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Server Time:
2024-05-12 20:53:43
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 strike300
  
Location: Gretna, Louisiana
Gender: Male
 |  | Why do I gravitate toward the Canadian explorations?
< on 9/16/2006 8:03 PM >
|  | | | I'm from New Orleans and several years ago I discovered websites that showed photos of Urban Explorations. I thought I was the only person who liked to explore abandoned buildings.
Most of the sites I visited were up North (from here). There was a lot of stuff from Ontario. I remember seeing a lot of pictures of Canada Malt and the Caledon Radar Station. The only sites I ever saw in the US were in Minnesota.
Eventually, I found this site and naturally, there were hundreds of sites in Ontario. The further south you go, the fewer the explorations.
I wonder if the colder, dryer climate keeps these buildings standing longer so people can explore them. Down here, where the temperature is in the 90s 9 months out of the year and humidity is 90% or higher, buildings tend to collapse.
I made my first trip to Canada about 8 years ago when a friend of mine moved up to Niagara Falls (he was originally from there). Since then, I've been up there half a dozen times, including my honeymoon. I've never gotten a chance to do any exploration while I was there, other than outdoor stuff like the Niagara Gorge.
One of the big attractions to that area is that it's much like New Orleans. The first time I went, I was aware of the Falls and had seen pictures, but I really didn't realize everything that there was to do there. The first time I went into the Clifton Hill area, I thought that it was a lot like home with all the different tourist attractions and lots of people from all over the world walking down the street. The major difference is that it was all CLEAN! People were polite. There weren't bums hanging around on every corner...or at least if there were, you couldn't smell 'em half a block away.
When I went to Toronto, I felt the same way. The downtown area is much like New Orleans, except that Toronto is a MUCH bigger city. But there was no stench of urine in the streets and I didn't feel like I was going to get mugged when I approached a group of non-white people coming in the opposite direction.
Anyway, aside from the fact that the people posting their explorations in the UEDB do a really good job, why is it that the Canadian explorations are so much better than anywhere else in the world?
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maZe
     
Location: Montreal/Moncton/Ottawa
Gender: Female
"All the world's a stage and most of us are desperately unrehearsed" - Sean O'Casey
| |  |  | Re: Why do I gravitate toward the Canadian explorations?
<Reply # 1 on 9/16/2006 8:10 PM >
| | | | I wouldn't say canadian explorations are BETTER. Many websites documents them and maybe you just can't find the local & regional US websites. There are many of them though. And there is tons of AMAZING locations in Europe as well.
And by they way, perhaps there is more canucks locations on this site cause the site is canadian?
Mechfreak57 in the UER chat : "George W. Bush is not perfect. He fucked up the borders and Irak is a shit storm but he's the best we've got. "
Save the world - adopt an American! |
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strike300
Location: Gretna, Louisiana
Gender: Male
| | Re: Why do I gravitate toward the Canadian explorations?
<Reply # 2 on 9/16/2006 8:13 PM >
| | | | Well, I didn't exactly mean BETTER, but there's just so much MORE. I've seen some excellent sites from other places, it's just not done as much. I realize the site is Canadian, but I look at where people are from in their posts and there's a lot of non-Canadian people here.
I haven't looked much at the European explorations in the UEDB yet. So many to look at and so little time...
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argonian
Location: Toronto, ON
Gender: Female
"Now with added cats!"
| | Re: Why do I gravitate toward the Canadian explorations?
<Reply # 3 on 9/16/2006 8:23 PM >
| | | | I live in Toronto and love Toronto, but I must say that I would take exploring in New York or Michigan over Ontario any day.
You really can't judge a province/state by its representation in the UEDB. In my opinion, people in Ontario are far more likely to post a site than people in New York State. Also, Michigan is not well represented in the UEDB, which is possibly because they gravitate towards forgottenmichigan over uer.
In summation, there is no way that Toronto has more to explore than my beloved Detroit.
