Feeling better after my bout of flu and flea bites, April took me out introduce me to Canada. It started with some shopping…at my request. Who would’ve thought :) I was in need of some new underwear though. I won’t bore you with the details (since this might be a bit of an over share).
April started the “tour” just right. We went to White Rock beach for some coffee and cupcakes at a nice little shop, known for its cupcakes. There were quite a lot of people out so I started my “cultural assimilation” by watching them. What I mean by this is that I try to figure out the people’s culture wherever I go. Understanding people makes a visit so much more rewarding. Seeing how people do things helps with this. The first big difference I found was with the dining culture. You don’t pay for coffee refills! Oh I cashed in on this one, after I was a bit apprehensive on asking for a refill :) Getting the check (asking for the bill) doesn’t take long at all. If you time the server (not called a waitress here), the check is in front of you in less than 30 seconds! Nice to be in a place where the service is good.
We took a walk down the beach, which is very sheltered. So lots of families at play along the dried sand. Very chilled. Nice. And no visit to North America is complete without seeing some classic American cars. White Rock didn’t disappoint.
Hopping into Petunia, April’s faithful car, we headed to the Gulf of Georgia. The Gulf of Georgia was build around the fishing industry and also canning. Fishing is still done here, but on as a large scale. So they have converted the old buildings into a museum. Pretty cool as it just looks like a couple of vintage buildings. What was really interesting is finding out that the Japanese flocked here in the hey day. Not just as cheap labour, which they were exploited for, but they also brought a wealth of fishing knowledge. Unfortunately this didn’t stop them from getting the short end of the racism stick. Many of the buildings were in surprisingly good shape and we were able to have a look at the inside of an original Japanese residence.
Our bellies full of fish & chips, we took a walk around. After South America, everything felt SO big. I have heard many travellers talking about culture shock. Something I didn’t think I had experienced until now. All this space definitely had a calming effect on me. And now I understand why cars are so key to the culture. Everything is far apart.
A photo I forgot to add. Looking out the window fly to Vancouver – April in a chipper mood
Coffee and cupcakes. Yum – White Rock beach front – April & Petunia
Fishing vessels at the Gulf of Georgia Cannery – Out lunch spot – I can understand the graffiti! Very sharp :)
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