Oh Canada!

Phnom Penh, Vancouver. We had dinner here Thursday evening. 

Touch down YVR. It is now Saturday (I landed on Thursday morning) and I now feel that I am compos mentis, and steadily getting with the programme here in Vancouver. I am sitting typing whilst watching the Canucks game against San Jose, so you could say that I am a fully fledged Canadian already!

I will just run through the past couple of days. I spent much of Thursday in bed, after Krista met me at the airport and lovingly guided me back, in full zombie state, on the SkyTrain back downtown. After getting showered and doing some much needed general arranging we headed out to dinner. 

First up. We went to Phnom Penh in Chinatown where we had a great meal of butter beef, which had great zingy acidic taste, along side a pounds worth of their famous chicken wings. Dinner was great, just what I needed. However, the weather, not so much. -7 degrees downtown was a considerable shock, coming from what has been a very, very mild Winter back in the UK.

After another prolonged rest (13 hours) we decided to finally leave the warmth of the apartment yesterday. This time it wasn't the cold so much, but the driving rain that we were up against. To compensate for the disappointment with the elements we headed to the American Cheesesteak Co. on Davie. Oh boy! Do they know how to make a sandwich. Splitting a Cowboy between the two of us was more than enough. How you deal with sides on top of all that meat I don't know... Needless to say we took a stroll around soggy Vancouver to try and walk it off before dinner. 

Heading up the trio of Van eateries that we hit-up in under 24 hours was Maenam. As part of Dine Out Vancouver, we decided to go and try their fare - serving innovative Thai dishes with big flavour. They did a great job of turning around tables in the hour and a half slots promised. Great service and attention to detail did not go unnoticed. The surroundings within the restaurant are stylish, sophisticated and intimate, which make for a personal dining experience. Food wise, the steamed mussels and seared tuna salad were fresh and flavoursome, whilst the penang curried beef was creamy, rich and tender. 

All in all, a crazy couple of days food wise. At home, in the UK, not much can beat what my mum rustles up in the kitchen. I couldn't be much further from home-cooking at the minute so it's awesome that with these three meals, all so different, they delivered the same result, a very happy and full stomach.

Essential Reading

I feel that these books are very important additions to a Vancouverites bookshelf

The day has come. At 5pm this afternoon the time had come to clear my desk at ExaClair Ltd, my employer for the past eight months. I started there pretty much as soon as got back from India last year, and it was certainly an emotional farewell. It is rare to work in a place where you have such a strong rapport with the colleagues you deal with on a daily basis - you have all been great to me! (Those who find this :p)

I am now extremely excited to get the flight out the way. A nice 8 hours with Air Transat, an airline that confirms that air travel could NOT be made any cheaper. I see many failed attempts at trying to sleep, and a meal that wants to have something pretending to be chicken at its centre piece, but actually has more of a resemblance to a slab of wet rubber. Not that I am complaining or anything.

One thing flights are good for though... Reading! Here are two books that I feel are truly key reading for someone who is about set off to live amongst the jet set marina dwellers that dock their yachts and such like along False Creek. At least with Reeds Maritime Flag Handbook I will be able to recognize whether someone is from La Société Nautique de Genève or whether lifejackets have to be worn!

Wolfgang Tillmans: Migration

Left A picture taken from Tillmans book Concorde Right The man himself

Before we start, Wolfgang Tillmans is one of my favourite photographers/artists full stop. Although he produces really engaging pieces that delve into the abstract, it is his more contemparary observational photgraphic work that interests me, as he exploratively interacts and comments on society, politics, travel and culture, to name just a few areas that have entered his focus.

From the standpoint of being a German born artist currently living and working in London (UK), and having travelled the World extensively, his view on migration is one that I find of particular interest. My travel experiences are not quite so far reaching to date, but having spent four months away from home last year, I can relate to his opinion, that being:

'One aspect I like about being a migrant is that you can escape the things that you don't like about your home country. At the same time, you can detach yourself from the negative characteristics of your host country as they don't really touch you as deeply. I don't think most migrants are aware of that psychology coming into play before they actually take the step. It's not a motivation - well, for me it wasn't - but it can turn out to have a powerful and very liberating effect.'

As I am about to embark on my first year of being a working holiday migrant to Canada, I will bear this in mind when watching the news or when reading the paper. Detachment must be one of the main ways of coping when adjusting to living in a new country, and you view a country in a fresh way that a home citizen may not. With that said, I wonder at what point it will be that issues within the host country then become personal, evoking reaction and care. A year? Two years? Perhaps never?
  

Say It With A Cap

One of many great novelty hats from http://www.zazzle.co.uk/

The internet is a truly bizarre place. The last thing that I thought would be turning up on my doorstep would be a box containing this little beauty. From my lovely girlfriend, of course, we discovered a website that deals in the ultimate range of personalised... well, personalised anything really. T-shirts, caps, invitations, artwork, you name it and I am pretty sure they do it. By the looks of it, there is hell of a lot of love for Canada on there too.

If you are ever struggling for gift idea, look no further. My mesh cap is certainly built to last, although I haven't yet decided whether wearing it down the street is cutely endearing or utterly barffable. Maybe my girlfriend and I will just keep this one between us. I love it. Definitely one of the best things the postman has delivered!

Bike Love

Some great action shots over Lions Gate bridge of the Gran Fondo event from Van to Whistler

I admit, it is a massive wrench to be leaving my trusty road bike back in the UK. Not only have I completed some great charity rides on it, but it has been my main hobby for the past couple of years. The freeness that it allows you is unparralled. I love being able to get home from work, get on the bike, and pedal out into the fresh countryside and explore the coastal landscape that I currently cruise around.

Fortunately there is avid bike scene in Vancouver too, so all is very much not lost. If it's not the trendy kids on Commercial Drive on their fixies, then it is the lycra-clad keeno's that are biking around the city early on Sunday mornings that are the heartbeat of bicycle riding here. What's more, Van is very cycle friendly, as there are a good amount of cycle lanes downtown, and the seawall that you can always use at leisure.

What has grasped my attention though is the Gran Fondo event that takes place, starting out from Vancouver, with the finish line all the way up in Whistler! I love the idea of a nice punishing ride, and with the 2012 edition taking place on September 8th this year, I have a perfect goal to start training for.

The route is 122km from start to end, and takes in all the stunning scenery along the 'Sea to Sky' highway. This self-dubbed 'big ride' event takes in some steep climbs and fast descents - sure to be a huge challenge, but one that I am more than up for! I will have to find a nice new bike to undertake this one!