We're back in Manila now after three great weeks in British Columbia. I thought the weather was great although the natives were complaining about lousy weather in June. For me, the coolness was wonderful after the consistent heat in Asia and as usual, I loved walking everywhere, something I don't do at all in Manila, hence the (almost) daily treadmill in the basement gym of this apartment building. Hate basements. Re the complaints, I think complaining about the weather is just conversation filler for Canadians. That and also because there is hope for change. Don't like the weather? Wait a day. Here in the Philippines and Southeast Asia there's no point in complaining. It's stinking hot every day and always will be.
"Where are all the people?", I kept asking, even in downtown Vancouver. To my eyes the streets were almost empty. The contrast with Manila, which has far too many people, is huge. I also found myself looking at so-called Canadian culture with new eyes after living abroad for three years. One thing I found extraordinary, was how cars actually stop for pedestrians. What a concept! I thought I should videotape it and show it to our driver, Lory, who NEVER stops for pedestrians along with every other driver in Manila.
If the cities seemed so uncrowded, the roads and towns on Vancouver Island were almost eerie. We drove all over, down back highways and roads, exploring new territory. Wilderness, yes, but also accessible. Park the car and walk the trails through forests of huge trees dripping with moss or along tidal pool beaches. The Vancouver Aquarium has a display representing the Strait of Georgia with corals, rocks and fish every bit as beautiful as any tropical reef. Signage on many of these quite deserted trails reminds you that you are in bear and cougar country. Oh. I sing a lot while walking - "la dee dam, yoo hoo I'm here". Every town has a BC government tourist office filled with maps of trails, local sights information and lots of good stuff. Good for them. There also seems to be a real sense of pride of place and history as virtually every little town has its own museum celebrating its 150 year old history (!) of logging, pioneering, mining and fishing.
What was different about this annual trip of ours was that it really was about trying it on for size. In one more year this will be home. In our new hometown, QBBC as we call it (Qualicum Beach) we stayed in our usual motel right on the beach with its view of sunsets reflecting up the Strait of Georgia and the mountain ranges of both Vancouver Island and the Mainland. We parked the car, left it, and for the next two days walked everywhere around this town of 7000 (possibly including dogs). We've never lived there although several years ago we bought a house that is now rented out. I discovered to my delight that not only is our house just down the street from an old growth forest preserve, it is only four blocks from the beach. How did I not know this? I guess the answer must lie in the fact that there is a totally different perspective when walking and we'd never driven that precise route. Dump that car.
One day I walked through the trails from beach to town center where I explored streets I hadn't seen before. Found lots of great boutiques (shopping!) and people who actually talk to each other big time. I listened to the life stories of a couple of shop owners - it's pretty quiet, maybe they're glad of the company when a customer walks in. The Saturday morning outdoor market has the feeling of an old fashioned town square. Lots of artists. Gardens are often gorgeous as the townspeople are into serious competitive gardening. QBBC was a past winner of the annual national Communities in Bloom award. For a city gal by circumstance only, I think this new life is going to be a gas. And for a city hit, two terrific ones, Victoria and Vancouver, are 2 or 3 hours away by road or ferry.
Where I've been majorly ambivalent, I'm feeling better now about the idea of leaving Asia and going "home". Mostly.
Oh, and in case both of my readers are finding this appealing, remember, we have a guest house.
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