Thursday, November 25, 2010

Chinatown

I last saw you while I was looking out a bus window on my way through Vancouver's Chinatown.  Why don't we take a stroll through the area today?



I love visiting Chinatown, in any city that has one. Vancouver has one of the best, I reckon. It's so colourful and bright, like a party waiting to happen, all decked out with Chinese lanterns.


Even if it rains, as is often the case in Vancouver, the party can continue with gaily coloured Chinese parasols, or parapluies, I guess they'd be.  I used one for my regular umbrella for many years when I lived in Vancouver.  It developed a few holes but it still did a fine job of keeping me dry and happy as I splashed through the city streets.



A free fortune cookie for those who can spot the shop proprietor in this picture.  He was sitting at the front of the store, reading his newspaper, the shop completely open to the cold damp day.  It seems that none of the stores in Chinatown are heated...I was chilled to the bone during my entire excursion.



This lady didn't seem to mind the cold, though.  I guess her red hot sexy silk dress was enough to keep her warm.  Although she looked slightly bizarre, she seemed armless enough. 




I was lusting after this little red cupboard, glimpsed through the window of a furniture shop.  I didn't dare go in as I know I'd have started to hyperventilate at the sight of all the lovely things I can only dream of owning.   Hands up those who feel like they'd like to scrap all their furniture and furnishings and start all over again!  Any particular style you'd prefer?  I'm pretty much eclectic shabby chic in my decorating tastes, but it's perhaps more of  necessity than by choice. 



 Are your feet getting tired yet?  You can rest a spell at this bus stop before we continue on.  I'll meet you  back here next time for a little tour through a lovely garden hidden right in the middle of Chinatown. 

(or should that be Lu Chow?)


10 comments:

  1. And did you nibble on any spring rolls while traipsing about Chinatown ? Looks like the guy with his newspaper was studiously ignoring you, not about to offer you a spring roll, and as for the lady in the red dress, are you sure it's a lady ? The face looks... well, rather masculine... but then the dress, less so. Confusing...

    And in the bus stop, quite tantalizing, we can see your hands and camera reflected, and maybe your scarf, but that's about all the décolleté glimpse you gave us tonight...

    Can't wait to see the secret garden, after these glimpses of the streets of C-town. We should all have a secret garden...

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  2. Owen,
    We all have secret gardens in our hearts where spring rolls grow in deliciously crooked rows. Such gardens thrive when watered with the sweet and sour sauces of love. Yes, love can be bitter and it can be sweet, but the ultimate taste, in the end, with the last nibble of the zesty spring roll of life...well, the final taste is a little salty as our secret gardens are always kept watered with our secret tears.

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  3. That cupboard is from the same family as my armoire!!!!

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  4. c
    I know!!! I wanted to buy it and send it to you. Ha ha. Maybe it's a sign we should ALL move to Vancouver?

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  5. I thank you very much for this wonderful escape towards the East. May its light reach you and provide a wonderful weekend.

    daily athens

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  6. East meets west a lot in Vancouver, Robert. Thank you for coming along on my little escape/escapade.

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  7. I got here as soon as I could to claim my spring roll, hope Owen hasn't scoffed the lot while staring rudely at the Lady in Red. Such a joy to come here and see the colours and the comments, always makes up for the grey in my life at the moment! Thanks, Sis, you're the best!

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  8. Hi Saj,
    I saved you a spring roll and a mooncake and a fortune cookie and I'm just warming the sake. Even though it was a grey day here, there were spots of colour to cheer things up a bit. I hope you're finding a few bright spots in your days as well. I'm happy if my humble offerings help bring some good cheer your way.

    I suspect our BrOwen has wandered off into the garden with that mysterious lady in red to get a closer look at her. He did seem rather taken with her. All the more sake for us!

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  9. Actually, I had a bad date with sake once . Many years ago the place I worked for had some Japanese visitors and we took them out for a long lunch, beofer we went my now-husband told me that it is good 'face' if you can keep up with the Japanese in sake drinking. Well, obviously that led to the mother of all hangovers for me, and I married him anyway, go figure.

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  10. Saj,
    Obviously he neglected to tell you that "good face" in Japanese translates to "sh-- faced" in English!

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