A year in Vancouver!

Fortune favors the brave…

This week I feel I have generated more questions than I have really managed to find answers for. The crash barriers have been removed at the turning at the bottom of the hill that I drive down every morning. I can see, I suppose the logic behind this, in that they were costing a lot of money, and time to repair in a regular basis. A LOT of people seemed to drive into them. I agree that removing them has solved this issue. I’m just not sure that removing crash barriers that are obviously well used is the safest option.

Another question for the week, and one that I do actually have an answer to, is when should you leave a restaurant without paying the bill? Answer, when the fire trucks arrive. I was really hungry this afternoon and actually quite looking forward to meal. I had chosen what I wanted, chicken dippers and fries (one day I will grow up and stop ordering off the kid’s menu) and the bread had just been placed on the table- incidentally, it was very good, when a sharp beeping sound pierced the air. Smoke was starting to fill the air, surprisingly quickly, and staff were opening doors and escorting customers to the parking lot. All in all four fire trucks turned up, and I have to say while I’m sure they are great at their job I feel a little let down on the phwoar front, as they had full kit on. You’d have thought there would be some perks to ordering dinner in a restaurant that was burning down! Ahh, yes there was. I got the three sips of diet coke and the corner of bread I’d eaten for free! Mental note to self, next time take food off tables as you pass. After a 20 minute wait in the freezing cold, no exaggeration it was 32F, I ended up at Wendy’s.

And my final question for the week- when is a year not a year? I know I started out in July thinking it would be a year in Vancouver- hence the title of my blog, but things change and now I find myself Boston bound, so next week will be the last Vancouver entry and then a quick name change and possibly a face list will find me blogging about Boston in January. I have to say, I have had a great time here, and there are loads of things I will miss- not least the drive to work each morning, which has amazing scenery. I have tried to photograph some of it, but not being great at driving or photography you can only guess what a disaster they are together. I will try to squeeze as much as possible into the time I have left, and then I’ll say the same as I did about the USA, I will have to come back. I really have enjoyed it here…

A year in Vancouver!

The bigger the undertaking, the trickier it is…

This week all I can say is, “please stop raining!!” And yes, the two exclamation marks were totally needed. I’m not usually a fan of doubling up on punctuation, but really, in this case… It has gotten to a point where I have taken to throwing coins into wishing wells and making this my wish. I’m also going to add, a day early, in the hope of tempting the fates and really praying they prove me wrong, it has rained every single day for the entire month of November. Go on, I dare you, stay dry tomorrow. I feel like I live in Cloud City, except Hans Solo has yet to show up in his Millennium Falcon.

Usually, or at least for the past four weeks I have tried to avoid the rain somewhat on a Saturday, I know, I’m not made of sugar, I won’t melt… but my hair will frizz, by finding indoor activities and adventures in which to partake. This week, I thought I had also found an indoor attraction, only to be proved wrong once I arrived. I headed out to Queen Elizabeth Park, yes I know a park is usually outdoor, and most of this one is no exception. However, I will pause briefly to say the fountains were very pretty, and would have been worth more attention if it wasn’t raining quite so hard, and the landscaping was gently enticing, and again with a sunny day would make for a very pleasant walk. It is not quite on the same scale as Stanley Park and it does not have the dramatic and enchanting appeal that I enjoy in Stanley Park, although I appreciate this may all be a matter of taste, however, it does have the Bloedel Conservatory.

From the initial description of the conservatory I was given to understand that is would be something like I imagine (never having been) the Eden Project in the UK is like. The guide books spoke very highly of it, and the literature produced by the parks authority describes it as Over 500 different plants from tropical and subtropical areas of the world are on display, and over 100 birds of various species call the Bloedel Conservatory home, free-flying within the spacious plexiglass dome. Take a stroll through a simulated tropical rainforest paradise, then explore the subtropic and desert climate zones. Unfortunately, due to funding cuts this is set to close, for good, in the New Year. I thought I would therefore, take this opportunity to visit before it finally closed. I have to say I was very disappointed. The dome which supposed has great views of the city was frosted and cloudy, and cracked in numerous places leading to a huge amount of leaks, so many in fact that a umbrella was necessary inside and the birds had been taken to seeking shelter under foliage and perches, and in one case, an umbrella! The dome was also much smaller than I had imagined, having a radius of just 40 meters, therefore leaving little scope for changes of habitat, and certainly not ending up in a dry desert like environment due to the roof issues. It is a shame that this is going to be closing, as it had the scope and potential to be a fantastic learning experience and really enjoyable place to visit, but I can see that the expense needed to maintain and correct it, from its current state would be extensive.

