The organizers were kind enough to order up some rare Vancouver sunshine yesterday. Today the skies are more typical of the “wet coast.” Many of us experienced a whirlwind of travel and time-zone changes yesterday, flying in from all over the world. (I met people from London, Sydney, Connecticut, Tennessee, Atlanta and nearby Calgary.) In some cases, the trip from the airport to downtown seemed almost as long as a cross-country flight (note to self: Never take the Airporter bus again!).
The IABC team has planned some excellent sessions in a beautiful setting. I hope the rain subsides so we can fully enjoy the Vancouver Aquarium tonight.
As a first-time visitor to Vancouver, I couldn’t help but notice:
- Unlike in Ontario, where signage is in English and French, here you see English and Chinese (even on the treadmill at the Hyatt’s gym).
- Buildings constructed in 1908 are considered old.
- On the main street from the airport to downtown, many homes are fronted by huge cedar hedges (I’m talking 15 feet and higher), some of which are trimmed as neatly as a gentleman’s beard.
- Downtown Vancouver is a shoppers’ Mecca; shoe fanatics could do major damage to their credit-card balances.
- Tim Hortons is the same wherever I’ve been in Canada – from Moncton to Montreal to Toronto to Vancouver. (I visited a brand-new outlet in Canandaigua, New York a few weeks ago and it was a little too fancy to be a real Tim’s!)
If you’re here in Vancouver, please say hello.
Although the outlets may look the same, our more western compatriots (Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia) favour the nickname of "Timmy's" instead. (This scientific fact is based on discussions with a family member from Regina, and BC-islander Tris Hussey at the recent mesh conference. Maybe you can do your own spot check.)
(Apparently "Timmy Ho's" is another version, but I've never heard it.)
Hope the sun comes-and-stays-out during the rest of your visit to beautiful Vancouver, Donna!
Posted by: Judy Gombita | June 05, 2006 at 09:39 AM