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Vancouver, Canada

Another day so perfect that I actually started it with an email to the owner of my apartment, Wendy, to see if there is an option of extending my stay. I’m not saying I will, I’m just weighing up my options and remembering to be flexible and open to change.

No time to wait on a reply, it was time to suit up for today’s Canunks game. Although I stopped short of face paint (unless you count the blue eyeshadow I selected for the occasion), I put on my newly acquired Canunks t-shirt in time for Laura’s arrival in her own. Appropriately attired, it was safe to leave the house and head downtown to join the maddening crowds.
We made our way to Yaletown only to find it already lined with queues several hours before the game was due to start. Clearly it was futile to join any of them so we pushed on through the centre and just out the other side to a gastropub called Relish. It was eerily not bursting at the seams so we tried our luck. All the tables were booked but standing space was still available. With plenty of time before … hmmm… what do you call that? It’s not ‘kickoff’… stickoff? I’m sure it has a name… Canadians, help me out here! Anyway, with time to spare before that, we ‘borrowed’ a table to lunch on before taking up our viewing positions. We were joined by one of Laura’s friends, Donna who added some variety to our collective with a green Canunks t-shirt – a very welcome addition.
The game started and the excitement was palpable. The three of us took the opportunity to launch a text/emaill campaign to get Dawn and Sue to come over from Toronto to Vancouver for the remainder of the Stanley Cup finals. I concede it was a little unfair knowing how much they would love to be here but that it just isn’t possible.
Still a little fuzzy on absolutely every detail of the game, I chose instead to watch Laura who provided a very elaborate commentary in facial expressions and hand gestures alone. By the time the final third was played, neither team had scored. The crowd was riled and tensions were high as they went into overtime for a mere 11 seconds before the Canunks scored and the crowd went wild!

We made our way post haste to Granville Street to join the street party and a steady stream of high-fives that will leave my hand throbbing for days. The confluence of celebrations at Granville and Robson led to total gridlock with people unable to move and unsure of which way to turn so we mostly just stood there and held up our hands for more happy slapping.
Eventually we were spat out of the throng so kept on to our original venue choice – The Yaletown Brewery – for more drinks. It was here that I had a taste of my own medicine when I became the subject of a campaign to make me stay in Vancouver. My phone was hijacked and plans were presumably hatched to kidnap me and force me to stay in my luxury apartment in this stunning, victorious city in the company of champions!
Depending what Wendy has to say, I may go willingly.

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