A Return to the Lower Mainland

I don’t know what to say about being back in British Columbia. Partly I’m just tired because this is the first moment I’ve had to rest since 6:30 this morning, but maybe I’m also overwhelmed.

I moved away from Burnaby at the end of August, 2001. I came back to town a few months later to defend my thesis, then didn't return. I had no real desire to come up here, being as there wasn’t anything new to discover and very little that I truly missed. Sure, I missed Canada in general, but nothing specific to Vancouver or the Lower Mainland.

But then I came back.

I left early for a Saturday morning, ran into no real traffic, and had only one car in front of me at the border crossing. The agent seemed somewhat suspicious of me coming to a hockey game alone, and when I mentioned that I used to live here to try to calm his concerns (ie it’s like visiting your old neighborhood, you don’t need to bring friends with you), he asked me even more in-depth questions. But I ultimately got in, and was downtown near my hotel before 11am.

Since check-in didn’t start until 3, I stayed on the road. I drove down Hastings through Burnaby, past where I used to live. Downtown has changed a lot, and Burnaby was nearly unrecognizable, but the sad mess on Hastings was exactly as I left it a decade ago. I stopped for lunch at A&W and poked around some shops, then continued down Lougheed highway to Coquitlam, which looks exactly the same.

I finally settled in at SilverCity cinemas to see Goon. I’m completely and irrationally in love with this movie, and why wouldn’t I be? It combines so many of my favorite things: hockey, big laughs, constant cursing, a totally unsentimental love story, and Jay Baruchel. It’s not out in US theatres yet, but it’s available to rent on iTunes, so I watched it twice on the plane back from the UK, and came to see it on the big screen while in Canada. After 3 viewings I still absolutely adore it.

When the movie was over, I drove back across town in the rain to my boutique hotel, which I booked only because I got a good deal on it. Next time I’ll pay more not to be in a place like this. My room has a ‘zen garden.’ Whatever. I’m sure lots of people love this shit, but not me.

I'm now about to rush off out the door to find some food and catch the skytrain down to Rogers Arena, where will-call has a ticket for me to see some Canadiens at Canucks hockey. The odds aren't in my favor, but I'm still hoping to see my boys win in person for the first time in ages.

Go Habs Go!