What’s up?
I’ve been quiet for a day. Let’s talk about Day 6 of Transit Travels, shall we?
Day 6
August 8- Canada Place/Gastown
We start the day off in a place I’m getting quite familiar with: the inside of a bus.
I didn’t get a shot of the SkyTrain, though I’ve become quite good friends with that as well.
These stairs are kind of cool:
My first destination of the day was Canada Place. And of course, I can’t resist doling out a bit of Vancouver history.
Canada Place was originally built in 1927. Canada Pavillion at Canada Place, closed after hosting Expo ’86, is known to be one of the best host-nation pavillions ever of a world exposition.
It’s a nation icon. It’s white sails make it a prominent landmark, like the Sydney Opera House and Denver International Airport.
That photo was taken from the parking lot a few blocks away. Of course, before I went that far, I made good friends with the sails, up close and personal.
Before I paid my buddies, the Sails, a visit, I met this guy, playing the bagpipes.
This picture is bigger because I didn’t get very close to him.
I forgot about this picture, it was near the sails. The national anthem:
This picture is really big because I wanted the words to be legible.
Here are some people on the deck (I think it’s a deck) of Canada Place.
I made this picture big also. That’s because I want to draw your attention to the amazing floating brochure that is not, in fact, in this guy who walked into my shot’s hand.
Obviously a trip to Canada Place is completely wasted if you don’t visit the Olympic Cauldron as well, the legacy of the very recent Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics.
It still gets to me how great and unifying the Olympics were.
Canada wasn’t hit as hard as the U.S. by the recession, in fact, we have it pretty good compared to them, but it was a great boost when people were still in hard times. Canada isn’t the most patriotic place, especially compared to the U.S., but this Olympics changed all of it. There were literally seas of red and white, and no one could talk about anything else. The golden goal, oh, that was amazing.
In that moment, Sydney Crosby was my absolute hero. After that moment, he went back to being meh for me. That’s another story, in fact, a story I’ve already told.
There was also the orca whale statue, “Digital Orca”, of course. I couldn’t get very close up because it was roped off because of a convention that was happening there. It looks like it was built out of lego pieces.
I also got some shots of the water and the mountains:
I walked very briefly along the seawall after I left Canada Place while trying to decide where to go next.
I went to the Sinclair Centre (because I really need to find a washroom) before I went on to my next destination and I saw these statues:
After this I went to the place I decided on while I was walking along the seawall:
Yes, I did Photoshop it very poorly. The lighting on this was really weird. The only way the words could be seen is if I did this.
I did not enjoy Gastown as much as I could have.
A woman walked up to me with a bunch of flowers saying, “God bless you.” Which was sweet, even if I’m a raging atheist. I thanked her very sincerely. She asked me where I was from, I said Port Coquitlam. I didn’t really understand what she meant, obviously. She said that she was from Africa. She was giving away flowers for donation and that no one had given her anything.
I felt bad. I’m terrible, but I don’t give out money. I’m not into charity of that variety. It’s a long story, but I hate handouts, whether to myself or to others. I believe in the “Give a man a fish, he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish, he eats for life.” This lady seemed genuinely nice and she tugged at my heart with her story. I didn’t mind talking to her.
Then a homeless man noticed us talking and decided to siddle up and start saying strange things. I finished my conversation with the nice woman, returning her flowers because I didn’t want to take them if I wasn’t giving her money.
I started to walk away, when the homeless man blocked my way.
“Who you looking for, huh? Who you looking for, lady?” he asked.
“I’m not looking for anyone,” I replied.
“Can you give me a quarter? For bus fare? Come on, lady.” He pushed my arm.
“I’m sorry, like I said, I don’t have any money until tomorrow.” Which was the truth, I really didn’t have access to any money until Wednesday because my bank account takes 7 days to process deposits. I told the woman this as well. I don’t have any cash until Wednesday after I make a withdrawal.
“Just check, come on! How do you know you don’t have it?” He pushed my arm again.
“I’m sorry,” I told him, sincerely, I hope.
“Come on, just check!” He pushed my arm a third time.
