of the scenery, and do not make it windy. They also don't detract from the great low rise architecture that surrounds them. The transit system is great, the architectural standard is much higher than in most of Canada (especially mid-century to present), the city core is very walkable and because of the huge signs that stick out from the sides of many buildings, pretty easy to navigate. The "urban format" grocery stores that are often mentioned as something that Halifax should have, are all over in Vancouver. There are also many local food and retail chains that are ubiquitous within Vancouver and other BC cities but don't exist anywhere else in the country. The city has a solid nightlife (not really the same as Halifax's, but comparable), great access to nature and recreational activities, great active transportation infrastructure and a hip cultural scene. The "vapo lounges" in downtown Van really push the envelope in terms of how tolerant Vancouverites are toward casual marijuana use, but I can pretty much guarantee that if, say, the Toothy Moose were replaced with a vapo lounge, the violent crime rate in downtown Halifax would drop significantly (stoners are much less prone to causing trouble than drunks). In many ways it feels like a parallel-universe alternate version of Halifax where things actually get done instead of just being talked about. Vancouver's convention centre is also a remarkably cool building, as are its central library and stadium. I only spent a week in Vancouver so I