Sheach Status

New post!

2010-11-16T16:49:00.000-08:00

Look for a new post on http://disastertraveller.blogspot.com, and don't forget to change your bookmark, or follow that site.

P.S. I have a new, user friendly look too!

Time for a Change

2010-11-01T17:32:00.001-07:00

The last week has been momentous in our lives, especially for Mr. Jingles. I arrived at home from Chad to be welcomed by Laura, MJ and several dear friends from Guelph. We had a great time showing them some of the sites, enjoying our favourite dinners together, and catching up. We were woken early on the 27th by the packers arriving 1/2 hour early to put our house in boxes. We frantically cycled through five quick showers and dressing in an unused room while they packed around us. The next day the movers arrived to take all the boxes away, and Mr. Jingles was once again locked up all day.

So, we are now in limbo, trying to set up our new home while working from cafes and restaurants. Laura is adapting to work online, learning the joys of remote access. Mr. Jingles wins the "Most Adaptable Cat" award as he learns that his home is wherever he sleeps. Hopefully we will have full access to the US, and I can tell you all about my new job soon.

In other news, I will be merging this blog with my other one (Disaster Traveller) and hope you will check there for future updates!

So, I wrote this and then forgot to post it...a Northwest update

2010-10-12T12:34:00.000-07:00

I'm flying over the English Channel, some twenty hours into my flight to Chad, which puts me just past the half way mark, and definitely in a reflective frame of mind. As I'm not sure when I'll next have an internet connection, I may not be posting for a while, but at least I can play catch up! More on Haiti in the next post, but for now some thoughts on Pacific Northwest holidays, as Laura and I enjoyed some time off between trips.

Do: see theatre productions whenever, wherever. They are pretty much always worth the price. We recommend The Bard on the Beach if you're in Vancouver in the summer, well worth it. Secret tip – bring your own picnic to the afternoon shows. Vanier Park is a great place to watch sailboats, kites, clouds, and pretty much anything else propelled by wind, and it really is just a short walk from Granville Island Public Market . You can pick up ready made sandwiches, or buy the meats, cheeses, breads and pastries and fix your own.

Don't: go whale watching in the rain. Despite the fact that the whales don't mind, you will. Open ocean whale watching honestly isn't about the whales, they're more impressive at the Aquarium or on Discovery Channel anyway. It's really about being outdoors, on the water, in the beautiful Georgia Strait, and that is more impressive when the sun is shining, you're not huddled inside the cabin over a hot chocolate, and your fingers aren't too numb to take pictures. Then again, this is the “Wet” Coast, so one can't always wait for a sunny day. And remember, the whales really don't mind.

P.S. Thanks so much LCK, for the whale trip and discovering Spinnaker's with us - it was a great experience!

Do: go down to the fisherman's wharf at Steveston, even if you don't want to bring home a fresh salmon (and I mean fresh, some are still alive) for $10-15. Just the experience is fascinating. Also, if you don't want the whole fish, go to the shops just a couple blocks north, where the price is lower per pound than the shops on the water. The shellfish are also incredible!

Don't: be conned into paying too much for something because it's “neat”. NO bread is worth $10 a loaf – although we did make some great “artisanal” croutons when it became rock hard the next day.

Do: go to Victoria on Vancouver Island, there's at least one festival every weekend of the summer. We recommend the Greek Festival in Sidney for one, and the great party on BC Day (August 1).

Don't: visit the Island in one day. Especially without a car. It's worth it to plan a two day trip - there's so much to see, transit is efficient and cheap.

Do: try to enjoy a different cuisine every night of the week. In order to enjoy all the best of the West before returning to the field, we had Chinese, Japanese, Ethiopian (ironically I land in Ethiopia in a few hours), Mexican, Italian, French, Pacific Northwest, Quebec, English, Vietnamese and Thai (if I remember correctly).

Don't: think you have to leave the city, or even your own home for any of the above. I think Ethiopian is the only one we haven't tried at home yet.

