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There seems to be a lot of curiosity about Vancouver from those who have never been here.
Just found this video that was made by a local film student. I thought it captured an essence of Vancouver that's sometimes hard to describe in discussion forums:
Location: northern Vermont - previously NM, WA, & MA
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I think what is most telling about this film is like any city, Vancouver is a paradox. Every city has so many paradoxes. Vancouver looks like Shangri-La at certain moments when viewed from the water or looking up at the mountains. Even the glass skyline makes it look like a shining city. Yet on a gloomy day it can also feel stifling to be surrounded by so much concrete and such a uniform skyline of glass condo towers. I've also heard Vancouver described as a very clean city, and a very dirty city from others. Like turning the corner from the prosperity and commerce of West Georgia and Robson Street and onto Granville St or East Hastings, it becomes a sudden paradoxical change into an underworld. Yet shifting from a black and white point of view there is beauty in the downtown east side as it reflects heritage in the city like no other neighborhood can. One could walk past that old garden and think of it as a patch of overgrown weeds where another embraces it as an urban oasis full of life. Apparently the weed patch is losing out to the faux heritage condos.
Like many North American cities Vancouver is a city of the world with a beautiful human diversity cohabitating and integrated, yet there are also many racial tensions. I first saw Vancouver in 1999 and it was already well on its way to cashing out on its stunning beauty but still felt very laidback. It has since grown tremendously and very wealthy I wondered how much longer it would be before the wealth creeped into the Downtown Eastside plowing its way in Beijing style. Although it is still a stunning city and very friendly it paradoxically has quite a chip on its shoulder. Thus probably why the people in the video wishing for everyone’s mind to heal.
Last edited by Champ le monstre du lac; 04-14-2011 at 03:51 PM..
Location: northern Vermont - previously NM, WA, & MA
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With Vancouver making headlines with the recent riots, I'd like to revive this thread. This video, although a bit long is worth watching and a good description of the reality of Vancouver. I wonder what others think....
too much a fuss about Vancouver's "beauty". there are plenty of cities with equally or better natural setting than Vancouver. It is a beautiful city but easily replaceable even in North America, not to mention worldwide. Only a Vancouverite or Canadian would think it is that a big deal.
Spend a week in Nice, France, and you will never think so highly of Vancouver when you are back.
too much a fuss about Vancouver's "beauty". there are plenty of cities with equally or better natural setting than Vancouver. It is a beautiful city but easily replaceable even in North America, not to mention worldwide. Only a Vancouverite or Canadian would think it is that a big deal.
Spend a week in Nice, France, and you will never think so highly of Vancouver when you are back.
I have spent time in Nice and I prefer Vancouver. I'm not a biased Vancouverite either, I'm from elsewhere, I just prefer the mountains and the lush vegetation of the summertime to Nice, although that's not to bash Nice, it's a lovely city as well.
Location: northern Vermont - previously NM, WA, & MA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by evissone
too much a fuss about Vancouver's "beauty". there are plenty of cities with equally or better natural setting than Vancouver. It is a beautiful city but easily replaceable even in North America, not to mention worldwide. Only a Vancouverite or Canadian would think it is that a big deal.
Spend a week in Nice, France, and you will never think so highly of Vancouver when you are back.
Other than Seattle or San Francisco, I can't think of another city in North America that has a more impressive natural setting. On the world stage sure, places like Oslo, Geneva, Hong Kong, or Sydney have it all over Vancouver. But I could not think of a better urban park than Stanley Park. Its post modern and uniform infrstructure isn't the prettiest, but the first time I saw Vancouver the setting knocked my socks off, and I don't have any biased tie to the city.
Other than Seattle or San Francisco, I can't think of another city in North America that has a more impressive natural setting. On the world stage sure, places like Oslo, Geneva, Hong Kong, or Sydney have it all over Vancouver. But I could not think of a better urban park than Stanley Park. Its post modern and uniform infrstructure isn't the prettiest, but the first time I saw Vancouver the setting knocked my socks off, and I don't have any biased tie to the city.
And both those two American cities offer better job opportunities. Why limit it in North America? There are only two countries in it (besides Mexico).
I love Stanley Park as well, definitely a treasure. I wish we had something like this in downtown Toronto, instead we have High Park, not in downtown, and looks like of rough/mediocre.
I wouldn't say there is no better urban park than it. I haven't been to many countries both central park and Luxembourg garden in my view are nicer and classier. But again people have different standards.
too much a fuss about Vancouver's "beauty". there are plenty of cities with equally or better natural setting than Vancouver. It is a beautiful city but easily replaceable even in North America, not to mention worldwide. Only a Vancouverite or Canadian would think it is that a big deal.
Spend a week in Nice, France, and you will never think so highly of Vancouver when you are back.
I don't think too much is made about Vancouver's beauty. Sure, on the world stage, there are other major cities with very attractive settings. Still, Vancouver is absolutely stunning. It's at a level where all comparisons between Vacnouver and cities like Nice, Hong Kong, etc are so subjective that there is no true "better" or "worse." On the other hand, the only people would argue that Omaha Nebraska is more attractive than Vancouver are 1) People who are from Omaha and adore it (and most of them would still pick Vancouver) and 2) People who hate Vancouver for whatever reasons (and even many of them would admit Vancouver is more attractive). Vancouver vs. Omaha is Apples vs. Rusty Needles in the Eye. Vancouver vs. Nice is Apples vs. Oranges.
"Replaceable?" I don't see how you can say that. You prefer Nice. I prefer Vancouver's setting. The lush greens and surreal vistas appeal to me more than Nice does (and I love Nice... my mother went to school there and we used to vacation there every other summer growing up). If anything, there are more cities that resemble Nice (Cannes, Monte-Carlo, etc) than Vancouver.
The reality is that there are so many different, beautiful places on earth that when you're talking about those on the top of the list, it's impossible to say one's better than another. Vancouver's on the top of the list. It's incredibly different from Nice, Hong Kong, Casablanca, etc. It's a matter of preference, but it's certainly not a matter of one's beauty being overblown.
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