traffic situation in Vancouver isn't as bad as Toronto but when I was in Victoria I thought the road layout coming out of downtown on Hwy 17 was simply mad, two major bottlenecks for no reason that couldn't easily be solved with a couple of flyovers.
I like Vancouver AND Toronto too. I also agree the road system in Victoria in general is crazy! It's not just Hwy 17 - it's all nuts. I drove in London for 20 plus years and I find Victoria infinitely more stressful.
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Old Jun 2nd 2012, 1:28 am
  #289  
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Default Re: Vancouver, don't get it.

Originally Posted by Lilipuddlian
Well, maybe it's because you visited Vancouver in May. Check out Montreal or Ottawa in January, then see what you think of Van!

Ottawa in January was absolute hell. Ottawa in July is scarcely better. I would certainly choose Vancouver over Ottawa.

Montreal, well, that's more difficult, the weather's problematic but it's an exciting city and a city with an attractive built environment, there's beautiful scenery just to the north, NYC isn't far to the south and there are lots of cheap, relatively short, flights to Europe from Montreal. And, in Montreal, housing is cheap. Kayaking and sailing at your doorstep, skiing within the hour, I don't know about spandex sports but I expect those are there as well. I know there's lots of weed in Montreal, I suppose granola's available. Montreal has a really diverse population, if you can live with that, then I suggest it offers rather more urban delights than Vancouver at the sacrifice of very few rural ones.

I suppose the snag might be that they get a bit fixated with iced hockey in Montreal, for someone who's not interested in that game Vancouver might be better.
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Old Jun 2nd 2012, 4:28 am
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Default Re: Vancouver, don't get it.

Originally Posted by dbd33
Ottawa in January was absolute hell. Ottawa in July is scarcely better. I would certainly choose Vancouver over Ottawa.
Depends - some people like cold winters and hot summers. Although personally I think Ottawa is even duller than Vancouver in terms of night life and entertainment.

Originally Posted by dbd33
Montreal, well, that's more difficult, the weather's problematic but it's an exciting city and a city with an attractive built environment, there's beautiful scenery just to the north, NYC isn't far to the south and there are lots of cheap, relatively short, flights to Europe from Montreal. And, in Montreal, housing is cheap. Kayaking and sailing at your doorstep, skiing within the hour, I don't know about spandex sports but I expect those are there as well. I know there's lots of weed in Montreal, I suppose granola's available. Montreal has a really diverse population, if you can live with that, then I suggest it offers rather more urban delights than Vancouver at the sacrifice of very few rural ones.
Montreal certainly trumps Vancouver in terms of what you call "urban delights". The night life in Montreal is 2nd to none in Canada.

Originally Posted by dbd33
I suppose the snag might be that they get a bit fixated with iced hockey in Montreal, for someone who's not interested in that game Vancouver might be better.
The Canucks are a pretty big deal in Vancouver. Regardless, hardly a reason to choose a city. It's a bit like saying don't live in New York if you're not into Broadway. Or don't live in London if you don't like the Royal Family. Or don't live in Paris if you don't like fashion. Or don't live in Munich if you don't like beer and sausages. There's much more to Montreal than ice hockey.
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Old Jun 2nd 2012, 3:35 pm
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Default Re: Vancouver, don't get it.

Originally Posted by MarylandNed
The Canucks are a pretty big deal in Vancouver. Regardless, hardly a reason to choose a city. It's a bit like saying don't live in New York if you're not into Broadway. Or don't live in London if you don't like the Royal Family. Or don't live in Paris if you don't like fashion. Or don't live in Munich if you don't like beer and sausages. There's much more to Montreal than ice hockey.
Don't live in Maryland if you don't like plodding literalism...
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Old Jun 2nd 2012, 4:57 pm
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Default Re: Vancouver, don't get it.

Originally Posted by dbd33
Don't live in Maryland if you don't like plodding literalism...
I had to look that up so I think I just proved my own point!
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