Do: spend as much time as possible with the ones you love.

Don't: spend a lot of money doing it!

Diary from the Desert

2010-10-09T03:09:00.000-07:00

As usual, a not-so-subtle hint from my maternal unit reminds me that my blog has been neglected. There is, however, justification for this oversight. Many of you will know that I am in Chad for the month of October, yet again leaving Laura to fend for herself. You may not, know, however, that I am in a remote area of this remote country, near the border of the Darfur region of Sudan. Internet access is, therefore, very sporadic and comes at a premium. Better late than never, though, so here's the scoop.

First, a brief explanation of the situation here, quoting a recent email I sent out,
"So, about Darfur and the refugees...the short version.

Darfur is the western part of Sudan, and tribal warfare there
(encouraged by the government), meant that a lot of people fled across
the border to Chad. Then, the Sudanese bandit groups started attacking
across the border, so the refugees and some Chadians fled further
away, to the town of Goz Beida (and others). We are working there, 100
km from the Sudan border, with refugees (Sudanese), internally
displaced persons (IDPs), which are refugees in their own country
(Chadians), and also with the local people, because a town of 5,000
now has up to 100,000 people moving in. This means the limited grass
for goats, sheep and donkeys runs out quick, there is not enough room
for fields for everyone, and water runs out fast. This has been
ongoing for four years. So, we are doing things to help people survive
now, and prepare them to move back if they get the chance. Some things
include giving people jobs planting trees and changing the terrain to
reduce soil erosion, giving people loans to start businesses (like
leasing them a donkey cart or a small machine), and helping farmers
with better crop techniques for limited space."

I'm currently helping the team here to analyze existing projects, and plan for their next project cycle. It has, so far, been a rewarding experience, as the team are quite professional and excited about their work and the displaced and refugees are committed to the work being done. I am adjusting to the warmer climate (30 Centigrade at 6 AM?) and survived my bout with the local wildlife (Down, Giardia, down! Good parasite.)

Of course, Laura is planning our move, and still house hunting with out me. I will return on the 25th, and have 5 days before we're outta there - if my visa application is approved.

P.S. - check out my FB photo album to see images of eastern Chad.

Kidding Around

2010-08-26T17:45:00.000-07:00

I recently spent a couple of days visiting World Concern rural projects in Haiti. As we met with the beneficiaries of the "kids who love kids" program, our discussion and photo session was rudely interrupted by a horrific obstruction to this fabulous program, which has seen children multiply a single goat into a herd of 15 goats AND pay for a high school education. See below for information about the roadblocks faced by these kids...

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It is fortunate that the intrepid journalist Frank Thorp, who is constantly keeping his eye out for danger while On the Goat Path, caught this on camera. We now have clear evidence of a bogeyman siezing goats while the children are unaware. Hopefully, steps to mitigate this hazard will be made, and the program can continue to provide school fees, disposable income and food sovereignty to Haitian children, while improving the breeding stock of goat herds.

Humour aside, this is a truly innovative program, designed by the World Concern Haiti Country Director, which not only provides education and income for one child, but multiplies the gift to a second child. Check out this story, which addresses the real problems these children face, and the opportunity a single goat can provide. If you would like to purchase a goat for a Haitian child, please consider the Global Gift Guide, and the Kids who Love Kids program.

Join the Revolution!

2010-08-14T22:11:00.001-07:00

I have the opportunity while in Haiti to see great work being done by other agencies as well. One of these if Food for the Hungry, who has a great program with Child Friendly Spaces, a part of the Poverty Revolution. I urge you to click on their site, learn more about their communities and Join the Poverty Revolution! If you're able, sponsor a child today. If you're not able to, you are obligated to share the opportunity with your friends. Right now you can win an iPad if you refer new sponsors. How great is that?

P.S. Yes, I used to work for them, yes some dear friends work for them, yes I work for a close partner agency, and yes, I only plug things I truly believe in. Just read about it.

