July 2007 Archives
I've seen many fireworks in my lifetime, yet I still wanted to go see Canada's display Saturday night that was sponsored by HSBC's Celebration of Light festival - a competition held among various countries around the world that lasts over four days throughout a two week period.
Long before this event I was told by many who live here that they are a must-see, and warned not to drive but rather take public transportation. Here's my warning... public or private transportation, either way, it'll be mayhem. It took a total of two hours to reach English Bay, which is one of the prime locations for viewing. Normally, it would have probably taken 30 minutes, but because of the number of people going and a medical emergency that re-routed the Skytrain, it took a lot longer than expected. I barely made it. The fireworks started right when we arrived.
Luckily we beat the rush of people back to the Skytrain station, but it still took about an hour to get home. A total of 3 hours of commuting just to view 30 minutes of fireworks extravaganza. I think it'll be the last time I'll go see fireworks unless I find someone I know who lives down by English Bay with a view of the display.
All in all the fireworks were pretty nice and synced to some old style music such as Nat King Cole and some other classics. I wouldn't say they were all that spectacular, but who knows maybe the other countries will be more exciting.
On my way back on the Skytrain, two older ladies who obviously had more than a few drinks that were sitting next to me commented on how they thought the fireworks were too "Christmasy." Funny enough, it didn't really occur to me until I downloaded the few pics I had on my camera to my computer and found that I had taken both red and green fireworks.
There's a great writeup on how to spend 36 hours in Vancouver in the New York Times. Check it out.
Came across an article today in the NY Times about the world's best candy bars and it reminded me of the post I wrote about Canadian candy bars. I thought I'd give an update on the candy I've tried along with other Canadian staples since I've been here. Well, I finally tried the Big Turk and it was just strange. It's the wierdest combination - a chocolate covered bar of gummy candy and that'll be the last I'll ever have of it. Not what I expected and it tasted aweful.
Smarties in Canada is not what you'd expect if you grew up in the States. Here it is like M&Ms except they come in some bright pastel colors. I haven't tried these, but I imagine it's pretty similar to what I know. I've had the sour patch kids here and they are pretty much the same except they are branded under the Maynard's name. Some name brand candy bars I've noticed that are prolific here are Cadbury and Lindt in a variety of flavors.
A big chain in Canada that is similar to Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts is Tim Hortons. Canadians have a very strong attachment to this chain that is named after a famous Canadian hockey player. The Timbits are a mini donut in a variety of flavors like the Munchkins that Dunkin Donuts sell. I find these to be pretty much the same execpt for the name, which I find the Timbits name to be more memorable.
One of the coolest things here in Vancouver is the Richmond Night Market (pics are posted in my gallery). It's just like ones you would see in Asia. Everything from fake designer hand bags, jewelry, underwear to meats on a stick, sales demonstrations and entertainment can be found at the night market. It's great fun for everyone. My favorite of course is the food. The place is packed with people. There is talk that this might be the last year for the night market, since the lease is due on the piece of land that the event is held and it has been hard for the organizers to find another location as large as the current one for next year and thereafter. Hopefully we won't see the end of it, because it would be a real bummer. There is another one in Chinatown, but I've heard it's smaller and not as great.
With all the beautiful weather here in Vancouver now, it seemed like a waste not to enjoy it as much as possible especially knowing the winters are rainy. I figured it was time to get a bike and it would be the best way to enjoy the numerous parks around the city. Also it would make running errands much easier if I just wanted to go down to the store for a few things.
After doing some research and trying out three different types of bikes, I decided on getting an Electra Townie. These bikes are known as comfort bikes and are more for leisurely rides and city riding, not really for rough trails that are more suitable for mountain bikes. It's designed to allow you to sit back more upright with less stress on your back and arms, while giving you the ability to put your feet flat on the ground at a stop.
The first bike I tried was a hybrid bike, which is a cross between a mountain bike and road bike. It is much lighter than a mountain bike and has a bit wider wheel than a road bike. The bike is fast and good for commuting. I tried the mountain bike and found it to be ok. It was pretty much what I expected. When I tried the Townie, I wasn't quite used to it at first because I hadn't rode on a bike like one since I was little. It felt like my first bike and felt very old school. It was much more comfortable than the other two I had tried. When I thought about what I wanted to use the bike for, the Townie was the best option.
I rode around the park near where I live and it was fantastic. Of course going up steep hills is not as easy as a hybrid or road bike. But the great thing about these bikes is that they're very low maintenance and it makes the ride much more relaxing and enjoyable. It's also safer since you have a better field of vision, which is important if you're riding a bike in the city.
One of the things I made sure to get right away is a bell... one of those old school ones and also a cup holder. I feel like a little girl again riding my Townie!
The first time I came across The Real Canadian Superstore, I found the name to be amusing. I mean, not only is the name long, but did they really need to differentiate themselves even more from their competitors by adding "the real" to their name? My initial reaction was "hmm... interesting name. The Real Canadian Superstore... as opposed to 'The Fake Canadian Superstore???'" Imagine the following conversation between a husband and wife or whomever:
"I'm going out for a little bit to buy a few things."
"Oh, where at? Can you pick up some of that special gourmet pet food?"
"Oh... no they don't have that at The Real Canadian Superstore."
"Why don't you go the fake one? They've got better deals over there since everything's fake."
Canadian Superstore as a name would have done just fine. Really who even calls it by their full name? It's so silly.
The other silly thing is The Real Canadian Superstore has a policy where they charge you for their bags. Well, that's not the silly part. What is silly, is they don't tell you why. The first time I shopped there, I had a basket full of stuff and when I got to the cashier, she asked if I needed any bags. Well obviously! How else could I carry all the crap I bought? I had over ten items and they were not small. Then she asked how many bags I wanted and told me I'd be charged for each bag. Well, I dunno... enough to fit all my crap in I suppose. Why ask me these silly questions? No other place I shop does. It must be a Canadian thing... I thought.
It wasn't until I was at a different store when I was speaking with a sales rep about my "Superstore" shopping experience that I found out why they had the policy of charging for their bags. The concept is to encourage customers to bring and use their own bags to reduce waste on the environment. Nothing wrong with that concept and a great way to promote a greener planet. However, I believe the communication is not clear and it's a missed opportunity to market the initiative and put the brand in a positive light. There's no indication whatsoever inside the store and near the registers that market this initiative. The cashier only explained that I'd be charged extra for bags, but did not explain why. I had a negative perspective of the store, but once I understood the "real" reason behind the whole bag thing it made a lot more sense.
