Some good things about Vancouver

It seems as though my brother has gotten a bit snippy. So here I shall mention a few nice things that I have noticed about Vancouver:

There are lots of trees. And not just in Stanley Park...ALL OVER THE CITY! It's especially refreshing to see them on campus. Instead of the grid-like grouping of buildings that UofT calls a campus, UBC has gardens and fountains and little paths that lead through trees to buildings. Some of the buildings are lovely and old. Others...well...kind of like New College.

People here are very sporty. Always lots of people biking, rain or shine. And big packs of them. It seems like being part of a riding club is a big thing around here. SOEH has one, but I don't have a bike...yet. Very few people blading though, guess the hills are too much of a challenge.

Mountains are majestic and really add a point of interest to the sky. From the park by my house there is a lovely view of the bay (still don't know it's name), the mountains, Stanley park and the downtown skyscrapers. Can't see views like that in Toronto, unless you climb up onto a roof or work in the TD-tower on the 49th floor...and even then...no mountains.

The beach. I haven't been yet. But you can actually swim in the water here and you won't come out covered in toxic sludge. How nice...The beach also provides a refuge for drunken university students to go skinny-dipping at the end of a wild night. I haven't done this myself (yet) but I've heard of it being done.

Drinks are cheap! I thought that the $4.70 Martini Monday on the Marche patio was a good deal. Here they are $3.95.

7% PST...ok, so they aren't Alberta...but Alberta is just special.

Soft water. As Cousin Penny pointed out to me when she picked me up from the airport (and it's worked) you only need a teeny drop of shampoo to get a good lather. We're talking the size of a penny (the coin not the person).

As for Dad's theory about people being nicer out here...that's still up in the air. There isn't anyone I dislike yet...but it's only been 2 weeks.

That's a pretty healthy list of good things, eh? Now you should all come out to BC. All the cool kids are doing it. Do it. Dooooo it! (Said with my best Starsky and Hutch impression)