Time Flies, Despite the Heat

2010-08-12T08:34:00.000-07:00

I can't believe another week has gone by:
- a week of irregular connections with my wife - sometimes an hourlong phone call, sometimes no connection whatsoever
- a week of daily thunderstorms, with some of the biggest thunderclaps I've ever heard, each one renewing my desire to get 1.5 million people into better shelter before a hurricane hits.
- a week of reorganizing staff, structures, and procedures to help us keep on track and achieve our goals
- a week of new surprises, new opportunities, and new friends

Now that we're into August, the heat is beginning to break, even as it keeps baking most of the US. Alfred, our new team leader from Zimbabwe can not believe the steady humidity here, like nothing Africa has to offer. For most of my time here, it has been the same temperature at 8 pm and at 5 am as it is at 9 am. We are steadily dripping. Now, however, sleep at night requires at least a sheet over top, and I take a hot shower in the morning, although I start sweating as soon as it's done. A new surprise was our landlord providing a TV connection, so that we boys can watch our beloved Gunners, starting this weekend!

The projects continue to move along, with recent thumbs up from USAID for our work in rubble removal, to build on their appreciation of our housing repairs. The third piece in this work is the transitional shelters which was Scott's labour of love for so long. We rolled out our first round in the field, and did a site visit earlier this week to see how our teams are doing, and how the shelters are being received. We will continue to improve on this distribution, as problems arise, and the community is supporting wholeheartedly our efforts to make this project work for them. Check the photoroll on the right for some shots of our new shelters!

Making progress

2010-08-04T19:50:00.000-07:00

Today was one of those days, were I seemed to spend the entire day getting nowhere, only to find at the end it was a successful. This week presents the Haiti Emergency Response team the opportunity to regroup around the new team leader, review the past six months, and renew the vision for the future. And that is exactly what happened...after batting around ideas all day, we finally emerged with a road map for the next six months, which identified targets to achieve, strategies for accomplishing them, and key roles in the process. To see it all mapped out at the end of the day was a revelation. We had accomplished something significant. To top it off, upon getting home we discovered that we know had a cook, which means no more cooking for the team by Chris at 8 pm, and we had a TV. This is important, too, as you can only read a computer and a book so much on Saturday, and we can't really get out at all.

After a swim and an email to my wife, the end to a full day and a well-deserved rest. There are some pics of our team house in the slide show to the right.

2010-08-01T11:15:00.000-07:00

Now for a more detailed description of my work in Haiti. For a background, check out my last lazy post, which describes the work in someone else's words. Thanks, Scott, for such a detailed exit report!

So, currently, I am bridging a gap between Scott's departure, and the anticipated hiring of a new project manager. Fortunately, I am aided in this task by the arrival of a new emergency coordinator, Alfred on Friday, to lead our team and be a focal point for national integration. Although we are down here post-earthquake, it is only in support of a commendable World Concern Haiti office, whose programs have been fostering community development for over 20 years. With that in mind, we constantly seek to build the capacity of our national team to handle not only this emergency, but also the next. In addition, we want the communities in which we work to be more resilient and better equipped, so transfer of technology and soft skills is essential. But on to the nitty gritty...

My primary job so far has been observation. Learning about Scott's process in shelter fabrication; watching Jillian coordinate field teams in rubble removal and house repairs; attending coordination meetings, site visits, and donor meetings; understanding local culture, language and common practices - all of these take time each day, in a very passive sort of way. I have really sought to know what's going on where, with whom, for what reason. Later in the week I was able to assist the team in report writing, and some administrative tasks as we made some promotions and adjusted a few job descriptions. Of course, all this was done in average temperatures in the mid-30s daily, with no AC. By sweat loss alone, I should be 10 kg lighter.

