Picture Day remains in Canada

Let's finish up our three-day trip to Vancouver in late May 2001, shall we?

These first two pictures are of seal lions hanging out on logs in the Burrard Inlet. The first one shows how close we are to the city, while the second shows the sea lions up close.


Check it out: it's the world's narrowest building! Yes, it's an actual working building - the insurance offices inside are fully functional!

I may have showed a picture of this before, but we still found it extremely funny. It's the man on the traffic symbol, and we just love that he looks so jaunty!

This is the public library in downtown Vancouver. Two things about it: I love that it looks like the Roman Coliseum, and if you've ever seen the horrid Schwarzeneggar movie The Sixth Day, it's the building where Robert Duvall is holding the big event near the beginning of the movie.

We passed this restaurant on Sunday, and it was closed, so we did not get to see the sushi-making robots. But how awesome is robots making sushi?!?!?!? Next: they use their sushi-making skills to take over the world!

Krys and I went out to a fancy Native American restaurant our last night in town. This is us!

When we left on Monday, we drove around West Vancouver and stopped to get one last look at the city. I dig the dramatic sky. This is late May, remember, and it was pretty stinkin' cold. Vancouver is beautiful, but I can't believe it's all that pleasant, weather-wise.

On the way home, we stopped at a Buddhist monastery south of the city. It was very neat, but we weren't allowed to take pictures inside. So this is the exterior. It was pouring down raining, but we didn't care - we lived in Portland, for crying out loud!

And here's the border!

We really liked visiting Vancouver, but as long-time readers of this blog (you know you're out there!) may remember, while we were there, someone broke into our car and stole ten CDs. It was partly my fault - I left them in the car while it was parked in the hotel garage, but come on - anyone could get into that garage! So whenever we talk about Canada, we mention what a crime-ridden cesspool it is. Yes, I'm kidding - Vancouver in particular and Canada in general are wonderful places to visit. Plan your trip today!

Picture Day goes north of the border!

For the Memorial Day weekend in 2001, Krys and I decided to take a short trip to Vancouver, British Columbia, which we had never visited in our eight years in Portland. We had always wanted to, so we seized the day! Boy, it was a lot easier to carpe diem when we didn't have two kids. Isn't that always the way?

In case you've never been to Vancouver, here's a map. I also found some cool images on-line:


The downtown area is that thumb of land with the park at its tip, which is part of the reason why Vancouver is one if the most picturesque cities I've ever visited. Grouse Mountain, where some of these pictures were taken, is at the top of these pictures, behind North Vancouver. Just so you know.

Our first stop was the Capilano Suspension Bridge, which is quite awesome. It's up in North Vancouver, and is quite the tourist attraction. Note all the people in these pictures!



In that last picture, we were trying to get across the idea that the bridge sways a lot. Unfortunately, we didn't have a video camera, so you really can't get that from a still photo. But it sways. A lot. It's actually kind of difficult to walk across!

This next photo is the cable car up to Grouse Mountain, which is the ski resort that, technically I guess, is inside city limits. How neat. Of course, we went there in May, so there wasn't a whole lot of skiing going on. But that doesn't mean there wasn't snow!

This is a rather hazy shot of downtown. The wooded area off to the right is Stanley Park, which is a nice big area right to the northwest of downtown. The bridge from Stanley Park to the north shore, which you can see vaguely, is Lion's Gate Bridge, and is the only outlet from downtown to that part of the city, which makes traffic on it hellish.

This is me, of course, in the snow. I rule!

We took a boat tour around Vancouver, so I took photographs of downtown, of course! I took this one specifically because of the floating gas stations in the water there. Yes, they're actually gas stations. How are you going to fill up your boat, after all?

The building in the middle of this picture is interesting. You can see the "suspenders" that extend from its top, which makes it rather eye-catching. This is apparently to keep it safe in an earthquake. Vancouver is on the "Ring of Fire," which means it gets frequent earthquakes, and engineers claim this is a safe design. I'm not an engineer, so who am I to argue?

This is Gastown, the historic part of Vancouver. It was the place that was first settled, and has become a trendy spot after years of neglect. We walked around later on. Pictures to follow!


So that's the first part of our Vancouver trip. As I've mentioned in the past, this is one of my favorite cities, so I wish I could return. Maybe some day!

