Folks, Canada is where it is AT. I don’t even know how to tell you that I want to apply for citizenship, get my maiden name back, and assimilate immediately. Really.

Our trip to Vancouver was AWESOME. The drive was beautiful, if not super interesting. I-5 takes you up from Mt. Rainier to Mt. Baker, and the views were clear and great. The border, which you can see in the pictures is guarded by a stone pillar and a flower flag, only took two hours to get through. As soon as we made it to Vancouver, we took in the view of the city and drove right past it to the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park. Since 1889 it’s been full of bratty kids trying to sway you into a stranger all stumbly-like. It’s extreme, you can also see evidence of that in the pictures…

We did the tree top adventure, then realized the exchange rate was one-to-one and that meant a 15$ salad was really 15$. It was going to be a long trip. Despite my worthless American currency, I love Canada. Tourists abound. Everyone sounds like you but really does say aboot. So hot. The weather was perfect. I think the sun has a little smiley face on it up there. After the excitement at Capilano, you run right into Grouse Mountain, another fantastic tourist trap. We headed right to the top and ate our 3pm lunch in 10 minutes flat. Canada adventure made me hungry. There were bears, as you see that at first looked friendly, but put on a mud wrestling show for us. There was a loggers show, and a gondola that we look so cute on. For only 199$ you too could experience the thrill of a 15 minute paragliding trip, which we passed on. Super fun-ed out, we went to the city to check in to the hotel and check out the night life.

MK got the coolest hotel in the world, the Pan Pacific in Canada Place, where the WTC and Cruise ships and all kinds of other random things hang out. There’s a pic of our view from the room right out on to all the water. We got prettied up, had some coffee, and made our way out to Robson Street. Holy cooler than Seattle, Batman. There was more shopping than anywhere. There was tons of expensive cars and interesting people and food and lights and parties. You say this is the most livable city? I can see it…

I got some new shoes, which put that song into my head about new shoes on (that’s the only part I know) so I was a hummy happy lady. We checked out all the downtown until it closed and found Yaletown, the hippest part of the place. We ate dinner at a super cool oyster bar, where they taught me all about beer and oysters and vintage soul music. Too much fun. We popped into a couple bars and couldn’t get over how happy everyone was and the great vibe just running around everywhere. It’s the best episode of the Twilight Zone, no bad ending. Then we got so sleepy!

For breakfast we went and checked out where I will be living someday, Beach Drive. We ate omelettes in the sunshine and drove from beach to beach to beach. Every one had an amazing view. Right before lunch we made it to Granville, where the public market is even bigger and prettier than Pikes. After a lunch stop and more exploring we made it over to Stanley Park, the Spanish mossy beach, and in and out of countless parts of the city, the Chinatown, campus, and south and west of the city.

If I had only known, I would have picked Vancouver over Seattle. I would have my dual citizenship documents expedited. I can only agree with everyone else that thinks this is the best place to live, it was like nothing else I’d ever seen in any other of my travels. Maybe if the exchange rate improves, eh?

www.anomie.typepad.com

Click here for the pictures.