Welcome to Metrotown and Downtown Vancouver
April 17, Sunday
Finally, after about three months, I got to go out again on my own. After lunch, with a knapsack on my back, I was on my way to Metrotown Centre in Burnaby – the largest mall complex in British Columbia. I would also proceed to downtown Vancouver, where lots of specialty boutiques and shops are located.
The nearest bus stop from the house is about ten-minute-walk. From there I'd be boarding a bus and then alighting at the B.C. SkyTrain's King George Station. After nine stops and approximately twenty minutes, I'd be reaching Metrotown.
Hungry and craving for my favorite food, I had a second lunch at the food court—double kebab with rice and rootbeer soda at Nando's Portuguese Flame-Grilled Chicken. C$9. As usual, while eating there in a corner, I couldn't help noticing the milieu of obviously gleeful multi-cultural people—Caucasian, Indian, Chinese, Filipino families, friends, and couples who were all there at the mall with a perhaps universal purpose—to spend the Sunday in delight among one another—while I, a solitary soul exploring an unfamiliar world on his own.
How I miss my weekend strolls at Glorietta with my friends or with my family.
Every time I'm at the mall, I usually go only to the bookstores and toy shops. At Toys 'R Us, I marveled again at the new Star Wars action figures; I could feel the itch to buy a figure or two, but fortunately the Force to resist was strong...I no longer have money to spare. I decided to stop torturing myself and proceeded to Chapters bookstore, which I realized was after all another place of torture; and there, fail I did—I gave in to the call of spending. I stumbled upon a gem in a SALE bin: a poetry anthology, The Erotic Spirit, edited by Sam Hamill (2003, Shambhala), which I got for only C$6.
I'd forever be beholden to bookstores, where three hours could pass by like a blink of an eye or a snap of the fingers. There were also inbetween moments of clarity when I'd thought I was inside the Power Books or National Bookstore at Ayala Center in Makati City, Philippines.
Around five, I went back to the SkyTrain station and boarded a train going to Vancouver; nine stations and I was at Burrard, where downtown Vancouver is nearest.
If I wanted to feel that I was really in Canada—the busy Canada I usually see in movies—then downtown Vancouver is the best place to go.
Let me continue by way of describing the pictures below. I hope you'll spare a bit of your precious time and join me in my rare adventure...
Finally, after about three months, I got to go out again on my own. After lunch, with a knapsack on my back, I was on my way to Metrotown Centre in Burnaby – the largest mall complex in British Columbia. I would also proceed to downtown Vancouver, where lots of specialty boutiques and shops are located.
The nearest bus stop from the house is about ten-minute-walk. From there I'd be boarding a bus and then alighting at the B.C. SkyTrain's King George Station. After nine stops and approximately twenty minutes, I'd be reaching Metrotown.
Hungry and craving for my favorite food, I had a second lunch at the food court—double kebab with rice and rootbeer soda at Nando's Portuguese Flame-Grilled Chicken. C$9. As usual, while eating there in a corner, I couldn't help noticing the milieu of obviously gleeful multi-cultural people—Caucasian, Indian, Chinese, Filipino families, friends, and couples who were all there at the mall with a perhaps universal purpose—to spend the Sunday in delight among one another—while I, a solitary soul exploring an unfamiliar world on his own.
How I miss my weekend strolls at Glorietta with my friends or with my family.
Every time I'm at the mall, I usually go only to the bookstores and toy shops. At Toys 'R Us, I marveled again at the new Star Wars action figures; I could feel the itch to buy a figure or two, but fortunately the Force to resist was strong...I no longer have money to spare. I decided to stop torturing myself and proceeded to Chapters bookstore, which I realized was after all another place of torture; and there, fail I did—I gave in to the call of spending. I stumbled upon a gem in a SALE bin: a poetry anthology, The Erotic Spirit, edited by Sam Hamill (2003, Shambhala), which I got for only C$6.
I'd forever be beholden to bookstores, where three hours could pass by like a blink of an eye or a snap of the fingers. There were also inbetween moments of clarity when I'd thought I was inside the Power Books or National Bookstore at Ayala Center in Makati City, Philippines.
Around five, I went back to the SkyTrain station and boarded a train going to Vancouver; nine stations and I was at Burrard, where downtown Vancouver is nearest.
If I wanted to feel that I was really in Canada—the busy Canada I usually see in movies—then downtown Vancouver is the best place to go.
Let me continue by way of describing the pictures below. I hope you'll spare a bit of your precious time and join me in my rare adventure...
7 Comments:
At Wednesday, May 04, 2005 12:19:00 PM, Anonymous said…
Elf,
Sarap nyan Chicken Grill mo I guess its chicken peri-peri na last kong natikman sa Boracay.
thad
At Wednesday, May 04, 2005 2:43:00 PM, eLf ideas said…
Thad,
Yep, with peri-peri sauce, the extra spicy. I remember the first time I ate at a Nando's...the server asked how spicy and when I replied, "extra hot," he smiled and uttered "are you nuts?" Ha-ha-ha.
I love spicy foods, even when I eat sushi, I love the head-numbing effect of the wasabi.
At Saturday, May 07, 2005 12:56:00 AM, Anonymous said…
hi! c melch to...i enjoy dropping at bookstores ...and kelangan me mabili ko na book kaya dapat lagi me pera when go to bookstores
At Saturday, May 07, 2005 12:57:00 AM, Anonymous said…
to new blog ko...solesoul@blog-city.com....melch
At Saturday, May 07, 2005 11:27:00 AM, Anonymous said…
ako din, i love going to the bookstore. kaya nga when meeting a friend, sa national or powerbooks ako nagse-set para pwedeng magbasa while waiting. :D
--noreen
At Saturday, May 07, 2005 1:10:00 PM, eLf ideas said…
Melch,
Yup, bookstores are indeed a great place to be alone and contemplative. You can spend hours without talking but learn so much from the books that are all too willing to impart what they contain.
At Saturday, May 07, 2005 1:12:00 PM, eLf ideas said…
Noreen,
Powerbooks, National Bookstore--oh, how I miss these places, which are also my favorite rendezvous.
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