Reality check: Is Vancouver like Hong Kong? Is there any truth to “Hongcouver”?

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by Hourglass

Anyways, it's a dated name going back to pre-1997 handover fears. Good dim sum aside, Vancouver and HK are in many ways diametric opposites of each other.

How so?

[giallo]

^A few examples:

HK is a banking/investment capital of East Asia. HKers are extremely hard workers, putting in long hours at the office. You come to HK to work, not to play.

HK is a proud cultural center for Chinese movies and music, not a stand in for other cities.

The city is hyper dense with zero space wasted. Vancouver feels like a fishing village by comparison.

Every single street is filled with a mix of retail and restaurants. You'll be hard pressed to find a walkup apartment. Vancouver, on the other hand, has a lot of first floor residences.

Street fairs, public drinking and open markets can be found every night throughout Kowloon and HK Island. Vancouver has a cute market in Chinatown once a week in the summer. It's a pale comparison to HK's awesome street life.

HK is loud and REALLY bright at night. It's probably the brightest city in the world. Vancouver is almost pitch black by comparison.

They're two very different cities that share a recent past and population with each other, but that's where it ends.

[Hourglass]

Originally Posted by giallo

^A few examples:

HK is a banking/investment capital of East Asia. HKers are extremely hard workers, putting in long hours at the office. You come to HK to work, not to play.

HK is a proud cultural center for Chinese movies and music, not a stand in for other cities.

The city is hyper dense with zero space wasted. Vancouver feels like a fishing village by comparison.

Every single street is filled with a mix of retail and restaurants. You'll be hard pressed to find a walkup apartment. Vancouver, on the other hand, has a lot of first floor residences.

Street fairs, public drinking and open markets can be found every night throughout Kowloon and HK Island. Vancouver has a cute market in Chinatown once a week in the summer. It's a pale comparison to HK's awesome street life.

HK is loud and REALLY bright at night. It's probably the brightest city in the world. Vancouver is almost pitch black by comparison.

They're two very different cities that share a recent past and population with each other, but that's where it ends.

Well said.

I love both cities, but I'll add one personal comparison. For me, Vancouver represents an outstanding quality of life. For economic opportunities and sheer dynamism, it's Hong Kong.