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-   -   Vancouver 'mind-numbingly boring? (https://britishexpats.com/forum/canada-56/vancouver-mind-numbingly-boring-858985/)

BristolUK Jun 9th 2015 1:47 pm

Re: Vancouver 'mind-numbingly boring?
 

Originally Posted by JonboyE (Post 11671080)
In the West End (residential district close to Downtown, Stanley Park and beaches) one bedroom apartments start around $1,150 to $1,200.

Granted we're not near beaches (a 20 minute drive) but the one bedroom apartment in my duplex, by a nice park and very close to downtown rents for $540 and that's more than most.

Shard Jun 9th 2015 6:46 pm

Re: Vancouver 'mind-numbingly boring?
 

Originally Posted by jerry brewer (Post 11671083)
Hi
Maybe all the negative waves will help reduce the number of people who keep moving here,
it's getting a bit busy now.
i have only been here about 8 yrs but i can see the changes.
jerry

What changes...population growth?

jerry brewer Jun 9th 2015 7:15 pm

Re: Vancouver 'mind-numbingly boring?
 

Originally Posted by Shard (Post 11671332)
What changes...population growth?

yep

scrubbedexpat091 Jun 9th 2015 7:56 pm

Re: Vancouver 'mind-numbingly boring?
 

Originally Posted by Lychee (Post 11671013)
The point of Vancouver isn't to immerse yourself in its infrastructure, it's about having that infrastructure within close proximity to wilderness - mountains, oceans, fjords, islands, rivers, lakes, rainforest, beaches. You have conveniences of a big city if you want to shop, eat at good restaurants, see theatre, a movie, an art exhibit, a concert, etc. but you can easily vacate the city for the wilderness in 30 minutes or less. Very few cities offer the diversity of wilderness that Vancouver has, and that wilderness is very much a part of the reason why people move to Vancouver. It's the natural environment that has created Vancouver's lifestyle. People don't move to this city to limit themselves to the urban environment, or they're missing the point and are likely miserable. To enjoy Vancouver, you must have an appreciation for nature and a desire to immerse yourself in that environment, a desire to spend your evenings on the beach, your weekends hiking and kayaking and sailing and skiing. Amusement park style entertainment attractions or large museums are not Vancouver's forte. Vancouver is a terrible place to be entertained, but it's a spectacular place to explore and connect with nature.


That is why I like San Diego, you have nature, beaches + world class museums and zoo, and all within 10 to 90 mins of downtown depending on what kind of nature you seek, beaches are the closest, and 70 miles of coastline, desert is the furthest at 90 mins or so.

Lots of nature in So. California, just a different type of nature.

Maybe it's from where I am from, but Vancouver beaches are pretty bad compared to other west coast areas.

Vancouver is just way overpriced for what the city actually offers, if it were not in Canada where every major city has nasty winters, I doubt it would be as popular as it is.

scrubbedexpat091 Jun 9th 2015 8:00 pm

Re: Vancouver 'mind-numbingly boring?
 

Originally Posted by BristolUK (Post 11671209)
Granted we're not near beaches (a 20 minute drive) but the one bedroom apartment in my duplex, by a nice park and very close to downtown rents for $540 and that's more than most.

You might find a room in Vancouver for that price if your lucky.

I think Vancouver is an okay city if the cost of living wasn't so high, but it's not worth what housing, food, gas, and everything else costs, everything tends to be overpriced and jobs underpaid compared to what the cost of living is.

Hard to enjoy a city when your working 16 hours a day which a lot of people do, one job at 11-12 per hour just doesn't cut it if you want an apartment and not share with complete strangers with no privacy.

If only I had photos of the dump I paid 500 for in Vancouver, if the place had ever caught fire, I'd have been cooked well done.

Shard Jun 9th 2015 8:09 pm

Re: Vancouver 'mind-numbingly boring?
 

Originally Posted by Jsmth321 (Post 11671384)
That is why I like San Diego, you have nature, beaches + world class museums and zoo, and all within 10 to 90 mins of downtown depending on what kind of nature you seek, beaches are the closest, and 70 miles of coastline, desert is the furthest at 90 mins or so.

Lots of nature in So. California, just a different type of nature.

Maybe it's from where I am from, but Vancouver beaches are pretty bad compared to other west coast areas.

Vancouver is just way overpriced for what the city actually offers, if it were not in Canada where every major city has nasty winters, I doubt it would be as popular as it is.

