Vancouver, I Will Be Back

Call me selfish, but some of my best vacations were the one I had with myself. Five minutes, instead of 2 hours wait, for that delicious Ippudo ramen. Roaming freely and pressureless-ly, visiting each and every exhibition at the Library of Congress. And straddling along Las Vegas Boulevard observing the newly wed and the just-bankrupt.

Last month, it was Vancouver's turn. Having heard repeatedly that this is 'one of the most beautiful cities', I was excited to venture what this city has to offer: food, culture, and scenery.

Without a doubt, my first stop had to be Stanley Park. That had dominated my Google search history for days, and I had been eyeing it with pure lust and determination. So, after stuffing my stomach with delicious fresh salmon sashimi, I made my first stop at Stanley Park. With the evening sun glaring softly, ocean breeze blowing gently, together with mountains and oceans witnessing my act of freedom, I put on my running shoes and ran.

View of Vancouver from Stanley Park 

View from Brandywine Falls

It's not a rumor. Vancouver is indeed one of the most beautiful cities that I have ever visited. Not New York because of its reckless and constantly-honking yellow taxis. Not Chicago because it lacks the mountain view. Not Boston because of it mediocre Japanese food. Not San Francisco because of the absence of a park in the middle of its downtown. Vancouver competes in a completely different league - beat them hands down.

View from Granville Island 

A Statue of Ilanaaq, the official logo mascot of Winter Olympic 2010

Skyline from Cypress Bowl 

Whistler was a different beast on its own. There was something mysterious and grandeur on the view before me that I was forced to slow down and observe. It felt like my existence was being challenged by the mountain and was being put in a ring together on a battle of ego. How could I be the center of the world? How could everything revolve around me? I need to take a class on perspective, because definitely my self-centered and narrow view of self cannot contain the vast yet intricate detail of this one snapshot of creation.

Call me selfish, but also call me a mere human. Nature is created to be enjoyed, and some people find its utmost pleasure in solitude. Reflection, I'd argue, is an art slowly missing in this fast paced, LTE data plan culture. So what does it take for a person to get recharged and be energized again? I don't know what works for you, but for me, travelling to Vancouver works just fine.

After 9 Months

9 months and 9 days

That is how long I have been absent from this blog. Not that anyone would realize, but finally I feel guilty for not writing again. Not because I will write anything inspirational, because a travel log on my journey to Cambodia can hardly be called inspirational. Not because anyone blame me for not writing. But just because  this blog has recorded significant moments of my life - due to my discipline of writing - and I intend to keep it that way.

9 months and 9 days is what it took to make me realize that I have not been putting too much thought into what's going on around me. I have left my crayon untouched and left the world uncolored, and I intend to make it stop.

So, today is July 19th 2013 - the date where one streak of color is painted on the canvas.

First, let me blame someone for these 9 months
1. For eight months, my writing class had occupied my time and really deplete all the desire, that was very negligible to start with, to write.

2. I have been managing two other blogs. So in my defense, I was nothing like that sloth who was busy watching Masterchef (although that is a frequent occurrence), but just because I have so many blogs to juggle with. Ha, so give me a break.

3. The world was boring. Well, maybe not. Because during that 8 months window, Oklahoma was hit by tornado, a new pope was elected, and Obama won the election. But somehow all of those left me undisturbed. It was not until Travyon Martin trial started and the hateful responses following its verdict that left me disturbed. The world does not run out of problems, in fact it can't keep up with the problems.

So rest assure, I will write more often (let's not remember that I have made - with such an ease - a similar promise in this blog which I have broken as easily too). Granted nothing distracting will happen in the next couple of days, please anticipate my next blog on my trip to Vancouver and Seattle.