Top Ten Day: My favorite cities

I was already thinking about this post prior to this morning, but then Colin Cowherd, the blowhard on ESPN radio, opened his mouth. He was talking about people who hate Los Angeles, and how the only people who hate Los Angeles are the people who can't "make it" there because they're losers. He took a swipe at Altoona while he did this (which is pretty funny, but still, Altoona's a perfectly nice town). Cowherd is a fun guy to listen to because he's so very, very wrong so very, very often, but when he's right, it's interesting. I'm not going to say he's "wrong" in this instance, because I've been in Los Angeles for the grand total of one afternoon in my life, but Cowherd strikes me as a guy who is going to have a heart attack at 50 because he's all about making coin and climbing the ladder. Did he ever think that maybe people don't like Los Angeles for perfectly legitimate reasons? Lots of movie stars, who presumably have "made it," move away from Los Angeles because they don't like it. I love Cowherd, because he's a tool. An entertaining tool, but a tool nonetheless.

Anyway, let's run down my favorite cities! These are cities I have spent a some time in, even if it's only a few hours. There are plenty of cities in the world that I would love to visit, and there are plenty of cities I went to in my wayward youth, but I don't remember them, so they won't be on the list (sorry, London). As for the definition of "city" ... well, it's like irony - I know it when I see it!

1. Portland, Oregon, United States. I have never made it much of a secret how much I love Portland. It's a decent-sized city, but it's not overwhelmingly huge. It has plenty of nice neighborhoods, it's pedestrian-friendly, it has a beautiful downtown, it's in a picturesque valley, and it has a lot to do in terms of theater, movies, events, and other interesting things. I have heard that since we left, the downtown area has gone downhill, which is a shame, because Portland's downtown was a wonderful place to just wander around and watch people or examine the architecture. It's close to nature, it's close to the mountains, it's close to the ocean, and the weather is relatively decent. Yes, it rains a lot, but not as much as you might think, and the winters are usually mild, while the summers are spectacular. I would love to move back there. Perhaps we will someday.

Web sites: The official site, the Visitors' Association, a guide to the city, the Wikipedia entry.

2. Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Long-time readers (all eight of you) could have guessed that these two cities would be at the top of the list. I spent five months in Melbourne in 1992 and loved it. I would move the family there in an instant. It has a wonderful climate, it's on a big bay that leads into the ocean, so it's on a big body of water but doesn't get buffeted by the waves, and it's a beautiful place. The city is ridiculously clean, and the tram system is excellent - you could live your whole life there without driving a car. The people are very friendly (Australians tend to be), there's a pub on every corner, there's a lot to do, and it's close to some wonderful places around Australia, including Tasmania, which is a spectacular place. It's a thoroughly modern city that retains its Victorian charm. I highly recommend it if you're in the area.

Web sites: The official site, the tourist site, things to do around town, and the Wikipedia entry.

3. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. I grew up in the suburbs of Philly, and although it has gone through some hard times in the past thirty years, I still love the town. It's actually a lot more interesting than it gets credit for, not only for the wonderful historical sites, but just for the things to do around town. The history, of course, is the main draw, but it also has those fantastic old neighborhoods that you get in older cities, and the waterfront area has become much nicer in recent years. The tonier areas are also very nice, and the sports teams, although losers for most of their existence, have that quality about them that makes them lovable even when they stink. I hope that Philly continues to revive as it has done recently (not much, but a little) because despite some absolutely horrible areas and some sketchy history (Wilson Goode, the mayor, remember, bombed his own city in 1985), it is a proud and beautiful place.

Web sites: The official site, the Visitors' Guide, a historical guide, and the Wikipedia entry.

4. Seattle, Washington, United States. I have never lived in Seattle, but I have visited plenty of times, and we wish we had the money to live there. It's bigger and more cosmopolitan than Portland, and its setting is, amazingly, more spectacular than Portland's, as its downtown is situated on a narrow strip of land between two bodies of water - Puget Sound (well, Elliott Bay, really) and Lake Washington. It's also built on a hill, so it's tough to walk around downtown. The neighborhoods around the central core retain their own charm, and there are always many interesting things to do. The weather is worse than in Portland, and it doesn't quite have as friendly an atmosphere, but it's a gorgeous place that everyone should visit at least once in their lives, if only to take the Underground Tour!

Web sites: The official site, tourist guide, entertainment guide, and the Wikipedia entry.

