Quote:
Originally Posted by teriyaki
I hadn't been to Victoria despite living in Vancouver all my life and just went basically for the first time last year because of the death of international travel. I always thought of it as a dull place where government worked. Was pleasantly surprised at how nice a place it was to spend a day or two. Its immensely walkable, that Vancouver just can't match. I wouldn't say its a fair comparison to compare the two as the two cities are really much too far apart in the type of "destination" they are.
Before this, I'd always meet people that had visited Vancouver from overseas all over and so many times I've heard that the most memorable part of their trip was going to Victoria. I finally get it.
Kind of like, Osaka is a huge bustling city with basically everything you could hope for on-tap but its a huge place and you have to seek those places and experiences out. Most visitors make their memories in nearby Kyoto, because that's where you get heavy hit after hit of what people envision "Japan" is. I think Victoria just manages to evoke the type of "Canadian" feel to travellers in a way that is kind of indescribable.
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Totally understand what you mean when you described Victoria's charm.
It's got soul, it's got culture: something heavily lacking in Vancouver and the surrounding areas where everyone is just going through day-to-day trying to make a buck to survive. What Vancouver has left are fast giving way to the scourge of drug culture and other negative elements, and I am talking about the Gastown, East Hastings and Chinatown neighbourhoods, where neglect, abandonment and apathy are the norm and status quo.
Fortunately, there are a few bright spots around the Lower Mainland: notably New Westminster's Quay, Lonsdale Quay, Steveston and Fort Langley, where some vitality has been brought back through recent town planning initiatives. These places are, however, too small to make an impact on international or even local tourism, unlike places such as Victoria or Kyoto.
Back to Victoria: I find the best of Victoria to be associated with colonialism, including its architecture, city centre planning, parks, double decker buses, etc. Most of these are concentrated in the Old Town neighbourhood. The rest of the city, with the exception of some incredible spots, are fast becoming typically North American, with its urban sprawl and blight: not at all appealing. Hopefully Victorians of today come to realize that and continue to preserve its city centre heritage buildings, as well as to build new structures that highlight the charm of the Old Town. In addition to its appearance, the kind of unassuming food scene there, including tea culture, is definitely part of the wonderful things from old Canada that is fast fading elsewhere.
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