| Well, I finally did it. I took a bunch of | | | | down barriers and prejudices, in effect |
| Airmiles and booked a flight yesterday to | | | | paving the way for a more peaceful |
| Vancouver. I'll be out in beautiful British | | | | co-existence. |
| Columbia from August 3 to 8 to cover the | | | | |
| Canada-US Servas Conference and to explore | | | | While in Vancouver I will naturally explore |
| and report on my West Coast adventure | | | | the city. I am planning to discover the city |
| first-hand. | | | | in two half-day bicycling tours to get a good |
| | | | lay of the land. In talking to the people at |
| In all the almost 19 years that I've been in | | | | Tourism Vancouver yesterday they recommended |
| Canada, I have never made it out to the West | | | | that I get in touch with a small company |
| Coast yet, so I am really excited. Some of my | | | | called Spokes Bicycle Rentals. I had a nice |
| absolutely favourite landscapes can be found | | | | chat with Phil from the rental company who |
| where the sea meets the mountains, and from | | | | will assist me in developing the routes for |
| everything I have heard, Vancouver has it | | | | my bicycling adventures so I get to see all |
| all. It has one of the most scenic locations | | | | the major sights in the city as well as |
| in the world where the Rocky Mountains | | | | Vancouver's beautiful waterfront, including |
| converge dramatically with the Pacific Ocean. | | | | the famous Lion's Gate Bridge and Stanley |
| | | | Park. |
| It'll be a very compressed trip since I'll | | | | |
| head straight from the airport in a bus to | | | | My good friend Shauna, a native of Vancouver, |
| the ferry docks to cross over to Vancouver | | | | gave me some tips a while ago, and she |
| Island where I'll meet meet my associate | | | | recommended that I head up to the top of |
| Clare in Victoria. Victoria is known as the | | | | Grouse Mountain, the Peak of Vancouver. |
| "City of Gardens" and with the mildest | | | | Vancouver is one of those extremely fortunate |
| climate in Canada, Victoria offers visitors a | | | | cities that actually has a real ski mountain |
| natural beauty that lasts year round. | | | | right next to the city. In addition to |
| Victoria is the capital city of British | | | | skiiing, snowboarding and other winter-time |
| Columbia located on Vancouver Island and | | | | delights, Grouse Mountain also offers |
| offers visitors a touch of old English | | | | opportunities for hiking, mountainbiking, |
| architecture. | | | | wildlife watching and other outdoor |
| | | | activities. And apparently it has delicious |
| I'll spend about a day and a half in Victoria | | | | dining options right at the top of the |
| and return back on Friday to the mainland to | | | | mountain which can conveniently be reached by |
| cover some events that are part of the | | | | cable car. So that sounds like a place I'll |
| US-Canada Servas Conference. Servas is a | | | | need to check out for sure. |
| non-profit organization, an "international | | | | |
| host and traveler network of peace builders" | | | | It's hard to contain my excitement at this |
| that fosters peace through travel. The motto | | | | point, I have been dreaming of heading off to |
| of this year's joint US-Canadian conference | | | | the West Coast for a long time now, and now |
| is "Servas - Making The Connection". It has | | | | this dream is coming within tangible reach. |
| been my own personal experience, particularly | | | | All I can hope for is some decent weather |
| through living in Toronto - one of the most | | | | that will allow me to explore Vancouver and |
| multicultural cities in the world, that | | | | Victoria and sample some of its unique |
| exposure to and interaction with different | | | | delights in the short time that I'll have |
| cultures is the most effective way to break | | | | there. |