On the "home" front, it turns out I am an atypical married man, in that I haven't forgotten how to cook! Partly for morale boosting, and because I actually like it, I took on the task of chief cook and bottle washer for the "Bachelor Pad". David has learned how to make hamburgers and sloppy joe's, and next week we'll learn beef stew and grilled cheese. In advance, I say "Sorry" to his wife, and "You're welcome" to his kids.

While I provided a cultural boost for Scott in his last few days, we can see that Alfred, as a fellow African, has done the same for David since his arrival. Last night we sat around the stew pot, dipping bread, and Scott said, "Here I am with two and a half Africans, but three Gunners." That's right, all three of us support Arsenal! It seems Alfred can cook, so I am happy to share that responsibility.

Yesterday, as a farewell to Scott, a group of us took a trip to a beach hotel, to share the sun, sand, surf and seafood buffet (the conch was particularly enjoyable). The photo below is a link to the album on Picasa.

Finally, this week has really been possible through the grace of God, in providing this new apartment just before I arrived with running water, peace and quiet, and an almost adequate internet connection, so that we can speak to our wives on an almost daily basis. This is what will make the difference in team morale for the weeks to come. Alfred and David are both here until the end of the year, with their families in Africa. Please pray for them, Jillian and I as we move forward as a unified team. In addition, our two assistant managers, James and Vicker, as they try to integrate international program methods with Haitian staff.

Telling the story of Haiti

2010-07-28T18:45:00.001-07:00

As I have only been here a short time, I'll start by giving a link to a couple of blogs that have detailed the story of Haiti and World Concern so far...

Scott Mitchell is leaving on Sunday, and has done a great job on his first tour of duty, getting us ready to distribute 500 homes. I especially like his July 27th post, but you may find the ones that do not compliment my cooking a tad more interesting!

The next blog is a combined effort between Frank and Jillian Thorp, although Frank does most of the writing as Jillian spends too much time filling in all the gaps that appear in the World Concern emergency programs. She has been with World Concern since February, after taking some time to recover from injuries sustained when trapped during the earthquake. Check out their story here.

Haitian Snapshot

2010-07-24T07:25:00.001-07:00

This is my first visit to Haiti, and first time working in the Western hemisphere. As always, my mind instinctively tries to make comparisons, and find similarities to other places, cultures, and economies. Why is it that we always want one thing to be like another? The power of association is so strong!

Truly, Haiti is not really like any place else I have visited. That being said, there are many similarities to a variety of locations. The earthquake damage reminds me of Nias Island, Indonesia, especially the hit and miss nature. Neighbourhoods have some houses totally destroyed, with the house next door fine, even though they are built the same way. This is due to the wave-like nature of earthquake tremors.

The downtown core reminds me of Africa, especially French Africa, with the flashy signs and bright colours, loud music and smiling faces. There is, however, a more prevalent American influence here, in the brands and designs, the music, and the food. This is similar to South East Asia, which has much more American influence than does Africa.

The office and guest house are the same as almost any I've ever been too around the world, a house converted to an office, with staff popping out of rooms all over; not enough chairs in one room with too many in another; and the guest house furnished with classic Mission style, absent of random pieces, like a bathroom mirror (even though there's a toothbrush/razor holder over the sink), and the most fascinating assortment of utensils (who brought the garlic press?).

The beauty of the luscious vegetation is outstanding, and I love being in the presence of tropical flowers again (frangi-pani and hibiscus). If only I could share them with my favourite flower! It seems Laura will be kept busy however, as friends have stepped up to the task of filling her social calendar. Fortunately for me, we can share our schedules on Google calendar, and arrange time to chat about our day.

In addition to blogging general insights and revelations, I will be posting thoughts on development, disaster response, global politics and travel on my other blog, Disaster Traveller. However, for the good parts version of my travels, stay right here!

Back in the Saddle

2010-07-23T04:48:00.000-07:00

Well, after a year of living dangerously close to settling, Laura has agreed to join me in the work I love the most. I have accepted an offer from World Concern to the position of Deputy Director, Disaster Response in their Seattle office. This position isn't available until October, so in the interim, I have returned to consulting on disaster management and have just arrived on assignment in Haiti.

