Welcome to Vancouver, World

[xenokattz]

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The Olympics officially kick off in a little over 2 weeks. Hi, visitors! Hope you like the balmy weather we're having. A few care & feeding instructors for the city I love to bits and pieces.

1) Please, please, please, PLEASE buy things from the local stores, not the sponsors. The businesses have gone through a lot of upheaval with the construction; some of which is still going on. There's a lovely First Nations man who usually sets up shop on Robson St selling Cowichan toques(that's ski caps/skull caps) and mittens. He's funny and his wares are authentic, unlike the sponsored HBC ones that're JUST BARELY NOT knock-offs. I can't even tell you how awesome Cowitchan sweaters are. They are the warmest things since ever. I've gone out in a a thin shirt and leggings with my sweater on in freezing temperatures and my sweater kept me cozy.

2) Please, please PLEASE buy tickets at the Skytrain station. The trains go by honour-system; there are no turnstiles to prevent you from boarding. I know. We are too damn nice and trusting but it works. The ticket booths are usually near the elevators or escalators and each one has English, French, Punjabi and Cantonese. Maybe Vietnamese and Korean, too, depending where you are.

3) Be nice to the street people. VANOC's crapped on the social assistance they need then swept them under the rug just so the city looks sparkly and perfect for the tourists. Fact is, Vancouver has a high homeless population but they're mostly very nice people if you're nice in return. I would suggest giving food instead of money and if you see someone harassing the nice old guy who takes care of people's dogs outside the grocery store, tell that someone to go away and grow a pair of balls. Your karma will be the better for it.

4) The drinking age is 19. You're welcome, America. Marijuana is technically illegal despite what you might've overheard. Cigarettes are $10/pack + tax. But HEY! Drinking age is 19!

5) Try a poutine. Your arteries will never recover but your tummy will thank you. While you're at it, try all the restaurants, not just the fast food sponsors. We have *deep breath* West Coast, Ethiopian, Indian, Jamaican, all sorts of Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Afghani, Mongolian, Italian, French, Russian, All Sorts of UK Pub fare, Brazilian, El Salvadorian, Mexican (including but not just Tex-Mex), Cuban, Greek, Persian, Turkish, Singaporean, and all sorts of North American fare as well as MORE DAMN COFFEE THAN YOU WILL EVER HOPE TO DRINK I AM SO NOT KIDDING COOFFFEEEEE.

6) Please pray for colder weather. We are getting effing screwed with cost of shipping in/creating more snow in this warm snap. This means the street parties will be AWESOME but the hills, maybe not so much.

7) Please use condoms. We don't care who or what you have sex with as long as they're over 18 and consenting. The Olympics come once; herpes stays forever.

That is all.

ENJOY!