I was in a relationship with an Albertan between 2014-2016, and moved to Edmonton from Europe in early 2015 (had flown over a couple of times in the prior year).
Even though the city was marketed as the "fun" city with all its events and festivals, I found it to be remarkably dead looking (architecturally cold concrete downtown, McMansions and overdeveloped cookie cutter cul de sacs everywhere).
Then we took a trip to Calgary for a couple of days, and I saw an even less appealing place.
Don't get me wrong, these places were filled with nice people, many which I miss having contact with.
But I would not have been able to settle there permanently (architecturally cold cities, extreme overconsumption, focus on fossil fuels and more played a role).
Even though the city was marketed as the "fun" city with all its events and festivals, I found it to be remarkably dead looking (architecturally cold concrete downtown, McMansions and overdeveloped cookie cutter cul de sacs everywhere).
Then we took a trip to Calgary for a couple of days, and I saw an even less appealing place.
Don't get me wrong, these places were filled with nice people, many which I miss having contact with.
But I would not have been able to settle there permanently (architecturally cold cities, extreme overconsumption, focus on fossil fuels and more played a role).