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| Downtown Vancouver, British Columbia. The stadium in the centre recently acquired a retro-fitted retractable roof. It’s old inflatable roof was called the Mushroom in Bondage. I’m thinkin’ Slumbering Porcupine might best describe it now. |
I’m not braggin’ I’m just sayin’ … [Oh, what the Hell!] 90% of those high-rises are residential. That’s the downtown core. It’s the vibrant heart of Vancouver. No concrete canyons. Instead it’s rivers of people all year long. Well, almost. Miles of sandy beaches within walking distance. The City of North Vancouver snuggles up to those 1500 m-high mountains. Three ski resorts within a 20 minute drive of these buildings—one just off the left edge; another two hiding off to the right. Perennially voted one of the most livable cities on the planet. No freeways in sight—the major north–south highway, by design, bypasses the whole of Vancouver’s central business district and adjacent suburbs on its way to Horseshoe Bay and its ferries to Vancouver Island. The Sea to Sky Highway continues from there, past Squamish and the new Quest University, then on to Whistler–Blackcomb, the alpine event centre during the 2010 winter olympic games. A jewel.
Light a candle. I’ll be back soon!
The Subversive Archaeologist 
I was there in 2009 (I have friends living in Vancouver). It is indeed a very pleasant city in a beautiful surrounding. I loved VancouverIsland as well, especially the whale spotting from Tofino.
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Hi, Marco.
That's high praise coming from one, such as yourself, who's grown up in one of the most livable regions of the world. The so-called Low Countries are anything but when quality of life is concerned.
If you ever visit again, I'll be able to buy you a drink!
Rob
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Amazingly it's actually sunny today. Hope this isn't one of those post-Mayan-dud-apocalyptic-harbinger thingies.We've seen the sun so seldom this winter we're all afraid this will lead to no good. If this is the end of the world, it's a dazzlingly beautiful final gift. — from Mike, Sunshine Coast, Langdale
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@ Mike.
Sorry. Never thought about the jinx effect. If you can hang on until the last week in July and the first two weeks in August I can [almost] guarantee sunshine. I hope that helps…
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Heheheh. The Vancouver weather is, indeed, quite a familiar thing to maritime NW Europeans (Dutch, British).
Rob: what struck me when I visited Vancouver was that I never felt unsafe, unlike some other cities I've been to. I felt safer in Vancouver than I do in Amsterdam (a city I don't like very much). And I loved the general lay-out of the city. From where I stayed (Bute Street) it was also a short stroll only to Stanley Park and the beach was basically down the street.
I also liked the highly multi-cultural character of the city.
The ethnographic museum with all the First Nations wood carvings is a bit further away but is marvelous. So yes, I highly enjoyed my visit!
Negative things I encountered there? Well, maybe the large amount of beggars and dumpster divers. But that is about it.
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@Marco,
I'm happy to hear that you have such good memories of Vancouver. I'll be glad to return after so long away.
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Did you take that wonderful photo? Love to acknowledge the photographer!
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Dear Anonymous,
If this is your exquisite photograph, please tell me how best to acknowledge you, and if, in fact, it's even okay to display it on my blog. I realize that using images taken from random sources on Google is what's known as 'sailing a little too close to the wind” of the intellectual property laws. But if my showing your photo on the Subversive Archaeologist could in any way spread the word of your unquestionable talent, I'm happy to do so. Please let me know what I should do.
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