Que pasa, baby? |
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strike300
Location: Gretna, Louisiana
Gender: Male
| | Re: Why do I gravitate toward the Canadian explorations?
<Reply # 4 on 9/16/2006 8:53 PM >
| | | | I just wish I could find a site with some good entries that aren't a 20 hour drive from here...or that there were some more local locations in the DB.
I've never really seen Detroit. I've spent many hours in the airport there, but I've never been outside of the airport.
But of course, Detroit is also WAAAAY north of here, and many hours away by car.
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Curious_George
Location: Cambridge
Gender: Male
Straight outta New Bedlam
| | Re: Why do I gravitate toward the Canadian explorations?
<Reply # 5 on 9/16/2006 10:58 PM >
| | | | Posted by strike300
I just wish I could find a site with some good entries that aren't a 20 hour drive from here...or that there were some more local locations in the DB.
I've never really seen Detroit. I've spent many hours in the airport there, but I've never been outside of the airport.
But of course, Detroit is also WAAAAY north of here, and many hours away by car.
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That should not stop you unless you have no time or money. I made the trip this summer and somehow managed to stay up 44 hours straight to explore and drive from Dryden, Ontario to Flint, Mi. http://winnipeg.ur.../Michigan/day1.htm
[last edit 9/16/2006 10:59 PM by Curious_George - edited 1 times]
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DevilC
Location: Washington, District of Corruption
Gender: Male
I serve as a blank screen on which people of vastly different political stripes project their views.
| | | Re: Why do I gravitate toward the Canadian explorations?
<Reply # 6 on 9/16/2006 11:38 PM >
| | | | | Posted by Curious_GeorgeThat should not stop you unless you have no time or money. I made the trip this summer and somehow managed to stay up 44 hours straight to explore and drive from Dryden, Ontario to Flint, Mi. http://winnipeg.ur.../Michigan/day1.htm |
I just scanned through your marathon of UE George. Wow, that was quite a trip. . . . lucky you.
Bear in mind that this is uer.CA - a Canadian website. 
Abandonment is generally a function of depopulation and the loss of industry.
The Rust Belt in the US - the former home of our heavy industry probably has some of the best abandonment in the world right now.
NY, PA, OH, and MI, can be total wastelands in places.
Detroit, and Buffalo are two of the most stark and depressing cities I have ever visited.
Don't get stuck on one location or one kind of UE - there is so much to see and so much to explore out there. . . .
Science flies you to the Moon. Religion flies you into tall buildings. |
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Hi/Po
 
Location: Earth
Gender: Male
| | Re: Why do I gravitate toward the Canadian explorations?
<Reply # 7 on 9/17/2006 1:31 AM >
| | | | Yes, Buffalo and the Rust Belt in general are incredible. Toronto has one of the largest populations of explorers, the first OPEX was held here, and the late Ninjalicious explored here. Consequently, Toronto gets a lot of coverage.
There used to be a plethora of fascinating places, but as Toronto is expanding as Canada's economic engine, many fascinating early 20th century places such as breweries, foundries, locomotive shops, and warehouses that stood derelict for years have been torn down for office towers, condos, subdivisions, shopping centres and the like.
The Rust Belt is incredible because it was the main venue for the industrial revolution in the U.S. New York state and Michigan still have plenty of really cool abandonments, because many cities prospered because of a handful of large companies, that eventually outsourced and closed their plants. Redevelopment is slow, and the factories stand to this day.
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Aggressive
Location: Toronto
| | Re: Why do I gravitate toward the Canadian explorations?
<Reply # 8 on 9/17/2006 1:17 PM >
| | | | I traveled through eastern and western Europe this past month and the amount of abandonment's that are visible from main train lines blew my mind. I was tempted to just get off at the next station and check em out but my 16 kg backpack and the fact that I'm travelling solo stopped me.
Europe is UE heaven, hands down.
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DevilC
Location: Washington, District of Corruption
Gender: Male
I serve as a blank screen on which people of vastly different political stripes project their views.
| | | Re: Why do I gravitate toward the Canadian explorations?
