This week I met a female rapper called Justine Beaver...

Ever feel like you're being punk'd? Myself and my friend Shane were walking in Stanley Park when we were approached/assaulted by an energetic young woman and her Asian manfriend. Both were dressed in bright running gear and chesire cat grins. Apparently they were filming some footage of themselves playing frisbee as part of an audition tape for a TV show 'The Amazing Race' but they couldn't get the shots they wanted and could we record some for them a little bit please they'd be ever so grateful and here's the camera it's on a tripod but it doesn't have to be thanks! *deep breath*

I don't know what it is about us, but we keep getting approached by people to do stuff like this. Anyway, joking aside, I was happy enough to help out and filmed their over zealous sporting endeavors, as they hammed it up for the camera and generally acted North American. It was in the barrage of conversation after this that we found out the girl in question, Mariee, had an alter ego, Justine Beaver, who raps whilst kitted out in a beaver suit. Thanks to the marvel that is my internet phone, I proceeded post haste to youtube where I found that this was actually true! And far from being in the slightest bit embarrassed about this, Mariee/Justine treated us to an impromptu rendition of part of the song as it played on my phone.

Apparently Beliebers aren't the biggest fans of Justine, which makes the whole thing even better. We were handed two satsumas as a reward for helping out and walked away feeling a bit like the folks in this gif:

Photodump vol. 2

I've mostly been looking for full time work for the past few weeks as what I have right now is ridiculously part time. But who wants to read about that?! Instead, here is a collection of photo that I've taken around Vancouver since I got back after Christmas.

As seen in Irish pub

Digital film festival. I only ended up seeing Goodfellas

Chocolate fondue from a place up the road. Far from it I was raised.

I walked on this and on leg went through the ice. Seriously.

A cultural melting pot.

Family Guy Engrish

Vinyl is everywhere. It's like hipster heroin.

This was in the bathroom in a house party. I never got around to asking about it.

Subconsciously preparing for St Patrick's Day

Like many things, this would never fly back home.

Not a crime scene, but a scene from a tv programme.

Not sure why this is sideways but the young man is using a plug in telephone receiver for his smart phone. Bloody hipsters.

Vancouver Central Library

In a city that has very little history, in the European fountains, churches and pillars tradition, Vancouver Library feels a bit like home in a strange way. Concrete and glass is the staple architectural look around these parts and the modern, actually planned out, squares, grids and blocks system of town planning gets a bit boring after a while.

So the Central Library of VPL takes up an entire block and is full of every genre of book you could want to get your grubby hands on. It is an impressive multi-story building, with an indoor courtyard area on the way in. This is almost European in feel with 'outdoor' cafe seating and cobblestone type paving. It's basically sitting outside on Quay Street in Galway with a ceiling 6 floors above you. And a few more homeless lads shuffling about from time to time.

Mount Seymour Snow Tube Park

One of the best things about Vancouver is that you can decide to do something completely new in the morning, be there my midday, do it and be home for dinner/work/whatever in the evening. Case in point, we went to Mount Seymour the other morning to try out the Snow Tube Park.

Snow Tubes are essentially inflatable tyres that you use to propel yourself headfirst down the side of a snowy mountain. We were initially a bit nervous about the whole thing, but once we saw schoolkids racing down and yelling YOLO ('You Only Live Once' for those of you over the age of 30) we were shamed into having a go.

There were 4 tracks to take, each with charming names like Tear Jerker and Kamikaze. We started with the slowest one, which looks a bit like this:

While it doesn't look particularly fast, it does feel it, especially the first couple of times until you get used to it. You then sit on your tube and get gently pulled up the slope on a conveyer belt. Emboldened by the vaguely taunting shouts of fun from the schoolkids, I ventured onto Kamikaze and brought my camera with me. Apologies for not hitting stop in time...

There's loads more to do up on the mountain like hiking, skiing, snowboarding, tobogganing and just general sightseeing. It takes about an hour from where we are in Vancouver, but that includes waiting around for buses. From what we're seeing every little snow village has it's own unique, quirky charm and it's easy to feel like you're getting away when it's actually 'just up the mountains'.

Hidden Stanley Park: Beaver Lake

So, instead of going on about how we were stopped at US border patrol when trying to get to our connecting flight back to Canada, having to run a la Home Alone 2 through the airport to catch the flight, herself being sick for a week after we got back and me looking for work, I'm going to talk some more about Stanley Park!

I have waxed lyrical (or at least shown lots of photos) about it already but we are still getting our heads around the sheer size of the place. With a 7 mile seawall/prom/walking or cycle path around the outside of the park, it is easy not to stray into the interior of the park. However, during one particularly adventurous cycle, I went 'off road' under a bridge and down the less beaten path. EXTREEEME. This was more like cycling around the back roads at home, ducking under branches, squeezing through gaps, traversing narrow natural bridges and no smooth tarmac here! Despite not having a notion where I was heading I managed to stumble across a forest lake.

What's great about this is that it's one of the few areas in Stanley Park that is completely cut off from civilisation. You are surrounded by forestry and cannot see the high rise buildings. There are also less people around so it is more peaceful than the busy seawall loop. Luckily it has been sunny here the last couple of days so when herself got a day off we took to our bikes (well, she rented hers) and made our way into the (sort of ) wilderness. Apologies to those who want more photos, I was to busy trying not to fall off my bike.

Canadians are/were srs about Christmas lights

I say this because

1. When they do them, they do them right!
2. They only do them in a designated non denominational holiday zone that you will not stumble upon accidentally and be offended if you are not a Christian. No lights on the main streets for fear of upsetting other folks. More proof that Canadians are more politically correct than fun at times..

All photos taken in Stanley Park when it was absolutely lashing rain!

Whistler Ski Resort

Things We Learned

• Photos or videos will not prepare you for the views, which are stunning
• Do lots of research, the booking operators may assume you are not a complete beginner and newcomer to the resort (even if you tell them you are)
• On that note, you do not need Pro ski gear on your first ever ski/snowboard lesson
• If you snowboard you will fall down a lot, leaving your wrists and ass feeling sorry for themselves
• If you ski you are less likely to fall, but your legs will hurt until they go numb
• On the next morning everything will hurt. Muscles you didn't know you had will hurt.
• Snowboarding down the slope is an amazing feeling, but one you should build up to. If the instructor thinks you've done well in the morning lesson and upgrades you to a higher skill level for the afternoon session maybe reconsider going with it. (See the falling down a lot point)
• The slopes will close quite early in the afternoon and no one is allowed up after that. It does lead to...
• ...Apres, which is when everyone goes out early in the evening, eats, drinks and has the craic.
• Speaking of craic, there is an Irish bar, the Dubh Linn Gate, that allegedly was brought over piece by piece from Ireland.
• It is the most Irish bar we've been to. Though it also has a Black and Tan drink and servers wearing kilts who get annoyed if you don't order at the bar. Especially if you repeatedly order at the bar...
• The village of Whistler itself has an amazing holiday/community/positive vibe (maaan). Photos do not do it justice. It is like a European village, if purpose built for winter sports.