Ironically, even though I am back in a job that requires more than 8 hours/day, I am more inclined to blog, so I hope to get my "virtual" life back on track - there are a few other posts that are in the works, including one about our vow renewal ceremony a few weeks ago! More to come...

Best and Worst...

2010-04-16T09:52:00.000-07:00

Last night our small group gathered mid-hockey game (not yet a Canucks fan, but it is the playoffs) and one topic of discussion was our best and worst of the week. So, on a balmy, sunny Vancouver day I thought I'd share my week's highlights, looking ahead to the weekend!

First, the worst - I saw something I've never seen before in my life...

That's right - I saw red. After 25 years as a player, I received my first dismissal from a soccer match. My sincere apologies to my Tenth teammates for getting their first red card in this inaugural season, and setting such a low example of sportsmanship. I will, however, register my statement that it was the cleanest, nicest possible red card offense. I took the opposing player down gently, and in his own half. However, as I was the last defender and he was on a breakaway, the ref deemed it appropriate to dismiss me - in the 89th minute! Definitely a weekly low.

The best (public) part of my week was a mini-reunion with some ex-SP staff. It seems we're congregating in BC! A lot of fun to swap war stories, remember mutual acquaintances, and also to meet a few friends-of-friends we'd never run into. Here's one: Lori is a friend of Mary and Joel, with whom I worked in Indonesia. I've never met Lori, but she's going to the Atlanta wedding of Chris T, with whom I went to elementary school in Guelph, and high school in Kenya. Chris T worked in Haiti with Mel, whose dad works with my Dad in Northern Ontario. You can see how this is fascinating ...

Now on to the weekend - it's time for Spring cleaning, getting out summer clothes, packing away the parkas (which we never needed this winter anyway), and enjoying the sunshine over the mountains.

Rain City

2010-04-06T15:50:00.000-07:00

Spring has sprung, and March is definitely going out like a lion (or perhaps a lionfish?) in Vancouver.
Rain every day, whether a little or a lot, and hail when it's time for a change. Notwithstanding, life goes on and we spent a long weekend at home with Mr. Jingles, enjoying some down time. Of course, a little shopping may have been in order, and Easter services at Tenth were a real celebration of this joyous season.

Despite the rain, summer is fast approaching and sporting is in order. We did a preliminary reconnaissance of Deep Cove on Sunday, to prepare for hiking (and maybe kayaking?) later on. Yesterday was the start of soccer season, giving Chris an excuse to whine about aches and pains and beg for hot baths and massages. Tennis, camping, badminton in the park, frisbee, BBQs...the anticipation is rising!

Monday morning

2010-02-22T12:35:00.001-08:00

After a beautiful weekend, with a pleasant Sunday stroll, today is again fabulous. Yes, the cherry blossoms are bursting into full bloom, and it seems we've survived a winter with no real snow, despite hosting the Winter Olympics.

In addition to the work in Haiti being done right now, my sister is working at Sakeji School in Zambia for a couple of terms, and has an interesting blog about African life. Also, my friend Katharina has returned to the field, working in Afghanistan now. If you want to be on her email list, let me know through email.

Today Laura and I are checking out the wax models of our wedding bands, which we still don't have, despite being married for 7 months and 22 days. We're getting them custom designed by the same goldsmith that did her engagement ring, and quite excited. Any suggestions on what to engrave on the inside?

New year, new times

2010-02-21T13:10:00.002-08:00

It's funny to be writing a New Year's blog on February 21, but that's how my life goes. Actually, I had given up blogging until my self-described "biggest fan" insisted that one person was reading my blog.

So, a rundown. My NY2010 resolution was to floss more. That lasted until I saw the dentist mid January. We moved to Richmond, and live in the burbs now, rather than the highrise life. Ironically, the commute on the new Canada Line into Vancouver is less detestable than when we took the bus in town.

