The Most Amazing Thing about Vancouver...

... is the fact that the beautiful surrounds of water, backdropped by snow peaked mountains is visible from from the city!

After a dreary weekend, I got really excited yesterday waking up to a blue sky. I made the most of it an visited Lighthouse Park where I did a short trek to the lighthouse overlooking the city on the other shore. On the way back, I took a different route and found myself amongst thse huge moss covered trees and dark ferns. It was nice and peaceful, but peaceful enough to be somewhat eery... I was lost between amazement and panic - about being in the forest by myself.

Talk about keen, I went up Grouse Mountain (scenic lookout and snow fields close to the city) the same day. I was admiring the Vancouver city skyline and orange sunset reflections of the water as I was going up the skyride to the peak when I turned to looked up-mountain and saw everything covered in white!

So one hour I was tramping through leaves in a forest and the next hour I was falling over the most amazing powder snow. At the peak, I saw a small frozen
pond equipped with ice-skaters, two black bears, and an amazing site of Vancouver city at dusk.

Last week I rollerbladed for 1.5 hours in the rain on the Seawall Promenade of Stanley Park. I was unimpressed with the weather change and came out of the park frozen. Nice park though, and contrary to my expectations, it was very different to Centennial Park back home! Think cedar forest, surrounding
shoreline, views, pools, beaches...

I also watched a hockey game - it was totally cool, 3rd row seats from the front, inbetween the two goals! Alwin, Matt and Jules - I was thinking of u guys!

I've enjoyed exploring on my own lately, something rare in Sydney, but probably something I need to get used to this year. I'm trying to keep my social skills from rusting though, and Trang has been great in getting me involved with all her UBC friends - most are Europena, Asian and Mexican. I have met 3 Canadians though! =P I've been out with them a few times, and we even threw a huge dinner party at out place one time though too which was a lot a fun. I also have Aussie friends - Ben (ex-IBMer) and his gf Rachel! We meet at the library some days for coffee while we bitch about job hunting and recruitment execs. Don't laugh - the library is cool (unlike the uni ones which are only good for sleeping)... I get free internet, central heating (brr..) and it is the only asthetically pleasing building in the whole of downtown... it's modeled like the Roman Colleseum.

Thats the exciting stuff. There are uneventful and dreary days from the weather where I find solace sleeping in, shopping, cooking and eating. Oh dear! I have
signed up for a Temp agency, not sure if I will hear from them (Rachel and I think they are a bit of a joke), but with only 3 weeks to go before my move up to Lake Louise, I'm not fussed.

Anyways, about time you bludgers get back to work. Another essay next time!