Friday night onRobson, the street that never sleeps.


It's 10:30 and the action on the street below shows no sign of abating. If anything, it's intensifying. Sitting in the sidewalk cafes is like watching a parade. A great mixture of faces, dramas. the light on these streets is great. very little neon, just bright enough. people are having a good time, making plenty of noise, but nothing outrageous. Restraint is most evident at crosswalks, where no one walks against a light. Of coure, you'd prbably have to visit the national health if you did. Traffic here is agressive, since people have to rely on surface streets instead of freeways to get around town.

we took the water taxi over to Granville island today, and explored the markets and walked along the docks. they were having their annual wooden boat show...everything from kayaks to 67 foot luxury cruisers. We toured one that had hosted the likes of Eddie Fisher and his wife Elisabeth, back in the 50's.
Nancy loves this city far more than she or I had expected. I find the whole scene energizing. That, plus the fact that the city noise reaches up here even to the 18 floor, means that I do not sleep a lot.

But I have to say that I do enjoy this city, after all. It is cosmopolitan, but also very relaxed. There is a lot less of a feeling of having to be careful. Of course, the omnipresent private security and police contribute. Nevertheless, watching a street person break into a lengthy tirade in the middle of a gelato store, I am interested to note that it is the locals who pitch in to calm him down, rather than the authorities, whom I had expected to materialize shortly.

Tomorrow, off to Vancouver Island, where we plan to decompress.