We're going to Tenth Church on a regular basis, but stopped in at 19th Avenue this morning to visit. It's hard to balance between a small community church that is close and personal, and the anonymity (when desired) of a larger church that has a larger variety of learning and teaching options.

The Olympics are on right now, which has been a but odd. I'm looking across the water at the LiveCity Yaletown venue with throngs of people packed in, and last night we drove past the train stations where people were lined up on the street outside the station for 45 minutes just to get on the escalator to the platform. Yet, tomorrow the commute to work will be the same, the work day will be the same, and being in the Olympic city will have little impact on my life at all. So strange. The only really noticeable difference is the number of Canadian flags on display everywhere.

Finally, many of my colleagues are in Haiti still, or have been over the past month, and it's been an interesting experience watching this one from the sidelines. Consider following Joel Kaiser and the Food for the Hungry team for more insight as to what's happening on the ground.

Powell River in Technicolour

2009-10-12T22:07:00.002-07:00

Powell River was everything we hoped for - good food, family, and lots of peace and quiet! As my boss seems to be the only one that read my last post, and he specifically asked for photos, here they are after the jump.

In Powell River for Thanksgiving

2009-10-10T21:39:00.003-07:00

Just settling down in Powell River for the Thanksgiving weekend. It's so calm and relaxing here, in a small town right on the ocean. Sunsets over the Georgia Straight are beautiful and the weather is perfect.

So, we had to make a late night trip to pick up Laura's cousin from the terminal ferry after midnight, because ferry trips had been canceled all day. Then, we were up before the dawn to catch the first boat up the sunshine coast. Unfortunately, we missed the first boat due to lack of coffee and sleep, and got to have a nap at Horseshoe Bay. Then, we were able to take the second ferry and finally arrived before 2:00. The drive was beautiful, the ferry rides were short and scenic, and the sun came out to warm us in the afternoon/ Looking forward to the rest of a relaxing weekend!

Apologies

2009-10-09T07:02:00.002-07:00

Apologies to all who are unimpressed with my last post, after weeks of waiting. Isn't old news still good news? After returning from Kelowna, we've had visitors again - thanks to Laura H and Katrina for good times!

Also, through a former coworker and recent SFU grad friend Joel (he took our official wedding pics!), I was invited to a fundraiser for the Niapele project, a local charity for kids in Liberia, and then a meet and greet for BCCIC, a local coalition of agencies. It's been fun meeting up with like-minded individuals, and I even met a former SP staffer.

Laura and I are spending Thanksgiving in Powell River, along the Sunshine Coast, with her recently married cousin Annabelle, so I'm sure there will be beautiful pictures to come!

Happy Thanksgiving to all, and may God bless you from His bounty and riches.

Okanagan Ode

2009-10-02T13:14:00.005-07:00

Okanagan, farewell to thee,
O happy, fruit-filled warm valley -
A weekend getaway,
Kelowna's where we stayed.

A lakeside suite was really grand,
And sunset views were on demand
Hors d'oeuvres and big buffets
Workshops to fill the day.

When work was done, we took a drive.
On Knox Mountain some trees survived
Despite the firestorm.
It wasn't very warm.

On Saturday, southward we headed
All afternoon, for we intended
To drive along the shore
In search of beast of lore.

Alas he showed not his maned head.
We pitched a tent and made our bed
In a Provincial Park.
Our campfire lit the dark.

The ranger in his pickup truck
Collected our twentyfour bucks,
Shortly after the dawn
While coffee was still on.

Peachland, a town that's rather fey,
Did welcome us on market day.
Coffee at Rocky Top
To sip and window shop.

That afternoon, the best of times -
A sampling of BC wines!
The first stop was Deep Creek,
Presentation was weak.

Our final stop was Mission Hill.
Tranquility, e'en though a chill
Of autumn bit the air.
The wines beyond compare.

