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These sites usually talk about other things besides music
These sites mainly talk about music
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| B.C., the final installment |
| Tuesday, February 28, 2006 |
Let me first say this: Hotels need to bite the bullet and offer free Internet all the time, both dial-up and Wi-Fi. I don't have a laptop, so I don't get to participate in the free Wi-Fi in hotels or in my room. I have to use the business center or those TV Internet contraptions, and usually they cost a lot. In Victoria, the hotel offered free Internet in their business center. In Vancouver and Whistler, the hotel Internet cost CAN$6 per 15 minutes. Either hotels need to just take a loss on it or roll the extra cost into the room price. Ok, enough venting; on to the trip.
Vancouver
We arrived in Vancouver via the ferry, got checked in, and then went to a dine-around at three different hotels. After this, the Aussies and I went to the bars. The first bar, Doolin's, was your average Irish pub. There was even a Irish band playing standard Irish tunes. Meh. We moved on to the Atlantic Trap & Gill, a Newfoundland bar. This place was happening. A young crowd was there watching The Whiskeydicks, another Irish type of band, but more on the rock side. Think of the Pogues...they were kind of like that. People were banging on tables, raising glasses, and really getting into the show. One audience member even got on a table and played spoons. Two of the three Aussies left halfway through the evening, and Craig and I closed down the bar.
The next day was my ski lesson. I like to think I pick sports up pretty quickly. I'm wrong about that when it comes to snow skiing. I had the hardest time learning to turn and stopping. At one point, I actually ran into my instructor. I tumbled over him, his skies and my skies, all of this leaving me with a big bruise on my left hip and extremely sore ribs (I don't think they're broken, but damn they still hurt). I'd like to take lessons again, but I want time to practice all day.
Earlier in the morning, a few of us visited the Vancouver Art Gallery to see the Brian Jungen exhibit. Jungen is an incredible artist that creates pieces out of everyday objects. Check out this page for his famous masks made from old Air Jordan shoes.
Later that evening, we all went curling. It's harder than you think. Even though no one took a picture of me skiing into my instructor, someone did take a picture of me falling on my ass while curling.
Whistler
Whistler was really nice and very crowded. Almost a foot of snow fell the first night we were there. I ended up tubing one morning. That was fun for about three runs. The next day, some of us went Zip Trekking. We swung through the snow and trees 200 feet about the ground. I suggest you do this if you ever get a chance.
The first night's bar experience was okay. We (the Aussies and me again) went to a place called Buffalo Bill's, which is known as a "cougar bar." For those that don't know, a "cougar" is an older woman that picks up a younger guy. True, this bar was full of some older women (think late 30s to mid-40s), and true, a lot of younger guys were dancing with them and making out with them, so I guess it's really one of those bars. We closed down that bar and stumbled home in the snow.
The final night bar experience was great. We ended up watching Mike Relm spin. This guy is incredible. He worked three turntables (one of which was connected to a video screen that went along with the music). He didn't stick to any one type of music during his performance, and he didn't outwear any songs. He was pretty much perfect. I don't really follow the DJ culture that well, but I do know this guy blew me away. In fact, it was a wonderful way to end my trip. |
posted by pimplomat @ 7:49 PM  |
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