[Maritime Q-Scout]

The only way to truely experiance a city is through walking and taking the transit system. A few years ago my father and I were walking around Halifax, and he commented "it all makes sense now, you can drive around all you want you don't realize how things are in relation to each other, I always knew the Cambridge Suites was here, but I didn't know where it was in relation to Spring Garden Road, or the Metro Centre, you just kinda drive until you find it". For the record they're all practically next to each other. All the pieces fall into place when you walk or take transit, you miss the details when travelling at 50 kmh, or trying to find a parking spot.

I love Montreal, but would hate it if I had to drive it, I'd never know where anything was or where it is in relation to everything else if I didn't walk take transit. I've spent a night in Toronto, I'm framiliar with Younge St, and around the CN Tower area, but other than that I just didn't have time, and was driven.

Calgary I was mostly driven around, and didn't have an extended period to truely enjoy the city (mind you 17th ave was cool) I definately want to spend more time there.

Taking the Skytrain in Vancouver at night was amazing, something you can't enjoy behind the wheel of a car (on a smaller scale like coming across the bridge on the bus into Halifax, just a different experiance than driving, you're up higher and you don't have the worries of watching the other cars, etc).

I've never been to NYC, but when I go (I'm sure I'll make my way there at some point) I'm definately NOT driving. While I don't feel like I've had the "Boston experiance" taking the subway then having to walk to Fenway was one of the most surreal experiances of my life. I'd definately want to take the subway to Yankee Stadium (despite how I hate the Yankees so). Taking a cab to a sporting event just seems wrong and disenfranchised.

I took the skytrain to GM place, C-Train to the Saddledome, bus to the Corel Centre, and metro to Molson/Bell Centre. Alas drove to ACC, and cab to Skyreach (now Rexall) Place. I feel like I missed out on something in Edmonton and Toronto.

Moral of the story is, if you want to go to a sporting event you need to sit in the cheap seats to get a feel for the truest atmosphere, by extention you need to take public transit to get there.