a love letter to vancouver

worst blogger ever.
but there's a bright side... i hope.
my training is almost done.
tomorrow is the final exam... a pass is 80% or more.
i'm not worried.
my goal is 100% and as long as i get 95% or more, i'll be happy.

the commute has been more enjoyable than i anticipated...
i've enjoyed getting up early (5:20am... yikes)
and when my train pulls into waterfront station at 8:07am, i can take my time and enjoy the city on my way to work.
i have about half an hour to make a 10 minute walk... so slowing down to smell the flowers is important.

i've also enjoyed a new hobby of tweeting comments and photos of the morning commute.
these are some of the pics i've done over the last two weeks...
well, my favourites anyways.
all of them are from different days of my morning commute.










to be brutally honest, and totally lame...
i've been a little drunk on the beauty of my city lately.

maybe it's the early morning air...
maybe it's because its been a while since i was out and about in the morning... or out at all, lol...
maybe it's because it's been a while since i spent a lot of time downtown...
maybe it's because i'm just so damn happy these days...
but i have been soaking up this city like it's my last day on earth.

i can not get enough of vancouver and my heart aches a little when i see breathtaking moments of sheer beauty all around me.
yesterday i was on the train, staring out the window watching the sun rise over the water of the inlet... the fog was hanging low over the water... and a bald eagle flew directly beside my train car about 30 feet away for 30 seconds or so before turning and setting out over the water.
it was a huge WOW moment.

sometimes things like that make me feel small... they make me feel sad and mad for all the days i wasted away.
what else has gone on outside my doors that i've failed to see.

...and even bigger, what goes on outside my city that i fail to see.
the planet gets smaller and bigger every day at my job.
every place is within reach... but there's a million and one places to start.
how do you begin? 
and how much can you really expect to see?

i've often said that the more i travel, the more i appreciate vancouver.
it is truly one of the most beautiful places on the planet and despite the fuckery of the government and all the things that i hate or wish i could change and make better about it... it's my home. 
and no matter where i go, and what i see, it will always be the most beautiful city in my eyes.
and i truly will never leave it.  i know this now, more than i've ever known it before.
i will never move from this city.

 del.icio.us  Stumbleupon  Technorati  Digg 

 

What did you think of this article?




Trackbacks
  • No trackbacks exist for this entry.
Comments

  • 1/28/2010 10:27 PM Huckdoll wrote:
    I actually got a little choked up there. You see, I don't want to love Vancouver because I don't love the costs of living near this city as a young family trying to get ahead. But I'm in love with it and have been since I was four years old; my mom tells me these stories of how I never wanted to leave and go back to the suburbs.

    But it's those pictures especially of the morning sky down there that get me ... I always got a huge rush after getting off the train in the morning and taking those first steps, letting the city swallow you. I don't think a day went by in all the time I traveled in on the WCE (or even Skytrain between Main and Stadium overlooking the water and city) that I didn't think to myself I want to live back there.

    Sigh.

    If we could afford to live the same lifestyle in the city - like False Creek/Kitsilano/Coal Harbour areas - we'd be there in a heartbeat. I'm just so used to my square footage, outdoor space, washer, dryer and dishwasher, I could never go back to small, old apartment living which we could probably barely afford down there now.

    Loved this post!

    Also miss your normal posting schedule, but you sound very happy and that makes me happy.
    Reply to this
  • 1/29/2010 4:40 AM Charlene wrote:
    What anellent post. I've been traveling SE Asia for he past 3 months. While I'm having a good time, I miss Vancouver and know exactly what you are talking about. The more I travel, the more I realize how lucky we are to live in a city like Vancouver. Problem is when we finish our travels at the end of April hubby doesn't want to come back to the big city. He would live somewhere in SE Asia in a heartbeat if he could. I can not take the contant humidity over here,sopping wet with sweat all of the time. We've talked about Sechelt. I like it there, but prospects for a decent paying job are limited I'm sure. Maybe leaving Bluewater was not the smartest move I've made in my life. Only time will tell. Congrats to you on your new job. I'm sure some good travel perks are just around the corner for you.
    Reply to this
  • 1/29/2010 10:04 AM Cassie wrote:
    I think my favorite view of Vancouver is when you drive over the Granville Street bridge just as the sun is coming up or going down, in winter. You get the reflection of coloured light in the "glass city" high-rises, the clear sky rising above it and a view of all the snowy mountains as a backdrop.
    West = best, there's no doubt!
    Reply to this
  • 1/29/2010 4:03 PM Sarah wrote:
    It's funny, because I feel the exact same way about this place. I am starting to take the time to really stop and appreciate the beauty of this place that we live in. But at the same time, I'm thinking of leaving. Even if I do, I know that I'll always come back here. It's just too great to ever really leave.
    Reply to this
  • 2/4/2010 2:05 AM Jeremy wrote:
    I believe it, the more you travel, the more Vancouver rips!
    Reply to this
Leave a comment

 Enter the above security code (required)

 Name

 Email (will not be published)

 Website

Your comment is 0 characters limited to 3000 characters.