Fisherman's Wharf, Vancouver

We chose to put in at False Creek in Vancouver because it is a noted center for small boating and thus convenient to chandleries and provisioners, and because we didn't really want to be dodging freighters getting through First Narrows at midnight to get to the other major cluster of marinas in the city, Coal Harbour. In False Creek, Fisherman's Wharf is the designated spot to clear customs, and given the hour and our options it was the first choice for moorage for the night.

While chosen almost entirely for convenience, as it happens our selection has put us right in the middle of a vivid, thriving tourist mecca. We are right in the middle of downtown Vancouver and adjacent to the Granville Island area of small shops and open markets. It's a lovely little spot with the world on our doorstep and I regret that we don't have more time here to simply kick back and enjoy it (and get our money's worth out of the sky-high moorage rates!).

Granville Island and the surrounding area demonstrate what the phrase "mixed use" really means. Unlike the featherweight "mixed use" developments you see in the States, which almost uniformly have residential apartments over the top of commercial office space, Granville Island has militant mixed-use that would give those condo-buying American yuppies hives. Together with a farmer's market (a la Pike Place in Seattle), restaurants, and the usual scattering of arts and artisan shops, the Island has a school, several marinas, a boatyard, and a working concrete factory. You dodge big mixing trucks getting in and out of the public market area.

As if that weren't enough, the surrounding neighborhood (largely in the shadow of a large bridge which passes over the center of the island) is packed with quaint, almost European condos and apartments, and small corner shops which have largely been edged out of American life by Wal-Mart and Target (not that I have anything against Wal-Mart or Target... half the stuff on the boat probably came from one or the other, you can't argue market advantages). It's a lovely little place without straight lines, anxieties, or hurries. I can't help but envy the people here. Although it's probably just a "grass is greener" sort of thing, they all seem on this beautiful spring day like they have pretty nice lives, and a nice life is really all I want for myself, either.

It seems to me sometimes that it's much easier to be Canadian, and probably easier on one's mind as well. Although there is sometimes a defensive "little brother" aspect to the Canadian psyche (what else was that popular and entertaining Molson "I am Joe" ad responding to?), I can't help but feel they get the best of both worlds. Almost universally well-liked, respected, and tolerated, Canada has an enviable standard of living and the opportunity for quiet, introspective politics and lifestyles which aren't always at the forefront of some sort of frenetic controversy the way things often seem in the US. I don't know how much of this vision I have to ascribe to simple misconception and how much to apportion to the very real benefits of being out of the world limelight but living just north of it.

At any rate, I seem to feel every time I come to Canada as if I would feel better if I could stay, but perhaps it's best to just leave that as a compliment to the country and its friendly, helpful people and stay away from any deeper analysis.

We're happy to be here and enjoying our day. We'll be setting off north in the morning, headed toward Jervis Inlet.