What? Fresh Fruit BBT?!

So I've been a Vancouverite for a month now. You figure after coming to a new city that I would have tons to blog about. To tell you the truth, so much has happened that I hardly know where to start, but I guess the best way is to begin with the now and present. Well, I've found a house and I live near the beach (ocean, really) that faces north to the mountains. I've discovered the joys of real fruit bubble tea, Malaysian curry dishes and little India's fabric stores. I've bought a bike and named it George, which goes for all other beloved inanimate objects that I own, such as George the guitar, George the backpack, and George the swiss-army knife. Putter-John, my family's Toyota Tercel, is the only exception. IKEA has become good friend of mine, supplying me with a much-needed bookshelf and Value Village always comes to the rescue when looking for cheap used furniture like study desks and chairs. I've also experienced the joys and confusion of The Daiso store that sells two floors of two dollar Japanese and Chinese homeware, office supplies, gardening tools, craft materials, and hydrogenated Asian junk-food such as prawn flavoured chips and wasabi crackers. A good place to visit once if you're trying to buy stuff for a new house; otherwise, it's two floors of two dollar uselessnsess.

Have I hiked any mountains yet? Unfortunately, no. I can see them everyday, but I haven't attempted the Grouse Grind just yet. I have heard, however, that you can actually use the public bus system to bus to the mountains. That's very weird, but very cool. A car was very useful for our trip to Tofino on Vancouver Island, but the ferry is extortion! $40 for one car, and about $10 per passenger. It cost us about $80 just to get our car on one stinking boat! The drive to Tofino is absolutely amazing though. We drove straight across the island through real mountain ranges and winding past sparkling lakes and massive trees. Tofino, on the otherhand, is like being on the edge of the world-well- it marks the end of this country anyhow. The Trans Canada highway pacific terminus is there, and it's an interesting testimony to how big this country really is. Anyhow, Tofino is a stunning place where the waves are large enough for surfing and the shore allows for glimpses of gray whales and nesting bald eagles. Rainforests surround the area and make a convincing double for a Jurassic Park backdrop. Fall into a fern and you might never find your way out. Strangely enough, you'll only find racoons and black bears here, but I swear rare and unknown species of Canadian monkeys live here, or my name isn't Nickelback.

It hasn't started raining yet, and the residents here tell me that this weather is rather freakish. I'm crossing my fingers and hoping for the sun to ward away the perpetual downpours I am told frequents this location. I've blabbed enough--for now, I'm gonna try to befriend my new roommate's bratty cat, George - er- Pandora.