Stranger In A Strange Land

Steve and I are currently taking part in the 2008 Vancouver Tourism Challenge.

Steve and I started a bit late, so we’ve been pushing to get our passport stamped by the requisite amount of attractions before the end of May deadline.

Yesterday we toured the Vancouver Maritime Museum. As if a building built around a ship isn’t cool enough (though I was disappointed that the ship itself was off limits to visitors) the museum has this amazing interactive Discovery Gallery for kids. They had a dress-up basket full of pirate clothing and accessories. Too bad I had forgotten to bring my camera because I looked so cute, um, I mean terrifying in my red-felt-Jolly-Roger-appliqued black and white striped T-shirt and my plastic hook.

It’s truly amazing the amount of attractions that Vancouver and surrounding area boasts. I’ve lived here for 16 years and have experienced very few of them. Granted there has always been a funding issue – all these entertaining and educational attractions cost more than a person living at or below the poverty line can justify. The two activities we did today (Horse Drawn Carriage in Stanley Park and Vancouver Aquarium) would have cost the two of us almost a hundred bucks. Both were fun and now I know a bit more about Vancouver than I previously knew (like how it took 32 years to build the Seawall as it could only be built at night and in the winter because that’s when the lowest tide was).

It is a bit mind-boggling to me that folk spend money on these activities regularly. I grew up learning to make my own fun. Gimme a paper bag, a piece of string, and a cat – instant fun and both of us inevitably learned something.

Still, looking gift horses in the mouth will only get you bit, so I’m just gonna ride the passport pony until it drops.