If I have to summarise my impression about Vancouver in comparison to Edmonton I'd say: It is more urban than Edmonton, in positive as well as in negative terms. I can't help but to some extend Edmonton just feels like a large provincial town but not a real city. Firstly it's a matter of size: Vancouver (2.2 million inhabitants) has a bit more than double the population of Edmonton (just over 1 million). (Source) Secondly I suppose it is also that Vancouver is a bit "trapped" in between mountains and the ocean and, therefore, has to be a bit more careful with its space while Edmonton could extend almost unlimitedly into the plain prairie. Thirdly I assume there are also historical factors. Actually during the middle of the last century both were just not much more than a couple of houses - but Vancouver had definitely the advantage of being a sea port and becoming the eastern end of the Canadian Pacific Railway which crosses the whole country (and which's route went through Calgary and not Edmonton). As a consequence I'd guess that a real urban area developed quicker in Vancouver than in Edmonton. And as to the presence - who of us knew anything about a place called Edmonton before I went here (apart maybe from knowing the Oilers), while I'm sure everybody has already heard the name Vancouver. And - last October a survey declared it the world's best city to live. (Vienna is number three by the way). Picture: View from Stanley Park towards Downtown

Best place to live? Only if you can afford it. That was the negative impression. Never before have I seen so many beggars, homeless people, drug addicts and drug dealers. Everywhere. Especially downtown. It was depressing and intimidating. But I'm sure they'll be gone soon. Vancouver hosts the Olympic winter games in 2010 and at such occasions city fathers always realise that those people might not be the best publicity. And - sorry for being cynic - I'm sure as everywhere in the past (Barcelona 1992 etc.) a quick and easy (and short term) solution will be found..

For me, as I'm fortunate to earn enough money, it would have been nice to stay a bit longer. In particular I would have liked to visit the Museum of Anthropology (but this would have taken a day I guess, time which we didn't have) and to stroll around Stanley Park a bit more. The latter actually is a similarity to Edmonton: As we have the River Valley in the middle of the city, Vancouver's Stanley Park is located just right next to downtown, a peninsula which measures 10km in circumference and is six times bigger than New York's Central Park. Picture: View from Downtown towards Stanley Park and North Vancouver

However, in the end I guess I'll remember Vancouver not because of the wonderful things we visited (such as Stanley Park, Capilano Suspension Bridge, Chinatown, Kitsilano Beach) but because of the accommodation and the journey back to Edmonton. But these are other stories. Vancouver episodes still to come: "Albert is lazy." and "21. 20? F#&%#@!" Stay tuned..