Spring Break

Today Linda and I met up at 27th and Main for an organic coffee (my new thing) at Saltspring Coffee, and then rode our bikes up to Queen Elizabeth park.  I was happy to have my bike out of storage for the first time in a year, and the weather was perfect.  The combination of Mother's Day and great weather jammed up traffic all over the city, so I was just as happy to not be fighting it out, stuck behind the wheel of a car. 

Exercise always keeps one happy both physically and emotionally.  While there is a definite sporty/casual type of lifestyle that exists among the majority of people who live in Vancouver (and all of BC for that matter), and it's truly a way of life that I enjoy and take for granted, I still can't help but notice how chilly people are towards one another.  Not like Barcelona where you walk into a cafe and everyone chats with one another, or says hello without pausing to size you up first, etc etc.  Oh no.  Vancouverites like to keep their nose either firmly placed in the air, or buried behind their laptops.  This way it makes it easier for them to just just go on pretending that no one else exists but themselves, see?  While Linda and I sipped our coffee outside in the sunshine, we watched people come and go.  We remarked how no one said even a little hello, not even gave as much as a cordial nod in anyone's direction.  Vancouverites keep their business to themselves, and they really don't care who you are or what your business is.  It's gotten so weird in this city that even wishing someone a good day gets you an icy-cold glare in return, the expression on their face reading: "Who the hell are you?  Some kind of a weirdo?!"  Vancouver has been dubbed "No Fun City", and it's not for lack of things to do.  I've stopped tipping snotty, attitudy counter-girls...

This is of course not to say that there aren't any friendly people left in this city, because there are.  But you'll be lucky to find one.

So I think I finally had enough of all of it and, pretty much last minute, I booked myself a flight to Calgary to go and check things out there this week.  My good friend Laureen has offered me a place to stay, and at the very least it'll be great to have some girl-time with a long time friend who I rarely get to see or even connect with by phone.  It's time to break it up a bit.  One thing is for sure when it comes to me: once I do make a decision I'm good to go, and I don't waste any time getting there.

C xo