nice shots. while you were taking them i was having dim sum in north van while the sun shone brightly outside. i can't really complain, but still, by the time i got back downtown the clouds had already swallowed the sun.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SpongeG
yeah this is what robson street is typically like...
that photo of robson is surprising. i've walked that street dozens, maybe even hundreds of times and although it's always very busy, i've never seen it that busy.
^My guess is that the one SpongeG posted was taken on or just after Boxing Day. Since those snowflakes are up it had to be December, and I think most stores on Robson had a boxing week sale. Then again it could've also been taken a bit before Christmas and was instead the late Christmas shoppers buying presents. It's always a busy street but that pic looks pretty claustrophobic.
Anyways, thanks again for the comments everybody. Much appreciated.
The thing that struck me in vancouver was the high pedestrian activity even while it was raining. There were people out and about at sidewalk cafes and everywhere and acted as if the rain did not exist.
^ That's because the majority of the time when it rains in Van it is like a showery sprinkle, it's quite refreshing in the spring/summer. But, also I guess it's cause were just used to it. The great thing is whenever the sky clears all of sudden and the sun comes out there is quite a noticeable increase in pedestrian traffic everywhere in the city.
Van city is such an amazing place. I think we need to model our chinatown in seattle after vancouver's, it looks more exciting. Has anyone been to Portland's chinatown? The Chinese all left it for the suburbs. I guess Portland will expand the Pearl (probable) or keep it all wierd and ugly.
I think it's unfair to compare Vancouver's Chinatown with Portland's. Vancouver has a very high Asian population especially downtown, it has to be the highest concentration in the West Coast. And I'm pretty sure Vancouver's Chinatown is the biggest in the West Coast, even bigger than San Francisco's. Portland has a small Chinatown and a very small Asian community, for a West Coast city.
What great pics of one of my favorite cities. One of the most pedestrian friendly, walkable cities in America. Always lots of street life. I'll be there soon. Can't wait.
You should be slapped. Vancouver's success as a pedestrian friendly, walkable city is largely due to the fact it's in Canada.
You're from Seattle not Kansas, give me a break!
I think it's unfair to compare Vancouver's Chinatown with Portland's. Vancouver has a very high Asian population especially downtown, it has to be the highest concentration in the West Coast. And I'm pretty sure Vancouver's Chinatown is the biggest in the West Coast, even bigger than San Francisco's. Portland has a small Chinatown and a very small Asian community, for a West Coast city.
in terms of land area, san francisco's chinatown is probably bigger than vancouver's. i'm sure it also has a much higher population. but in both cities chinatown is only the symbolic heart of the chinese communities, which have grown to such an extent that they are spread throughout the city (both san francisco and vancouver are, in the city proper, 1/3 chinese).
The thing about Vancouver's Chinatown is that it wasn't planned by city designers - it emerged in the 1880's when Chinese workers were segregated socially away from the rest of Vancouver. Keep in mind, Vancouver was only founded in 1886 - the Chinese were very much a part of Vancouver's beginnings. It was a ghetto, of sorts... and in a way, it still is. Vancouver's Chinatown was never, at least in my opinion, designed with tourists in mind - that was only an afterthought.
What I find sad about Chinatown is that it dies at night. What's ironic is that uninformed tourists will go out of their way to visit Chinatown at night (after all the shops have barred their windows, padlocked their doors) hoping to find a vibrant restaurant scene, but then end up stumblnig upon a ghost town. It's ironic because it's the only place in downtown Vancouver with nothing open after 6pm.
Prev
You should be slapped. Vancouver's success as a pedestrian friendly, walkable city is largely due to the fact it's in Canada. 
Linear Mode
