Retroblog 2005: Vancouver Trip

Since today is the opening of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, it's only fitting that today's retroblog is all about my trip to Vancouver, c. 2005.

Please note: All pictures posted with tacit permission of my former colleague A. Ioannidou since this was pre-digital for me and I can't find my negative or my photos. (Thanks Arsi!)

Back in '05, when I was still working on my MLS/and at the Library, I attended the Music Library Association's Annual Conference, which was being held in Vancouver that year. I jumped at the chance to attend and signed up well in advance.

Little did I know that this would conflict with Drew's arrival and then his subsequent blessing. I did wave at Nevada as we flew over it. Sorry about that Drew.

Nevada

Approaching VancouverThe conference was held at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver right in the heart of downtown. It was gorgeous and we did actually attend some conference sessions.

Ed, Arsi and Holly en route to another session. But really. Let's be honest. When you have a conference in a city like Vancouver and, for once, the weather was remarkably clear, sunny, and relatively warm, would you want to be stuck in a conference hall?

Neither did we. We walked and walked and walked all over Vancouver.

We walked to Yaletown and Gastown

where we saw the famous Steam Clock.

We took the water ferry to Granville Island, where we browsed through the Farmer's Market and I bought some apples and cheese, and salivated over many other things. We ate at a seafood restaurant on the Bay and watched the sun go down, we had sushi at a Japanese restaurant, ate at an authentic First Nations restaurant (sadly, now closed), and had dim sum on the second floor of a Chinese restaurant in Chinatown where we were the only Caucasians.

Ed and Arsi strolling through a garden after lunch.

On our walk through Stanley Park, we stopped by the Vancouver Aquarium. It was nice to duck into one of the rain forest exhibits and warm up. As a bonus, we got to see this scarlet ibis.But really, the Aquarium is about seeing the dolphins, sea lions, and the belugas.

Stanley Park is wonderful. I actually think I prefer it to Central Park, mostly because of its ocean and bay views. Plus, there's this wonderful walking and riding path all away around it, and then on the seawall around most of the City.

I also appreciate the way that Canada celebrates its First Nations cultural heritage. We came across this Totem Pole installation.

Ed doesn't quite measure up. It was a wonderful trip, and we were blessed by the weather. We actually were working with a native Vancouverite who couldn't believe that it only rained on us once!

Our first night in town, we walked down to the Bay and walked on the beach. I couldn't resist and took my shoes and socks off and stuck my feet in the water. As you might expect, it was FRIGID, but I couldn't be on the beach, on the WEST COAST, and not stick my feet in the water, at least once.

I ate so much seafood, did so much walking, and enjoyed the cosmopolitan vibe so much ... If I was every to think about relocating to the West Coast, I'd definitely consider Vancouver. Not only is it mellow, and it's less "French" than the rest of Canada I've visited. The City is close enough to the U.S. border so that we were getting US and Canadian t.v. channels. The weather would have to be sunny though. I don't think I could stand all the grey and rain that Portland and Seattle are known for. I'd have to get a SAD lamp.

Also, I watch so many shows that are filmed in Vancouver, I was totally geeking out looking for locations I recognized. (Highlander, anyone? Stargate SG-1?) Now a days, I see scenes on Pysch and I totally know that the "Santa Barbara" Aquarium was totally filmed in Vancouver. Let this madness called the Olympics die down, and I want to go back!