That's the big irony in Vancouver, surrounded by water, but so much of it inaccessible by way of beaches. Nothing like California, Oregon or even the UK. The beaches don't even feel like real beaches, more like the beaches you get at the Great Lakes. I think it's the Island that keeps the ocean proper at bay, and gives Vancouver that somewhat mind-numbing stillness.

scrubbedexpat091 Jun 9th 2015 8:12 pm

Re: Vancouver 'mind-numbingly boring?
 

Originally Posted by Shard (Post 11671391)
That's the big irony in Vancouver, surrounded by water, but so much of it inaccessible by way of beaches. Nothing like California, Oregon or even the UK. The beaches don't even feel like real beaches, more like the beaches you get at the Great Lakes. I think it's the Island that keeps the ocean proper at bay, and gives Vancouver that somewhat mind-numbing stillness.

West Coast of Vancouver Island is where you have to go to get to real beaches.

Unfortunately it's costly these days to access Vancouver Island and you really need a car if your wanting to go out of Victoria, and its not cheap to take a car on the ferry anymore.

Makes going over there just for fun (which I would love to do) hard to justify.

Shard Jun 9th 2015 8:15 pm

Re: Vancouver 'mind-numbingly boring?
 

Originally Posted by Jsmth321 (Post 11671394)
West Coast of Vancouver Island is where you have to go to get to real beaches.

Unfortunately it's costly these days to access Vancouver Island and you really need a car if your wanting to go out of Victoria, and its not cheap to take a car on the ferry anymore.

Makes going over there just for fun (which I would love to do) hard to justify.

Yes, I know that. Just commenting on Vancouver itself.

scrubbedexpat091 Jun 9th 2015 8:19 pm

Re: Vancouver 'mind-numbingly boring?
 

Originally Posted by Shard (Post 11671397)
Yes, I know that. Just commenting on Vancouver itself.

Don't mind me. I am bored, tired, and have 8 hours before I can sleep and brain takes the night off at 1:30am...lol;)

Oink Jun 10th 2015 3:29 am

Re: Vancouver 'mind-numbingly boring?
 

Originally Posted by Shard (Post 11671391)
That's the big irony in Vancouver, surrounded by water, but so much of it inaccessible by way of beaches. Nothing like California, Oregon or even the UK. The beaches don't even feel like real beaches, more like the beaches you get at the Great Lakes. I think it's the Island that keeps the ocean proper at bay, and gives Vancouver that somewhat mind-numbing stillness.

Hasn't been still this week. Six to seven foot whitecaps at Point Atkinson yesterday. :blink:

beckiwoo Jun 10th 2015 6:37 am

Re: Vancouver 'mind-numbingly boring?
 

Originally Posted by Jsmth321 (Post 11671394)
West Coast of Vancouver Island is where you have to go to get to real beaches.

Unfortunately it's costly these days to access Vancouver Island and you really need a car if your wanting to go out of Victoria, and its not cheap to take a car on the ferry anymore.

Makes going over there just for fun (which I would love to do) hard to justify.

Even for a foot passenger is its expensive when you think about how long it takes from downtown Vancouver to the terminal and then across on ferry and then bus to Victoria.

Would love to go to Tofino but would need to hire a car regardless

Greenhill Jun 10th 2015 6:55 am

Re: Vancouver 'mind-numbingly boring?
 

Originally Posted by beckiwoo (Post 11671829)
Would love to go to Tofino but would need to hire a car regardless

Have you considered inviting JamesM over?

We all, all of us on BE, think you two would make a wonderful couple. Don't be shy, send him a PM invitation!

Let's see some romance on here!

beckiwoo Jun 10th 2015 1:39 pm

Re: Vancouver 'mind-numbingly boring?
 

Originally Posted by Greenhill (Post 11671842)
Have you considered inviting JamesM over?

We all, all of us on BE, think you two would make a wonderful couple. Don't be shy, send him a PM invitation!

Let's see some romance on here!

What the heck has that got to do with getting to Tofino? :confused:

Greenhill Jun 10th 2015 10:32 pm

Re: Vancouver 'mind-numbingly boring?
 

Originally Posted by beckiwoo (Post 11672155)
What the heck has that got to do with getting to Tofino? :confused:

Absolutely nothing.

Did you send him a PM yet?

scrubbedexpat091 Jun 10th 2015 11:30 pm

Re: Vancouver 'mind-numbingly boring?
 

Originally Posted by BristolUK (Post 11671209)
Granted we're not near beaches (a 20 minute drive) but the one bedroom apartment in my duplex, by a nice park and very close to downtown rents for $540 and that's more than most.

We are just at the end of Howe Sound, and while we do have a small beach, it's never been developed into anything from it's industrial days, not sure I'd swim in it though, right next to a port with big ships, but wind surfers like the area.



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