Moving ads

First we have ad covered buses. Now ad covered private vehicles are becoming more common. They may be private in name only. The ad do create some privacy problem. Will we may start to ignore them more people sign up for the program? Will they be regarded as moving billboards and regulated as such?

Rear view mirror

Have you ever wonder what is underneath the nicely covered rear view mirror with remote control looks like?

Castle builders

happened to go by Metrotown the other day and saw the sand castle building team was hard at work at the latest creation. We'll return later in the week to view the finished product. Stay tune.

Blast from the past

This was hanging in a shop in Chinatown. That shop has more Mao items for sale including messenger bags and the red book, Quotations of Mao. Most surprising is ceramic plates with photo of Mao and Lin Pui. Guess the Communist Party has officially started the rehab of Lin.

Uncommon

Was at Chinatown the other day and saw this sign real estate for sale sign. Nothing the matter with it. What caught my attention is the real estate agent's surname, 向. It is rather rare. Years ago encountered the name, 向問天, in the novel, 笑傲江湖.

In the shade

He is catching up on the news while waiting for his wife, friend, ride bus or .... Yes, he is doing the Asian squat.

On her way

Saw this old woman walking along an alley the other day. Her back is tilted forward at almost 90 degree. Her steps are firms and steady. She walks at a surprising quick pace, for somebody who is over 70.

Countdown

The countdown to the 2010 Winter Games started early this year with the unveiling of this clock on the front lawn of the Vancouver Art Gallery.

2010 Olympics

Have to very care my words here today. VANOC had copyrighted and patented so many Olympics related words, terms and phrases that it is very easy to infringe on these rights. Most important is VANOC's zest in enforcing it.

An example is Olympics Pizza which operated as a going concern for more than 30 years. The legal eagles in VANOC wanted the pizza parlor to change its name. If there is a knock on the door tonight I'll know who is at the door.

Today's Vancouver Sun reported that VANOC is in the process of engaging a firm to actively search the Internet for violations of the registered words. Here is a list of the words:

* '00
* '02
* '10
* 2000
* 2002
* 2010
* Beijing and Beyond
* Bid Booster
* Bid Champion
* Celebrate the Impossible
* Driven by Dreams
* Driven by Nature
* For The Fire Within
* Friend
* Game Plan
* Gold Medal
* Host Country
* I'm Backing the Bid
* It's Our Time To Shine
* Let the Dreams Begin
* Road to Beijing
* Road to Vancouver
* Road to Whistler
* Sea To Sky
* See You in Vancouver
* See You in Whistler
* See You in Beijing
* Top
* Vancouver '10
* Vancouver 2-10
* Vancouver 2'10
* We're Next

Today's photo is a automobile's license plate which is specially designed to commemorate the 2010 Olympics. This is an excerpt from Vancouver Olympics' website:

"The plates cost $35 (with an annual renewal fee of $25) and can be purchased at any time. They will be on sale through December 31, 2010, and renewable through 2012."

Tomatoes

Don`t remember whether these tomatoes weren't exactly bright red, the camera's poor colour rendering or the lighting condition. Have to pay better attention in future.

Have wheels will travel

A street person wheeled his way around town.

Laughing Buddha

Saw this marble Buddha at a garden centre the other day. It is craved from a piece of white marble and about 2 feet in height. I would think it is quite heavy. The eventual purchaser may have a bit of trouble getting it home.

Front yard

Part of a front yard along West 24th. This part of town has a good mixture of older and new homes. Many of these older homes have the look of coming directly from the fairy tales we are so familiar with.

Store front

Due to the city`s warm weather stores in Vancouver`s Chinatown display their merchandises onto the sidewalk on a year-round basis.

Snooze

Another day in another part of the mall this street person is catching up with his sleep in the comfort of knowing he wouldn't be robbed while asleep.

Cut and cover

Construction of the Canada Line. This is the scene along Cambie on the corner of West King Edward looking north. This section of the tunnel was supposed to be done underground. This like all public projects whether it has private partners or not encountered cost overrun. To reduce cost it was agreed to eliminate four of the stations, two each in Vancouver and Richmond. Cost, however, continued to escalate. This called for further cost cutting measures. The construction consortium proposed to switch from full underground tunneling with no or very little disruptions to the residents and business to surface tunneling or cut and and cover as the official term on the section south of False Creek. They promised the disruption to business along the Cambie Street corridor to be minimal. I believe the impact was supposed to be two weeks per block. That was about a year ago give or take a few dump truck of earth.