“I’m sorry,” I repeated.
He growled and walked away. I was shaking. I’ve had this conversation many times before, once in a McDonalds. This time though, this guy was pretty aggressive about it. He looked angry and frustrated.
That pretty much made me want to get out of there quick.
Vancouver has a homeless problem and a drug problem. I’m not trying to scare you away from the downtown core, but this is the truth. Most of the time, the homeless you meet aren’t this aggressive about it, in fact they don’t even approach you.
It’s a interesting dilemma I have. I speak to everyone as equals and I speak to everyone in general. I don’t ignore people. This works for me most of the time because I’m friendly, but in this kind of situation, I’m not sure it’s a such a good thing. The African woman was lovely, I liked talking to her, but this man…
I know I’m callous about this issue, but I hated the way the man approached me. You are imposing on someone else by asking for money, you don’t harass the person about it if they say no. I suppose it’s how you get by. It might be that I’m too prideful myself. I don’t ask for help until there’s no other option and I like I said before, I don’t like handouts. I suppose it’s because of the way I am, this guy is intolerable to me.
The woman, I hoped that her life gets better because she seemed lovely and beautiful and just got a really bad hand when she came looking for a better life in Canada. I can relate, being an immigrant as well, the first few years I was in Canada, it was tough. This guy, well I certainly hope his life gets better, but it won’t happen if he keeps treating other people like that.
Well, the steam clock was only a block away so I walked (quickly) to it and took my photo.
I made my way quickly to Gassy Jack.
He’s the one Gastown, the original Downtown core, was named for. I’m fairly certain the nickname has nothing to do with his digestive system.
It was around 4 at this point and I’ve been walking for 3 hours without any water. Mind you it was a really nice day. I was sweating. Pretty gross.
My main priority at that point was to get out of Gastown quick. The closest skytrain station was Stadium-Chinatown, so I took Abbot St and walked as fast as I could. In retrospect, if I was trying to get away from the homeless and the drug addicted, I probably should not be walking toward Chinatown. There was less and less people around, but of those that were around, they seemed to be getting shabbier and less rich tourist-y which was what I saw a lot of in Gastown along with the homeless people there, asking them for money.
I walked until I could see Rogers’ Arena in the distance, which was across the street from Stadium-Chinatown (the skytrain station). I stopped right in front of a mall called International Village Shopping Centre. At this point, I was seriously dehydrated, so I went into the 7-Eleven there and bought two bottle of water (they were 2 for $2).
Yes, I did actually lie a bit to the homeless people. I had $6 on me. Which I was saving for emergencies, like dehydration because I forgot my water bottle at home.
I took the skytrain back to Waterfront station (thestation I got off to get to Canada Place) and changed over to the Canada Line. I went to Yaletown.
It was a short trip though because Yaletown was really a whim. I hadn’t really researched Yaletown (which I did with Canada Place and Gastown – because they were in the lineup of places I was thinking of going). I went to Yaletown because I was seriously in need of rich people. Yeah, that is a terrible thing to say.
I walked by Davie Village too, which according to the many brochures I took from the Tourism Vancouver office, is LGBT central in Vancouver. I didn’t have time to look around though. I’m disappointed I missed the Pride Parade last (last?) week though, speaking of.
I really need to be getting to sleep. I have my PNE orientation and training tomorrow. I got sent my schedule. I only have one shift for sure, and for 10 other time slots, I’m only “on call”. Which I’m not entirely sure what it means, although it is pretty self explanatory.
I’m worried if “on call” means they’ll call me if they need me, I won’t be able to make it there on time. The bus ride to the PNE is about 1 hour and 15 minutes. I should consider hanging out in Burnaby for the duration of the PNE probably.
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Day 7 is postponed until Thursday or Friday because I was really tired from Day 6 and we finally got sport channels for my TV and tomorrow can’t be day 7 because I have my training. So we’ll do day 7 Thursday or Friday. Whenever I feel like it. I’m starting to run out of ideas for places to go (that don’t cost – any or that much – money).
Any suggestions for places to go in the lower mainland?
heiding away. 