<Reply # 9 on 9/17/2006 2:41 PM >
| | | | Posted by Aggressive
Europe is UE heaven, hands down.
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I keep seeing tantalizing little bits of East Europe here and there and it makes me drool or worse
China has a RustBelt in its industrial North that makes, I am sure, the US RustBelt look silly. There was a piece on it in NG this month.
Science flies you to the Moon. Religion flies you into tall buildings. |
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Aggressive
Location: Toronto
| | Re: Why do I gravitate toward the Canadian explorations?
<Reply # 10 on 9/17/2006 5:47 PM >
| | | | Posted by DevilC
I keep seeing tantalizing little bits of East Europe here and there and it makes me drool or worse
China has a RustBelt in its industrial North that makes, I am sure, the US RustBelt look silly. There was a piece on it in NG this month.
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Yeah but if you don't speak or read Chinese you'll be in for a hard time finding your way around. I hear in China ripping off foreigners is like a sport.
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maZe
Location: Montreal/Moncton/Ottawa
Gender: Female
"All the world's a stage and most of us are desperately unrehearsed" - Sean O'Casey
| | | | Re: Why do I gravitate toward the Canadian explorations?
<Reply # 11 on 9/17/2006 6:33 PM >
| | | | Posted by Aggressive
Yeah but if you don't speak or read Chinese you'll be in for a hard time finding your way around. I hear in China ripping off foreigners is like a sport.
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It's a sport just as much as americans (and canadians) ripping off chinese tourists that only speak chinese.
Same in Mexico, Argentina, Cuba, Brazil and I suspect most coutries.
Mechfreak57 in the UER chat : "George W. Bush is not perfect. He fucked up the borders and Irak is a shit storm but he's the best we've got. "
Save the world - adopt an American! |
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Curious_George
Location: Cambridge
Gender: Male
Straight outta New Bedlam
| | Re: Why do I gravitate toward the Canadian explorations?
<Reply # 12 on 9/17/2006 7:40 PM >
| | | | I know that there is more to see than just the Rust Belt, I just don't have the time or money to go to Europe. Plus, the Rust Belt is a living classroom for me in my urban studies.
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strike300
Location: Gretna, Louisiana
Gender: Male
| | Re: Why do I gravitate toward the Canadian explorations?
<Reply # 13 on 9/17/2006 8:49 PM >
| | | | Well, there's a whole new kind of abandonment in New Orleans and the MIssissippi Gulf Coast now, thanks to Hurricane Katrina.
Most of it, nobody would want to actually explore though. There are chemical hazards and most buildings are not structurally sound since they sat in water for several weeks and then spent a year drying out.
Add to that the ethics of exploring in an area where so many lives were lost and the survivors have nothing left.
I recently explored an industrial building that was not flooded, but had wind damage and a collapse in part of the structure. The calendars on the walls were still flipped to August 2005. The building is set for demolition, so I'm glad I was able to get in there and take a lot of pictures of the century old buildings.
One major problem down here is that it's SO damn hot, it's hard to stay in an un-airconditioned building for very long. Add to that the moisture and mold and it's pretty uncomfortable.
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maZe
Location: Montreal/Moncton/Ottawa
Gender: Female
"All the world's a stage and most of us are desperately unrehearsed" - Sean O'Casey
| | | | Re: Why do I gravitate toward the Canadian explorations?
<Reply # 14 on 9/17/2006 10:22 PM >
| | | | Posted by strike300
One major problem down here is that it's SO damn hot, it's hard to stay in an un-airconditioned building for very long. Add to that the moisture and mold and it's pretty uncomfortable.
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Welcome to Canada : +35 in summer, plus add the humidity. -35 in the winter, plus add the windchill factor.
Mechfreak57 in the UER chat : "George W. Bush is not perfect. He fucked up the borders and Irak is a shit storm but he's the best we've got. "
Save the world - adopt an American! |
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