Then, down "the Coque" we swiftly rode
Onward towards our own abode.
Through lofty mountain passes,
Swiftly the grandeur passes.

Merrit - Canadian country's home,
Where gas is cheap and cattle roam.
For hot springs detoured some,
To check out Harrison.

And so the trip came to a close,
In our own bed we did repose
And happ'ly dreamed of thee,
Okanagan Valley.

Labour Day Longings

2009-09-08T12:12:00.004-07:00

Oh, Labour Day, when we celebrate the fact that any chance we had for a summer holiday is gone, and now it's back to working through the winter! Winter certainly sent it's message-bearing envoys to Vancouver this weekend, with temperatures dipping to 15 C highs, cloudy with rain. Actually, Alaska had better weather. Alaska.

Despite the gloom, we had a relaxing and full weekend of typical bad weather things to do: watching movies, the library, hours in a comfy cafe, the beach. Um, yeah, so we did go to the beach at Buntzen Lake for a quiet retreat yesterday, and the sun did peep out for 20 minutes as we read in our camp chairs on the desert strand. Then the clouds advanced, and we retreated. It was amusing, however, to think that the weather was still better than a typical June or August day at Wasaga or Sauble beaches in Ontario.

Weekend highlights:
1. Learning parking in Vancouver lots has a variable rate based on how much they think you can be milked for. Hence our advertised Sunday rate in an empty lot was not reflected at the pay station, because a hockey game (really, on Labour Day?) was taking place nearby. A gracious parking attendant explained that the lot on W Pender has the best rates in town.

2. We love shopping for fresh veg at the grocers on Commercial Drive. Going there first saves us money from the supermarket, and we can get a rainy stroll and a fresh coffee at the same time. Right now we prefer Norman's.

3. We got camping gear at a steal! Tent for $15 and cooler for $10, during RC Superstore's no tax clearance weekend. Now for some camping weather...

4. Fresh mussels at 1/2 price, so we whipped up a curry bouilleabaisse with porutguese buns Saturday night, and caught the CBC presentation of WTC (Nick Cage). Interesting for what it included, and for what it left out.

5. Thanks again to Anthony and Marlise for their thoughtful gift of Gary Smalley's books, which were an enjoyable shared read this weekend!

It's the weekend???

2009-08-28T15:55:00.005-07:00

Although I finished work 4.5 hours ago, I'm still at the office, waiting for the IT guys to install a new server. On a Friday afternoon! LM and I were invited out to dinner tonight, and I know that the Arsenal-Man. United match tomorrow is a must see, but that's all the plans for this weekend. Any suggestions?

We saw the Time Traveller's Wife this week - a good movie for those who will never read the book, and a good role by Eric Bana. I also had a chance to jam with a friend last night, my first time at a drum set in many years, and I'm really rusty! Hopefully, this will be the first of many jam sessions.

It's been one week...

2009-08-28T15:27:00.003-07:00

Well, almost! Now, where where we? Ah, yes. Sunday last, and the imminent rock concert. We decided to visit Coastal Church, but were to late for the music, at the 12:30 service. Very interactive sermon, including live swordfighting and video clips. Listen to the podcast for more details. The rest of the afternoon was a bit of a wash, as we conserved energy, then it was off to http://www.chambar.com/ in Crosstown for a light supper.

The moules frites was fantastic, especially the Moules Congolais, although nothing like the mussels in the Congo! With our reservation, we were able to get in an out in time for the short walk to GM place. Although the lines at the door where not long, there was an air of eager excitement. We're not talking "Jonas Brothers delayed crossing the border" frenzy, but a rising hum, none the less.

The Whigs were already on stage when we arrived, and as enthusiastic as they were, I think they would be better seen at a smaller venue, such as the media club, where they are headlining on November 13.

