Vancouver April 2005 - Travelogue #3

Well guys, it’s been rainy all weekend with intermittent sunshine. Just when you think it’s safe to go out without an umbrella, here it comes again. But, rain and cold aside I had a pretty pleasant weekend.

Went to the office Saturday for a few hours, and then headed over to East Vancouver to take in a matinee at a local theatre. Had planned to do that Thursday night, but decided against it. I don’t know the city that well yet so decided it was not prudent to venture off into an unknown area on a dark and rainy night with a strange man (cab driver). And as it turns out, I’m glad I did wait – the neighborhood is truly inner city (Dallas friends think old East Dallas around Grand and Carroll). Of course, it’s like most big cities – slummy for a few blocks then quaint old houses then back to project type, etc. The theatre itself is in an old house – probably a fire trap – but very interesting. There is a renovation project in the works. I took the bus back – oh boy – did I see a scary neighborhood on that trip (Mom & Dad – think of our bus ride in DC that time). Bars on all the windows – signs all in Korean and Vietnamese – parts of it reminded me of Chinatown in San Francisco – little markets with raw meat hanging in the windows. At the bus stop, I had my first encounter with a panhandler – he wanted a transfer or a bus ticket. I don’t know what made me refuse him – I had a pocketful. I guess I was a little nervous – there were three other skid-row looking guys standing around, too and I just kind of wanted to move away from them. Anyway, got safely on the bus – asked the driver if he went to Waterfront Center without a transfer – he said yes. Now I assumed it was a straight shot once we turned on Hastings….but then he turned and headed south….away from where I was going….I thought maybe he was making a loop. After a few more stops, he said “end of line”. I looked around and I was only one on the bus and nearly a mile from where I needed to be. I said I thought you said this went to Waterfront – he said it did but he stopped here for 20 minutes!!!! Hopped off – grabbed another bus and got back to office about 4:30. Worked a couple more hours and then headed back to hotel.

The play I saw was HELEN’S NECKLACE – about a Canadian woman in an unnamed Arab city who has lost her necklace. She engages a taxi driver to take her around the city looking for it. It’s a play full of symbolism and underlying meanings – the gist of which is human loss. We see the Middle Eastern conflict from THEIR perspective rather than our own. It was very moving – I enjoyed it. The actress who played Helen was good,but the taxi driver was superb!!!! He played that role and switched to two or three others also.

This morning I intended to get up and go to church – First Baptist church is just a few blocks from the hotel in a beautiful old building. But, I didn’t sleep very well – just can’t shake this bronchitis and coughed all night long. So, I overslept. But, I did get to the Vancouver Art Gallery. There is a photography collection right now on the first three floors – I took in the first floor and will go back and do the other two later. It covers the history of photography from the mid-1800s through the 1960s. Some pretty neat stuff – Amanda, I think you would enjoy it. The 4th floor is the permanent collection – primarily of a British Columbian artist named Emily Carr. A lot of her work revolves around totem poles – which you see a lot of here – I told y’all about them last August when I made my first trip here. I liked her work a lot and bought a book about her in the bookstore. Julie – I’m sending you a postcard of one of her paintings. Looks like something you might like to do.

Came out of the gallery and it had stopped raining and sun was coming out, so I decided to walk and explore. Well, that (the sun, that is) lasted about 5 minutes so I hopped a bus and headed back to the hotel and then went to the office for a while. I’m back at the hotel now and the sun has been out for about an hour so I think I am going to walk down to the grocery store. It’s been tough eating here – haven’t found any restaurants I really like and the only markets are 7-11s and little neighborhood places that are very expensive and nothing is fresh. Someone told me about a regular grocery about 6 blocks away so I think I’ll check it out.

Here are two pictures – one of the theatre and the other of a rhythm and blues club (Yale Hotel) just down from the hotel that I’m going to check out one of these nights. The club is on the first floor and the 2nd and 3rd floors are a hotel. They have live entertainment every night – and frequently it is big names. The concierge gave me a VIP pass that is good anytime. Oh, and one more picture – some abandoned tennis shoes and socks I saw getting off bus today. Very strange – just sitting there – next to a building – they don’t look like they were dropped – looks like they were placed there and nothing to indicate that someone was going to pick them up later. And they are in reasonably good condition – a heck of a lot better than mine are!!!!

Y’all have a good week – Dallas friends – I will be in Thursday night and then will head back here Monday night.