We had a great time in Vancouver. We could both see living there someday, if we could get jobs and immigrate. But, as with most places, there is a dark side.
Two related ones, actually. Vancouver is a magnet for homeless people from all over Canada, because it's about the only place in the whole country where you can sleep outside in the winter without freezing to death. They are very visible throughout the downtown area (and at the risk of sounding racist, how weird it is as an American to see a city full of homeless people all of whom are white ... )
The city also has a very liberal attitude toward drugs, which has both its good and bad points. We were shown an Amsterdam-like cafe where marijuana products could be ordered and consumed openly (but didn't go inside). There are a number of vibrant after-hours clubs that stay full until 6 a.m. or later without benefit of liquor sales (I believe the closing hour for bars in Vancouver is 2 a.m.).
These two threads came together on our last morning in Vancouver. At around 9:30 on a Tuesday in the downtown area, we passed an extremely good-looking, shirtless young man in the doorway alcove of an office building, still dancing to the music in his head, hands cuffed behind his back, two cops watching and waiting for him to exhaust himself.
I wasn't about to take a picture, what with the cops there and all, but trust me, it was a disturbing sight to end our stay.
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