Vancouver...?

Well, quick trip done and over with. This trip reminded me so much of why we stopped going there a few years back now. Basically the trip went something like this:


Sun - fly to Vancouver, check-in, book shopping at Iwase, J foodstore in Richmond (don't remember the name), eat at Chinese restaurant
Mon - Granville Island market, Fujiya (J foodstore), Book-Off, Iwase, Tsukiji (J restaurant), Shoppers (for muscle relaxant for me; oops)
Tues - IHOP (breakfast), Granville Island (fungi!), Fujiya, Iwase, airport (2 hrs earlier than necessary)

Shopping at Iwase each day is pretty typical but we were seriously reaching when we went back to Granville again. >.> Still, not all was lost. The Granville Market was quite interesting albeit smaller than I remember it. We managed to pick up some chanterelles, lobster mushrooms(?), and matsutake, as well as some handmade soaps. I was eyeing a journal over at Paper-ya but decided against it as they were too busy to help me and it was in a locked case. >.> Still, if we didn't decide to go to the market again today for the mushrooms to bring home, we'd've been seriously stuck for things to do in the city before having to head to the airport. *sigh*

Book-wise, I did manage to pick up some grammar and reading comp books for the JLPT although no kanji books. I also managed to nab Claymore 13. ^o^ (I also picked up Genji Monogatari vol 1 to try reading.) Beyond that, I'm glad to be home. I don't care *what* they say the temperature was in Vancouver. It was *freezing*! I seem to forget about the humidity factor when travelling a lot. >.> As it was, even though it was low-mid teens, it felt much colder. (At that temp over here, my leather jacket is a bit too warm.) I'll learn that lesson some century. It just doesn't seem like it'll be this one. *sigh*


I guess when I go for the JLPT, I'll stay downtown and maybe wander Gastown since I haven't done that for a very long time now. Either that or I'll find a nice cafe to ensconce myself in and read a book and people watch. :P