Retiro Station By Night - Safe?

[camino no tomado]

It's funny, I used to (and still) bitch and moan about Toronto and Canada in general but since moving here I think both aren't as shitty as I once thought.

Heh ... I'm not a native Torontonian, so criticize away! However, having been around the world I do think Toronto is a model city in certain respects--good economy, everything works, it's clean and of course very safe. It's also remarkable how well such an extraordinarily diverse population (50% of whom weren't even born in Canada) manages to get along. I've not seen other cities, even with far fewer immigrants, pull that off so well.

Aside from the climate (which manages to be both too cold in winter and too hot in summer for my taste), the main thing I find lacking here is a sense of joie de vivre [unfortunately this might be partially due to the smothering level of political correctness needed to maintain that ethnic and racial harmony]. The big question for me is just how much safety and convenience I'm willing to trade for that.

 

[Rich One]

Heh ... I'm not a native Torontonian, so criticize away! However, having been around the world I do think Toronto is a model city in certain respects--good economy, everything works, it's clean and of course very safe. It's also remarkable how well such an extraordinarily diverse population (50% of whom weren't even born in Canada) manages to get along. I've not seen other cities, even with far fewer immigrants, pull that off so well.

Aside from the climate (which manages to be both too cold in winter and too hot in summer for my taste), the main thing I find lacking here is a sense of joie de vivre [unfortunately this might be partially due to the smothering level of political correctness needed to maintain that ethnic and racial harmony]. The big question for me is just how much safety and convenience I'm willing to trade for that.

Toronto Crack-smoking Mayor strikes back---- on Poppies day....??? Give me a break

http://www.theguardi...r-toronto-video

 

[camino no tomado]

Toronto Crack-smoking Mayor ...

LOL! I initially wrote "Aside from the climate and the buffoon mayor ..." but I was uncertain his antics had reached BsAs yet.

 

[internationalguy]

LOL! I initially wrote "Aside from the climate and the buffoon mayor ..." but I was uncertain his antics had reached BsAs yet.

They don't have to reach Bs As, they just have to make it to CNN.

 

[EdRooney]

I know that you're always interested in professional politics, it is your specialty. But really please help me out here (don't turn this one into politics). If you can't do such a thing as dragging wife, kids and luggage at 1:00 o'clock in the morning near ghetto and railway tracks (practically any where in the world), why on earth do you think it should be done here in BA?

Sorry Khairy, just a clarification:

I hadn't really said anything about the wisdom of schlepping families over ghetto tracks at 1 am; my only comment on this thread was in response to Rich's idea that we make a BA vs Detroit comparison. In that context, I'm not sure I understand the question you were asking me.

 

[khairyexpat]

Sorry Khairy, just a clarification:

I hadn't really said anything about the wisdom of schlepping families over ghetto tracks at 1 am; my only comment on this thread was in response to Rich's idea that we make a BA vs Detroit comparison. In that context, I'm not sure I understand the question you were asking me.

I just was asking not to introduce "dictatorship" into the thread for fear it might stray to a 2nd topic. Nevertheless, it did finally stray anyway, but to a 3rd topic: "Toronto and Canada not as shitty as previously was the thought".
And a 4th topic: "Comparison of world major cities".
OP was seeking advice on just that: ...... the wisdom of schlepping families over ghetto tracks at 1 am.

 

[EdRooney]

OK sorry to have followed the red herring. I'll start another thread because I think it would be a fun discussion.

 

[kosta]

Thanks for all the advice. I made this post just a half an hour before I left so I wasnt able to use all of it. We took a taxi. Than, when we returned several days later at 22.30 we took a walk.

 

[ajoknoblauch]

Wow ..... what is this all about?
As if we all came from Beverly Hills and Malibu beaches, and we never lived or seen downtowns of Detroit or any major American city before in our whole life.

It is so weird and obscene that we want Argentines to be different. Of coarse it is not safe to go to Retiro at 1:00 o'clock in the morning dragging wife, kids and luggage. Absolute nonsense, pardon my French. Would anyone ask this question, doing the same thing in any major American city?

Sorry you get me going, but this is extreme.

In Salt Lake City, you might be accosted by an Elder.

 

[kosta]

Please make sure you strap an expensive camera around your neck and have your iPhone and iPad on display and flash your wallet with cold US$ large bills .... while you're dragging wife and kids and luggage around the railway tracks and the villa there ..... what do you think ?

Don't be a pussy