Canadian Impressions (second of three parts)

What makes the province of British Columbia and its two major cities (Vancouver and Victoria) interesting to tourists is that these places have so much to offer. These two cities have many interesting sites that one can visit in a day because of short distances. In Vancouver, historic landmarks, gardens and parks can easily be reached either by bus or skytrain. Walking would do if you want to take it really easy. But make sure your walking shoes are truly comfortable.

After few days of going around, I realized that I was enjoying my life as a plain tourist. I was lost in a throng of sightseers, some of whom were probably like me, enjoying the beauty of it all for the first time. Fascinated though I was by what I saw and experienced, my thoughts kept on coming back here in the Philippines. I just couldn’t help but compare the stark contrast of their cities with ours in terms of cleanliness, orderliness, efficiency, and so on. The list is endless. For instance, their transport system is very efficient, not to mention being elderly and disabled friendly (meaning you can ride the bus by yourself even if you are on a wheelchair). They have a skytrain that services the entire city and connects Vancouver with three other neighboring cities. Passengers buy their tickets from computerized ticket dispensers that are located in every station. This intrigued me no end. I noticed people can get into the train and there’s nobody there to check whether they have a ticket or not. Don’t they ever cheat here? I asked myself. I voiced out my thoughts to my sister. She smiled at my observation. “Sure”, she said. “Many cheat. But those who have been caught were fined a hefty sum.” I learned that transport authorities do random checks at every station. But that time I rode the train there was nobody checking. I wonder how much they lost that day. Oh, well.

Another transport system that has become popular among city commuters is the SeaBus. This offers a quick ride to those who wish to avoid the rush hour traffic from downtown Vancouver to North Vancouver. Ferries are air-conditioned and for a quick ride of fifteen minutes you get to the other side of town. No hassles, no traffic, and you even get to enjoy the coastal panorama of the city.

Vancouver Port is right there in the heart of the bustling city, walking distance from hotels and other important landmarks. The docks are sparklingly clean and neat even with containers piled on top on one another. Oh God, my heart bleeds when I think of our own ports.

Canadians, I learned, are very much protective and jealous of their environmental heritage. They would not allow any development that would ruin their parks or historical landmarks. In Vancouver, there is a bridge (Lions Gate Bridge) that connects downtown to North and West Vancouver. This bridge is virtually a bottleneck during rush hours in the morning and afternoon (their bottleneck is still smooth compares to ours). There is an attempt to upgrade the bridge and the roads connecting to it but Canadians would not approve because any development on the area would pose serious threats on Vancouver’s great pride. Stanley Park (where Lion’s Gate Bridge is located) is considered one of the largest and finest urban parks in the world.

By the way, I found out they too have something in common with us. They also have their poor on the streets. I felt so sad seeing some teenagers begging. (They are not so many though.) “Why are they on the streets?” I asked my sister. “What happened to the welfare system Canada is noted for?” She assured me that those young people are not really homeless or materially poor. They have just chosen to live that kind of life. They are young people. Maybe they are undergoing a phase in their lives. Well, perhaps. What is it that Jesus tells us in the gospel? The poor you will always have…(cf. Mt. 26:11)

Canadian Impressions (first of three parts)

Canada is one of the few countries in the world that have fascinated me ever since. One thing that really comes to mind when I think of Canada is the maple leaf – the Canadian emblem. Of course, if you think of something Canadian, it is not only maple tree that comes to mind but also salmon. However, it is the maple leaf that really led me to fall in love with Canada. This happened years ago when I saw pictures of Canadian autumn in National Geographic magazines showcasing the grandeur of maple leaves magnificent in colors of red, orange and gold. I guess that was the reason why among the four seasons, I love autumn best. The first real maple tree I saw was in Australia years ago. They really looked splendid in various colors. Still I look forward to experiencing the Canadian autumn. Well, I keep my fingers crossed.

Tourism magazines describe Canada as a land of superlatives. A land of stunning beauty and vast distances. Yes, there are greeneries everywhere and lots of space. Just imagine, the average population density is 2.6 people per square kilometer. That’s quite a lot of space. The distance of travel by car between one province to the next can stretch to one day. The country is blessed with huge lakes, deserts and towering mountains (many of which are still covered with glaciers on top even at summer).

British Columbia (the place I visited) is situated on the West Coast, surrounded by the oceans on one side (the Pacific, Arctic and Atlantic) and on the other side, the towering Rocky Mountains that extend up to the US border. British Columbia, which has Vancouver as one of its major cities, is home to North America’s second-largest Chinese community. Added to this are people from India and Japan, not to mention our very own Filipinos who have long migrated to Canada and made British Columbia their home.

The impact of Asian presence in Vancouver or any part of Canada is very much felt and seen. They have totally immersed themselves to and assimilated the Canadian way of life. On the other hand, they have also contributed much in enriching Canada’s culture through the integration of their own culture and values.