5. Paris, France. I haven't been to Paris in over 20 years, but I spent a week there in 1985 and fell in love with it. It's a great city not only for the art and history, but for the sense of community you get as you walk through the neighborhoods and through alleys and along the river and into tiny little cafés. It's amazing that, for the most part, Paris has resisted the modernization of the rest of the world yet still feels like a modern city, despite the sense of history all around. It's a pedestrian-friendly city, and there is far more to do than I could ever tell here. Of course, for a 14-year-old, the highlight might have been the naked hookers. Just standing on the street. Yowza! I would love to go back and spend some time, because we saw far less than it has to offer, I'm sure. Some day we'll get there!

Web sites: The official site, the tourists' site, and the Wikipedia entry.

6. New York City, New York, United States. I have often thought there would be only two ways I could live in New York: if I had been born there, or if I was filthy rich. If I was a native, the various things you need to know to survive in New York would be ingrained, and if I was filthy rich, I could live in Manhattan and have things done for me. I love visiting New York, even if I probably wouldn't be able to live there. It's unlike any city I've ever been in, and I doubt if there are many cities like it. It's not that it's big, it's that it's overwhelmingly big, with something to see on every street corner. It assaults your senses and attacks your emotions. Manhattan, obviously, is the center of the world in some sense, but it's amazing how organic the other boroughs are and how distinct they are. It's a wonderful city, and everyone should visit it once. Even if you don't like it, you have to experience it.

Web sites: The official site, a tourism site, another tourism site, and the Wikipedia entry.

7. New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. This is pre-Katrina, obviously, as I have only been there once, and it was in 1995. However, despite my feelings about reconstructing New Orleans under sea level in a flood plain, plus their unwillingness to admit culpability in owning slaves, I love the city. It has a wonderful old-world charm that is lacking in many American cities, and both the French Quarter and the Garden District are absolutely beautiful. Obviously, I love cities steeped in history, and New Orleans is one of those. It's very sad what happened to it, but that still doesn't mean they should rebuild it in the exact same condition, because it will happen again.

Web sites: The official site, a tourism site, Everything New Orleans, and the Wikipedia entry.

8. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. When I visited my aunt and uncle in Pittsburgh in 1984, there was no way I would have thought it might be a favorite city. It was dirty, depressed, and disgusting. However, when I returned in 1992 to see a friend of mine who went to school there, I was amazed by the reclamation project that Pittsburgh had become. It was clean, glistening, and the government had attracted lots of new development and had done a wonderful job making Pittsburgh a livable place. It's always been picturesque - downtown is on a spit of land at the confluence of three rivers and is surrounded by mountains (which gives it a weird, Gondolin-type feel), and the area to the north, where the university is, has a nice college town feel in the middle of a good-sized city. It's a city that doesn't get a lot of recognition on the national stage, but it has become a very nice place.

Web sites: The official site, a visitors' guide, and the Wikipedia entry.

9. Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. We spent a weekend here in 2001, and even though our car was broken into and a bunch of CDs stolen, it's still a very cool city. Downtown is on a peninsula that sticks like a thumb into Burrard Inlet, and it's a very nice area, with some fine buildings and plenty of things to do. It is connected to the north shore by Lions Gate Bridge and to the south by a narrow isthmus of land, and is surrounded by the Old Town area and an artists' colony. There is skiing almost within city limits, and lots of water (which is a plus). The weather is horrible, I'm sure (it was Memorial Day weekend and it was cold and rainy), but the setting is spectacular. You can see Vancouver in a bunch of movies, if you've never been there. Rumble in the Bronx was filmed there (ironically, given the title), as was The 6th Day. Those are two examples where you can see the city well.

Web sites: The official site, a tourism site, another entertainment site, and the Wikipedia entry.

10. Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. This is kind of a cheat, as I only spent one day in Sydney, but I really liked the city. It's a typical Australian city, in that it's very clean and very friendly. It's more modern than Melbourne, but not quite as charming. Its setting is very beautiful, and it has a lot of very nice neighborhoods surrounding the central business district. Sydney does retain a bit of old-school charm, as it's one of the oldest settlements in Australia, and the Rocks, its old core, is a tony place with nice houses where all the rich folk live. I wandered around town all day and saw the big sights, but didn't get to see as much as I would have liked. Maybe someday we'll get back there.

Web sites: The official site, a tourism site, things to do in town, and the Wikipedia entry.

Wow, that post took a while. I started it on Thursday afternoon and now it's Sunday afternoon. I was going to post some pictures, but that will make it even later. I'm lazy. So what are some of your favorite cities, all eight of my readers?