I started today at the Korea House (yeah, I didn't know that it existed either, until today!) which is on the second floor of the Hyatt Regency Hotel on Burrard by Pender. I was encouraged by one of the organizers to 'stay for the bubble show!'... I had no idea what this meant but apparently, it's what this particular house is known for, so I grabbed a seat on the floor and waited for the show to begin. First, they made us sit through a promotional video that shows why the 2018 Winter Olympics SHOULD be in Korea (rumour has it that they've been bidding on them for a while now, without success). Then the bubble show began. I thought it was cool, but the kids there went nuts for it!!! See video.
Korea house also has some cool tech stuff to check out (including a wifi camera that takes your picture and sends it to a touch screen computer in front of you), a hand acupressure area where you stick your hands into a machine that stimulates your pressure points in order to help you relax, OR you can hang out and make meditation beads. The lineups are really minimal. If you're in the area, stop by, but I wouldn't make this a destination point. Sorry Korea!
Next I headed to the Cedar Carving Pavilion, which is just outside the Vancouver Art Gallery by Georgia and Howe. It looks like a little log house. Inside, there are some amazing works of art by a collection of Musqueam artists, including Susan Point. This woman has been awarded the order of Canada and is an extremely talented artist and carver, and you can walk in and chat with her at any time. The lineups are minimal to non-existent and while you're there, take the time to watch some of the other First Nations carvers do their 'thang.' See Pictures.
So what's the deal with some of the sculptures and artwork on Granville? Some of it I get, some of it, I don't, and some of it just boggles my mind. Like the one on Granville and Georgia. It's this metal blob with no real rhyme, reason or explanation. See picture. I know art is subjective but does anyone GET this one? If you do, let me know...
One more thing. I hate to end this on a bad note but I've gotta say, what's with the barf piles all over the city? I've never had to dodge so many in my life! Is this what the Olympics brings out in us? People who have no concept of when to say 'Ok, I'm cut off'... I feel like I'm back in junior high/ highschool, watching some underage teen run out of a bar to puke in a parking lot. And c'mon people! Let's stop peeing in the streets. Ewwwwwwww.
Let's stay classy Vancouver!
Besos,
CC.