Arrival in the Excited State of Arizona

On Boxing Day we set off for the Excited States. First we had to clear US Customs for our flight to Arizona, and when the Homeland Security Officer asked me when was the last time I visited the land of the free, I answered "I don't know." That seemed to surprise him to no end, though it was an honest answer. It has been years since I ventured south of the 49th.

"You don't know when you were last in the United States? Just what exactly is the purpose of your visit?" It might have gone easier if I had answered in a one word answer, like say, "Shopping." That sounds Canadian, eh?

Arizona is one of those few places in the world where people can carry guns, openly and not so openly too. This is a state where there are few limitations on the ownership of weapons, including assault weapons. The 6.5 million who live in Arizona are proud to be independent and free.

In the 1860 census Arizona had a population of 6,482 of which 4,040 were defined as "Indian." There were 21 "free colored" people and the rest, 2421, were "white."  Times have changed. Today there are 6.5 million living in Arizona with 73% classed as white and only 4.6% from First Nations. Hispanics, of any racial group, make up 30% of the population.

So here we are, in the Excited State of Arizona. Guns, snakes and shopping malls everywhere. And wide open skies, desert, and a beauty beyond words.

Photos by Jim Murray.  Copyright 2013.

Acacia Fillo Bar & Cafe ~ Vancouver Coffee Shops Part 9

In the West End, along busy Denman, is a coffee shop and cafe with its origins in the highlands of Bulgaria. It is a small place and if you aren't careful you might miss it, and that would be a mistake. Located between Delany's Cafe and that wonderful culinary delight called Fatburger, is Acacia Fillo Bar and Cafe, and it's a neighbourhood gem.




Family owned and operated by Vera Eftovska-Ivanov and Ziggy Ivanov, this is an inviting place, with excellent service, good coffee and some interesting dishes from Bulgaria, including the fillo based concoctions called banitza and burek. The Ivanovs started Acacia in 2006, after the successful start up of Urban Catering five years earlier.


The orange juice is freshly squeezed by hand and well worth the price, as are most other things. Much of the cafe's appeal for me is the sense of community it offers; this is a place where people get to know each other, where regulars are greeted and appreciated.

Photos by Jim Murray.

Copyright 2013.

Festival of Lights ~ too many lights

The night before snow fell in Vancouver, we went to the Festival of Lights. Along with thousands of other people. It was cold, crisp, dry and crowded.














Every year, more and more are attracted to what seems to be becoming an increasingly commercialised event. Not that there's anything terribly wrong with that, though it isn't quite what I have in mind when I think of VanDusen Garden.

The lights are a spectacle and if a person can get away from the crowd, it can be quite breathtaking, though sometimes the brightest lights are reserved for the merchants of donuts, hot chocolate and more.















Hand warming devices are provided throughout the venue as this friendly visitor discovered. That would be the visitor on the left.

The spectacle that is the Festival of Lights has ventured into a tacky, tawdry kind of place. It doesn't reflect the peace and natural beauty the Garden offers throughout the rest of the year, the tranquillity that exists in simply spending time in quiet reflection. At this time of year, with crowds and noise everywhere, with the frantic hum of consumer spending imposed upon us at every turn, we could all use a little bit more of what the Garden really represents.

Photos by Jim Murray. Copyright 2013.

Let it snow... in Vancouver?

Almost one year ago to the day, we left Dawson City after three months in Yukon. The day we left it was colder than minus forty and there were snow crystals in the air.

Today, we awoke to snow, here in Vancouver. It happens once or twice a winter, creating chaos throughout the metro region, with traffic and confusion alike. Is this school open, or closed? Is the bus running on time ? Will my commute be one hour or two?

The rest of Canada laughs at us on the left coast. A few centimetres of snow and we don't know how to drive, or walk, or get anywhere. We have enough trouble in the rain, and you would think we would know how to do that...

Photos by Jim Murray

Copyright 2013

Just before... The Festival of Lights at VanDusen Gardens

It's an annual tradition in Vancouver: The Festival of Lights at VanDusen Gardens. What seems to involve millions of lights and just about as many visitors, the light show is a major winter attraction.

In the month leading up to opening day, this year on December 11, there is much activity within the grounds as the gardens take on a festive appearance. We missed last year's event, spending time on the Ninth Avenue Trail and in El Rosedal instead.

On the day of the Festival's opening, workers were finishing various displays, grooming the gardens and readying for the crowds. The rains will likely start soon enough, but for now it is dry with a touch of snow and the ponds are frozen over here and throughout the city.






I don't know what I make of the continued commercialisation of the Gardens and its special events, like the Festival of Lights. It seems harmless enough, but where does this hunger for revenue end?





As well, many of the Touch Wood sculptures that we enjoyed through the summer and autumn have been "decorated" with lights or uniforms. Doesn't this detract from the integrity of the art? Is it right to put a halo on a piece of art, or dress up another group as toy soldiers?











And what about this drilling rig in the middle of the pond? I know our provincial government has promised us trillions in receipts from LNG, but really, in VanDusen Gardens? What's next, a pipeline?

Still, there is something magical about this thing, and as we approach the darkest night of the year, there is beauty in these lights.

Photos by Jim Murray

Copyright 2013