Bind diving

Continue with people from the wrong side of the track theme. I was standing by the pillar looking for thing or people of interest to photograph while waiting for my wife. Heard a noise, turned around and saw this Chinese woman reaching into the recycle bin. Moment after this photo was taken a girl in her late teen or early twenties came along with a half-emptied bottle of Coke. She gave the bottle to this woman after an exchange of hand gestures aided by body languages. The remaining Coke was poured into the garbage can and the bottle went into the shopping bag.


Less than 10 feet away is a designated rest area where other shoppers looking after a crying baby, cooling off with an ice cream sundae, or just relaxing.

Worldly procession

A street person with all of his worldly procession crossed Burrard along Hastings. This is the segment of Downtown Vancouver where the prestigious office towers are located. On the very corner stands the CIBC Building owned by the second largest bank in Canada.

Skytrain

Eastward from the University/Production Way Skytrain station.

Speed limit

Vancouver seems to have many civic minded individuals. Some of them think it is their duty to enforce the speed limit especially on the freeway. They would set the cruise control to the posted speed limit, put on the binders, turn the tunnel vision on, and stay on the fast lane. Yield to nobody until their exist is in sight.

The long line of cars tailgating and the many decided to switch lane and passed on the right are examples of drivers with poor driving habits.

Resting

Hey. there is something on the bottom of my shoe!

Dimsum

The practice of frying certain items in front of the customers became popular during the late 1980's and early 1990's. It became a must for the dimsum restaurants in Vancouver. it suffered the fate of all fads. Eventually they faded from the scene. This lady may be the last one in the Greater Vancouver dimsum trade.


We ordered this pan-fried rice rolls from her. It has green onions and dried shrimps with a generous sprinkle of sesame seeds on top. The brief pan frying makes the rolls a crispy on the outside with a soft interior. We've ordered it often enough for her to bring it without asking if she spotted us first.

Dimsum originated in Guangdong in general and Guangzhou in particular. It was where people gathered to discuss business and other affairs. The purpose was not to fill one's stomach but to meet people or in modern day terminology networking. It was customary to order a pot of tea and chose a couple of items from the dimsum girls.

Marginalized

This is getting to be all too common a sight in Vancouver. Years of government cut-backs on social and welfare fundings are taking its toll on these people. Politicians of every stripe and colour talk about them yet nobody does anything concrete to solve the problem. To them the most important matter is scoring political points and producing the appropriate sound clips for the evening news.

Recently a women's group from the Downtown Eastside asked Vancouver's mayor and aldermen to spend 8 weeks living in the area and surviving on the same income as the welfare recipients. As expect all of them declined citing personal commitments (family) and bucket passing such as this is the responsibility of the provincial and federal government because they have more money to spend.

Divided

The tiles and the partial dropped-ceiling distinctively divided this passage way into two parts. This isn't too noticeable during regular hours as the shops have their displays on the floor to distract the eyes.

Hons Noodle House

It was one of the first wonton noodle restaurants in Vancouver. It started operation on Main St in 1972 with a limited menu. Business, however, was good. As a matter of fact, better than good. Not sure of its operating hours but I do know they close at 7PM daily and all day on Sunday.

It now has 5 locations. This photo was taken at the New Westminster store. I would avoid this location whenever possible. Its clientele is predominately Caucasian but the service is Hong Kong fast food style. Generally the chopsticks, spoons, saucers, and bowls are wet. Remember to check the table to make sure it is properly wiped. This is not the worst of the group. I think the Richmond location is worse. The Coquitlam location is the best managed.

The menu is basically the same throughout but the servings may vary. Speaking of menu they have "steamed" pot stickers which immediately classifies it as steamed dumplings. By the way their pot stickers are untraditional with very little filling and more carrots and peas than pork. Another untraditional touch is the vinegar that accompany the pot stickers has no shredded ginger. A very major strike in my book.

Incent burner 2

Here is another interesting incent burner found at Granville Island

Crows

A couple of ceramic crows

You and me and a dog named...

Saw this cute lawn ornament on display the other day

Incent burner

Saw this Buddha incent burner at Granville Island the other day

Wedding season

Summer is the prime time for weddings. Chinese tradition calls for the groom to give specially made pastries (moon cakes) to the bride's family. The exact number is open to negotiation between the two families. This is a display of two dolls dressed in wedding clothing of many centuries ago in a Chinatown bakery.

Canada Day

Happy Birthday, Canada!