JulieLeung.com: a life told in tidepools

While we were wandering through the Vancouver Aquarium on Sunday – and throughout the weekend – I was compiling a list in my mind of reasons why I like Canada. Loss of laptops aside, these observations are still valid. I did this last year after Northern Voice so I suppose each time I cross the border I realize why I like it there. Plus, Darren introduced me on Saturday as being from Bainbridge Island, B.C., so perhaps I seem a bit Canadian anyway. 🙂 Instead of ending today’s postings on a sour note, I thought I’d add this list of things I like in Vancouver.

1. The city is beautiful. People say Seattle is beautiful, but I gasped when I turned my head to cross the street and saw mountains, appearing clearer and closer than the Cascades or Olympics do for those of us in Puget Sound. The buildings themselves are intriguing, architecture with texture and curves. Ted and I wished we had had a day just to wander around and photograph Vancouver sights.

2. The strong German-speaking community – and Chinese community – are appealing. It seemed every time we spoke German with Boris – or rather Boris spoke with us and we smiled politely in return – someone else at the conference chimed in auf Deutsch. And it would be wonderful to raise our kids in close proximity to Cantonese community.

3. Vancouver and Canada in general seem to realize that the world is wide and not all white. There’s a larger perspective on life on this planet and identity. as a Canadian. Perhaps I am extrapolating. But I was encouraged as I walked down Robson Saturday morning to see an ad mentioning “Vijay”. Where in North America would one see ads incorporating someone named Vijay? Perhaps the Bay Area. Perhaps.

4. I prefer the Olympics coverage offered by CBC to NBC. Saturday night, we turned on the tv and first saw the Canadian broadcast. It was mellow, an older fellow at the desk allowing a young skier from Alberta to babble for a while after winning her gold medal.No quick cuts, emotional manipulation or jagged questions, as we’ve seen on our home sports programs. Plus the commercials were adorable and family-friendly. My daughters loved the beavers on the escalator. Once we turned on NBC, the tone was different. Soap opera actors emphasized figure skatings struggles with an exaggerated script. Everything seemed hyped and heated.And narrowed to Americans. I can’t leave my kids alone with American tv because the commercials are often for adult shows, featuring intense violence or sexuality images (or even ideas of dating ala Bachelor style – ugh!). Bring on the animated beavers!

5. The price of life – break-ins not included – seems less in Vancouver. Parking at Stanley Park was only $3 for all day. Here state parks are $5 for a day and most city parking rates are much higher. It costs $10 to park at our ferry terminal. We also noted that the food at the Aquarium seemed reasonably priced, especially for a large attraction. A $3 plate of fries filled our family.

6.2010! Need I say more? Ted and I joke that we will celebrate our 18th anniversary by escaping to Vancouver’s Olympics although logistics make it highly unlikely. I hope that Northern Voice 2010 includes a ticket or two to an Olympic event. Or maybe a wide screen tv.

7.If you do need the police in Vancouver, they can come on horses, which is helpful for amusing children. And they seem to be pretty responsive too.

I’ll post this now and let Ted have this computer again…but perhaps I’ll add to this list as I remember what I noticed this year. Yeah, we liked Vancouver. Perhaps even enough to risk crossing the border again…