First Impressions

Vancouver Airport

Touched down in Vancouver Airport Yank side, spectacular airport.  Lots of Native art.

Vancouver, known as the “City of Glass” has clean streets with glimpses of the ocean and mountains between the towering blocks of glass-windowed high rise apartments.  This has to be one of the most beautiful cities I’ve seen, with one shocking surprise:  

HOMELESS PEOPLE EVERYWHERE.

Ron and Ricardo, two partners in Real Estate and Life who showed me a potential apartment along the waterfront explained Vancouver’s struggle: because it has the mildest climate in Canada bums flock to the city, where the winters are mild and the streets teem with pre-Olympic tourist tossed change.  Canadian beggars seem to be a humble but unabashed breed, reference one encounter yesterday: “Hey man, I don’t want to waste your time, but I haven’t eaten since yesterday.  I just got here from Winnipeg and my guitar got stolen, I got kicked in the ribs, and all I have left is my harmonica and my own bad breath.”  76p later we fist pumped and the bum left to buy an orange juice, me to enjoy the karma boost.  Even when I’ve had empty pockets the bums keep their Canadian manners, apologizing for the intrusion and wishing me a good day. Nice change to the homeless of say…  NY; who would send me off with a “go F*!K yourself!”

Sweet Gastown apartment with North Mountain views, thanks to Barrie, my new landlord – art gallery owning, Porsche driving, charity donating, entrepreneur.

Apartment View

Took a trip to Sears to outfit my heritage building condo.  Priority no.1: 40″ flat screen TV!!  Sears is running a scratch card promotion, with an undisclosed-till-check-out discount.  Old-timer Roy at electronics check out scratched my card and…  WHAM!!  50% off a nice big Flatscreen, get in!!!

Sears Scratch Promotion