America's Attic

After posting about my friends' fun, spontaneous trips I decided I needed my own. I had been wanting to visit Emma in Vancouver ever since I knew she was going to be working the Olympics. Duh. Free place to stay. (Thanks Emma!) Short drive. Not only new city to explore, but new country as well. Yes, yes, and yes. Well seeing as how the last time I had a passport was when I was 10 years old, this brought about a slight problem. I applied for one about a month ago so I can go to Spain in March (!!!!) but I didn't think it would come in time. Plus, I was babysitting for some people in my ward while they were at the beach all week, so that eliminated one available week to go.

Well I get home on Friday to see that my passport had arrived! So of course, I start looking at flights to Fiji and Amsterdam... So typical of me. But it's like when you turn 21 and you have this sudden freedom that you didn't have the day before. Even if you're not going to use the freedom, it's still the fact that nothing is stopping you. That's how I felt when my passport arrived. So of course Sunday I began contemplating the idea of going to Vancouver. And there I was... Monday morning... in my little red Honda... driving up north. As I said before, the drive was beautiful. Loved it. That is until I reached the border... Story time!

Disclaimer: My Canadian brother-in-law should not read the first part of this. Thanks :)

This whole border thing is new to me. I was too young to remember my experience of going to Mexico. Please, I was just so excited that the PHX airport that our layover was in had an arcade room... Plus our flight was delayed. And then when we got there our bags were missing... It was a horrible experience. So driving up to Canada I didn't know what to expect. Though, I for sure didn't expect to be treated like a freakin criminal.

I pull up to the border and hand the man my passport. He seems to be about 5 years older than me so I thought in my head that I got lucky. This should be simple. He asked me a TON of questions. Ranging from my employment (sad) to where I was staying, how much money I had available to me, and what's my favorite major league baseball team... (just kidding... i wish) I thought things were going well. But then after about 10 minutes of questions, he hands me my passport back with a yellow slip and tells me to proceed to the left to park and go inside the building for some more questions. I ask him if this is normal, and he says they just want to make sure I am really staying where I say I am and if I have enough funds just in case I get stuck up there.

Whatever. I pull in and notice that "SWAT teams" are searching the others cars. They've got all their stuff out of the car, looking under the hood, under the car, every little crevice. It felt like I was watching one of my law and order shows. I walk inside and get asked the same questions over and over. So bugged at this point. I was making such great time. And I wasnted to get into the city before it got dark. At this point, it didn't look like that was going to happen... So after a million questions again he searches my wallet for money, me, and then takes my keys to search my car. 20 minutes later he comes back, gives me my keys and tells me I'm good. Well DUH! I am too stupid to smuggle anything into another country. Besides when I am lying, you can definitely tell. Although I did want to smuggle Kelli in because she didn't have a passport. But my mom said it probably wouldn't be a good idea to have a criminal record while job hunting... As I hand my yellow slip back to the man I tell him "I hate Canada" and "Thanks for making me feel like a criminal." I should have probably thought about the gun in his holster before saying that. But thankfully he just took me as another "Stupid American." and let me on my way.

I arrived in Vancouver just a short while later. Got into the hotel relaxed for a few minutes. Changed my clothes and went out to EXPLORE! I was hungry so I asked the hotel concierge where the best food was. She thought I was going to ask where all the Olympic stuff was going on. Nope. Don't care about that. But on my way I walked right into it.

All this was taking place at Robson Square. The games were being shown everywhere in the city. Every TV was showing CTV's broadcast. Even the sides of the buildings were showing the games. Before going to Vancouver I had watched about 1 hour total of the games. Now, I couldn't escape it. You always knew when Canada did something good, because cheering would irrupt in the crowds. "Oh Canada" was sung so many times I feel like I know the words...

This is more of the crowd at Robson Square. And the magician doing some hat trick that he talked up for about 10 minutes. I didn't feel like waiting long enough to actually see it.

My yummy nutella and banana crepe! After having no luck with the food search, I happened this crepe cafe. I had to wait awhile for this, but it was definitely worth the wait. In fact I went back every day after that.
I walked around downtown for about 3 hours waiting for Emma to get off work. Right before I met up with her I found the torch. It's funny because everything Olympic that I saw, I happened upon. I didn't have a map of anything. I just walked all over until I found things. It was great.

Emma got off work at midnight and I met her at the IBC. We got into a van full of NBC workers and rode up to Grouse Mountain. We had to take the gondola up to the actual mountain. That's us in the gondola.
After all that walking I didn't think I was going to feel like ice-skating. But it was actually a lot of fun. Grouse mountain is also where the Today Show set is during the Olympics so it was fun to be up there. Doing the "Olympic" thing. :) It was fun meeting all of the people Emma works with. I think broadcast people are more fun than anyone else... Is that true? We skated for awhile, until someone got "hurt." Then we headed back home. Meredith and Al were arriving while we were leaving and I thought to myself, "I will never have a job with a horrible sleeping schedule like that." I hope.

The next day I explored the city while Emma was working. I wish I had had a friend with me though. Especially when I wanted a picture by this Vancouver sign. I am always so weary of asking complete strangers to take pictures of my in front of things. It always turns out bad it seems. Like this. So I asked for picture with the Vancouver in it. This is what I got:

Great.
At least this one was better. There was a line to be able to see the torch without the fences in the way. But I didn't feel like waiting in any lines, so this is what I got.

I really wanted to rent a bike and ride it around Stanley Park. But because of the rain, the rentals were closed. Apparently the rain will make you melt... One lady said, "You want to bike in this rain?" I said, "Ya. I'm from Oregon." Oh well. It was better weather the next day so I considered renting a bike, but I figured I could always come back and do that another time. It wasn't going to go away when the Olympics were over. So I HAVE to go back sometime and do that.

That night after Emma got off work we went to what seemed like the only bar that was open and serving food. Alex met up with us too. I interned with him in St. Louis. And he was working for NBC also. It was fun to talk with him. Now that the Olympics are over, we are both living the unemployed life. great.
The last day I was there, Emma and I did a little exploring before she went in to work. This sign said please don't feed the bears. They're fake. Weird Canadians.

This is at Robson Square again. I was trying to fit in with all the Asian tourists...

I said goodbye to Emma, went back to the hotel and got my stuff and took off. Interestingly enough my stop at the border going south was smooth sailing. He asked me 3 questions and then handed me back my passport and said have a nice day. I love the U.S.A!

Even though I basically hate Canada right now, I loved Vancouver. I will definitely go back again someday. It has the northwest feel that I love. Everyone is so "green." I love it. Especially after being in Utah for 6 years, where finding a place to recycle was like finding gold at the end of the rainbow. Thanks again, Emma for a fun trip!

p.s. if you made it this far, wow. you must be bored right now!