Queen Elizabeth Park, remains a nice place to visit, and possibly in the summer its attraction will be that is isn’t Stanley Park, it is certainly easier to get to, has much cheaper parking, and a couple of Henry Moore sculpture pieces that will be worth a second and closer look.

I feel a little like time has slipped away from me this week, I’ll see what next week has to bring…

A year in Vancouver!

It is too late to ask advice when the danger comes…

And this week it presented itself in the form of coyotes, and me very nearly ending up on their dinner plate. I was quite happily walking home on Friday evening, I was about 300 yards from my apartment, it was about 7:00pm, dark and I was on a road which cut through wooded area when a man stopped his car and started talking to me. Usually at this point I would be a little suspicious of the man in the car- I listened to all the “stranger danger” sessions at school, and having a bit of a sweet tooth, let’s face it, if anyone is offering me candy, I’m not going to be putting up much resistance. However, this was a very nice man and he thought he really ought to point out that there were two coyotes standing about eight foot away from me. The bit of noise he had created in his car and his lights encouraged them to disappear into the trees, but they did make a couple more passes before I reached the top of the road. Having Googled their behavior when I got home, I was delighted to find I was a little to chunky for them to actually want to eat, I knew pizza and fries had a purpose! What I think is a little more concerning is my complete lack of a survival instinct! How could I have not even realized that they were there? If I had been a cave person I would have been sabre tooth tiger food before I even knew I was in trouble- I think it is safe to say I was descended from the sit by the fire and check out my pointy shoe wearing tribe rather than the actually do something useful tribe.

The magic ski pants did get another outing this week, relatively short due to high gusting winds, not so much skiing as being randomly blown about in any which direction. Interesting sport, but not sure it will catch on for the Olympics! However, I will try not to dwell on the ski pants too much as it is likely I will start on their many fantastic qualities and get far too carried away.

I did also manage to get out to Science World this weekend. This is one of the places I have been past every week since I arrived here and finally managed to get inside. The building has always appeared fairly intriguing, and is quite possibly one of Vancouver’s most distinctive structures being a big silver geodesic dome. It was apparently left over from Expo ’86 and is now a very hands on and child friendly museum, if you don’t mind embarrassing yourself somewhat it can also be an adult friendly museum… After playing on the stretch and reach machine I learned that I am decidedly more bendy than the average 29.2 (ok- that is 31) year old women. I was very proud of myself for being able to reach 48 cm rather than the standard 33cm, and I had no warm up and practice time first! I have to say, men only have a disappointing average of 25cm- really guys!?!?!?

The science museum does have five galleries and loads of things to play with, the teacher in me found it a little too gimmicky and not learning focused enough, or at least not directed enough. I would have liked a little more explanation on some of the exhibits, and maybe a little less interactivity on the “Where do we come from?” gallery. I really can’t get my head around the video game sperm that was killed by not swimming fast enough through the acid patch… it just seems wrong somehow, although I’m sure there is a lesson in there about speed of hand movement and use of fingers to help… finish the sentence yourself J

I did say a few weeks ago that I wouldn’t turn this into a movie review- but “Pirate Radio” rocks. I can see why some of the reviews this side of the Atlantic may have been less than enthusiastic, possibly a few too many cultural references that slid under the radar, and we did only get a cut down version, so if anyone in the UK wants to fill me in on the missing 30 minutes… I laughed far more than anyone person should- especially when half the time I was one of only a handful of people from a packed theater who found the jokes funny. Maybe that says more about me that the movie?