back in Vancouver

I like to think that at this point of my life, I'm a city person, an urban creature. Over 7 years in Chicago, 2 years before that in Montreal. That's many millions of people to be living among. And yet, here I am, back in Vancouver, and I still get this same reaction, a remnant from childhood days: man, this is a BIG city!

I'm still a little wowed and intimidated by Vancouver, though I have come to love it. I won't say I know it, yet, however. I know a few restaurants, a shop or two, the view from condo,the coffee shop across the street. I was born here, but while I was still an infant (waaaaay back in 1971), we moved to Smithers, up north. 6 months in 1975-76 of living in Calgary almost doesn't count, somehow, and I finished my formative years in Terrace, a town a little bigger than Smithers but even now has not much more than ten thousand in population.

So there: I'm a small-town boy deep down. I masquerade as an urbanite, but put me back in a one-stoplight town, and I could make do nicely. I chose UVic for undergrad because Victoria is a modest-sized city. I chose McGill for grad school in part because UBC and Vancouver scared me.

I have grown to love this city, though. Slowly, but inevitably. It helps that Conrad loves the city immensely. Through him, I get to see the city a little differently, and as I interpret BC and Canada for him, I get more appreciation for this city.

The coffee at Safari helps!

I'm up early here (relatively speaking - before 7:00 PST, but Conrad is still abed), and before Conrad gets out of bed and gets over to the coffee shop, I'm reflecting a bit, sipping a bit, and dreaming of the four vacation days ahead. I may live the "lifestyle" even, I'm in such a good mood. But ultimately, I'm just feeling comfortable and happy being here, the first of a handful of trips up this year. Chicago? That's home, assuredly. But it's not Vancouver, and as I grow up more and more, I begin to better understand what that means.