Lots to blog about... These are just highlights...

[giftederic]

I'm going to miss BBC World when I get home... Great debates about the big, big issues with the star players...

Yesterday was a debate from the Middle East Economic Forum, with the Deputy PM of Israel, the Fatah Palestinian leader, the foreign minister of Egypt, and Tony Blair (that's a title btw :) ). It was really, really interesting. 

And then later, there was a great show on another channel which had excerpts from a Canadian conference called Ideas07, which has Richard Dawkins talking about the God Delusion, and a rebuttal by a famous Rabbi. Also, very, very interesting...

Maybe BBC4 carries these types of things, but they are not the norm on tv in Ireland, that I remember.... Are they?

Went to an Irish restaurant, and had a draft Guiness whilst there.... Not a bad pint, a little acidy perhaps... The food was interesting... Curry chips as a starter anyone? :) I had the Pot pie, which was essentially stewed beef marinated in Guinness with peas and carrots in a pastry pie surrounded by mashed potato, smothered in gravy.. Very heavy, but very nice. The menu also included Fish & Chips, Bangers & Mash, Smithwicks, Harp, Shandies, Irish Stew etc. Not bad... Felt more truly Irish than most places I've seen so far.

By far the most interesting thing there was the collection of cigarettes they had. It really struck a chord with me. Now, I don't smoke, and never have, but I strongly identify cigarette brands with people from my childhood. The cigarette brand that started my thought processes was Major... I haven't seen a packet of Major in years... A friend of mine when I was growing up smoked Major all the time. And there was Benson & Hedges for my mother & another friend, Silk Cut for my grandmother, Players for my brother, Sweet Afton which reminded me of my grandfathers sweet shop... They had the usual Irish writers pictures and guinness memorabilia aswell, but it was brands of cigarettes that made me feel my irishness for the first time since I got here... Weird.

It has been a strong self observation in Canada that I respond to childhood memories far stronger than I do to anything I've encountered in the last 20 years. There is a shop with the old original Star Wars figures from the 70's that gives me that same warm feeling. They have a Millenium Falcon, a Slave 1, the Hoth Wampa, all things I had myself as a kid. I don't remember enjoying my childhood that much, but I must have... 

Also in recent weeks I've been spending alot more time outside of downtown Vancouver, and seeing the less well off parts of the city. Its been a sobering experience. From conversations about 'nearly dying and having a piece against my head' heard on the bus, to druggies, and boy racers, and foreign men mistreating their partners, I've seen a bit of the seedier side of life here. The smell of pot is becoming a bit distracting too. Its not one of my favourite smells, and though I think it should be legalised, it isn't and I'm uncomfortable with it as a result. And I think BC is making a big mistake by keeping it illegal and not policing it. From what I can see, alot of people who would otherwise be 'good' people are involved in the production, distribution & use of a controlled substance. These people are encountering the truly 'bad' people who organise the whole shebang, and some are getting into more trouble than they bargained for. I've also discovered where all the black people were (though still in small numbers)... Economic racism is alive to a degree here in western canada too.

Back to North Vancouver for this week. Still outside downtown, and relatively poor, but alot less urban. And the scenery is just incredible.

Comments

[goblin-insane.livejournal.com]

you get BBC world in Ireland. It is pretty much my back up default channel after NASN and without doubt my main news channel.

[giftederic.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but you have the uber satellite package, does normal cable contain it?

[goblin-insane.livejournal.com]

well considering basic cable is only €2.50 less than the basic digital package with UPC and the basic digital package has BBC world I reckon I could say - Yes :)

[ulaire-daidoji.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure if you can stand the woeful customer service then you can tailor your NTL package as well anyway? Channels BBC, W,Y & Z please but no X :)

[ulaire-daidoji.livejournal.com]

If you were to go live there would you be living in the Canadian version of Rathmines, Moyross, Ballymun, Raheny, City Centre or Shrewsbury Road?

[giftederic.livejournal.com]

Not knowing anything about Moyross, I'll plumb for Rathmines. Of course I really want to have a house on Bowen Island as well....

[(Anonymous)]

I read a fascinating piece by Misha Glenny in the Guardian about the dope economy in Western Canada (mirrored here: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v08/n291/a08.html). It's an excerpt from his book on international crime - McMafia.

Seems like it's a pretty big industry in BC.


P.

Enjoy yourself!

[(Anonymous)]

Hi Gav,

Seems you're having a good time over there. In a way I'm jealous of you being able to move around your city and explore living in different places. But then, I'm sure you'd prefer to have my corporate apartment in the centre of the city. Go figure! Anyway, I have to go talk to the management as I discovered a cockroach this morning and the Australian ones are very big.

Enjoy your last two weeks in Canada! I don't have BBC World here but I've been watching a lot of CNN. It's very entertaining, particularly when they talk about the Democratic primaries.

Hope you enjoy the rest of your trip. Everyone at home is talking about the fact that you'll be back soon. I won't see you for another month though.

Shane