So, lulled by the underwhelming opening band, we were not prepared for the knockout punch that is Kings of Leon on tour. They have clearly stepped into their arena-playing days with a sagacity unexpected of hard-living garage-band rockers. The playlist order controlled the audience well, the sound filled the arena, and the video/light show added to, rather than detracting from, the stage presence of Caleb Followill. LM thought he was unattractive (which pleased me greatly), and we were all-in-all impressed with our first rock concert together.

Could a weekend be better?

2009-08-17T09:16:00.005-07:00

So, by Friday afternoon, we were pretty excited for the Kings of Leon concert - we had tickets for Sunday - and wanted to rush through the weekend. Little did we know all the activity that could be packed into a single weekend in Vancouver...

Friday after work we popped into Solly's after work, for a little snack. Try the knishes for a traditional Jewish savoury snack, and of course ethical bean coffee. The rugoleh, although IMO not as good as Siegel's, was still quite tasty, flaky, and fresh!

A craving for baked brie, and a sale on ripe mango and papaya led to an improvised mezze meal at home, with olives, dolmades, homemade bruschetta, guacamole, baked brie with pepper jelly and a pitcher of tropical sangria! Candlelight dinner with a view of the city from our dining room made the evening complete, and we wrapped it up with an exciting thriller, "Obsessed", better than you would think from Beyonce and Ali Larter. And that was just Friday night!

Saturday started early, because it was the opening day of the English Premier League (EPL), and there is NO BETTER WAY to celebrate football in Vancouver, than at Abruzzo Cappuccino Bar on Commercial Drive. It's nitty-gritty, white linoleum floor and old laminate tables don't seem to fit in with the 7 pm Drive scene we're used to, but at 8- noon on Saturday and Sunday mornings, the crowd of old and young gather from all corners of the world for one purpose - footie. I enjoyed a fabulous espresso (or four? from a machine older than myself, and my better half was shocked to discover what cappuccino vero can be - a mound of stiff milk foam so smooth you can spread it. We left with me exhilarated by Arsenal's 6-1 win and completely hopped on doppio espressos. Saturday was supposed to be a day to get away from the urban crowding, but with the threat of rain all day, we dawdled down the Drive, ordered lunch from the Grotto again (see previous post), checked out the Van East Fermer's Market (disappointing), but scored some great eggplants and peppers at Norman's Grocery, which, with a handful of fresh basil, prepped us for a light linguine recipe and the rest of the sangria. Then, it was off to the mall for a first weekend viewing of District 9. To describe how good it was, we were still relating life events to that film, right after the rock concert last night. Sorry KoL, you were upstaged by prawns!!! (LM thinks they're cute ;)

After such a full weekend, it was hard to believe we hadn't even got to the main event! More on that in the next post...

Late nights in Europe - RT @gridskipper

2009-08-11T13:47:00.007-07:00

Reading this blog post by Gridskipper reminded me of Berlin and Berne. Traveling alone across Europeby train in 2006, with only a garment bag in hand. Went looking for a "hip hangout" as described by Lonely Planet, but sorely disappointed, so I squeezed into a random jampacked club where there was live Latin music. It turned out the band, from Bolivia I think, had an avid German following. The air conditioning was maxed out, so I found a table top by the men's room door. Every time the door opened, a waft of cold air blew up into the air, and we four strangers dancing salsa on the tabletop shouted for joy. I wish I could remember the name, I think it was near the end of Oranienburger Straße. I left the club sometime after 4, with the band still playing, to catch my train to Vienna.

I never meant to get to Berne, but I missed the train to Marseilles, it was raining in Zurich, and I hoped to get free of the rain. It was raining in Berne also, a light mist that didn't dampen the moods of the crowds enjoying free jazz on the streets during their international jazz festival. I arrived after dark, and when it got too chilly I hunkered down in a coffeehouse crowded with steaming damp wool coats. Striking up conversations with the Swiss is pretty easy, and a group of us carried on a conversation in English, French, German and Italian (with translations back and forth) until we were kicked out, at which time, we found a Cuban club serving up mojitos until 6 am.