[Grovenet] Vancouver, B.C. (was: Sunday greetings)

[Marguerite Storbo]

Hi, David! I have interrupted Mary Jo with chatter on a previous occasion
walking by your house. You don't give away your age: even my youthful
sweetie was at Expo '86 on a band trip. You're also in your 30's aren't you?

Vancouver is still lovely, except for the fact that you cannot anymore leave
your vehicle parked on any city street with anything of value in view (i.e.
quarters, sunglasses, etc.) without it being broken into.  The benign
neglect of the addiction problems in Vancouver has reached epidemia and with
few choices left to them, the addicts are desperate. At least they don't
have handguns to do the job; for the most part, it is only the triads and
Indo-Canadian and Vietnamese gangs who are extremely well-armed.

But even the desperate criminals are often, for the most part, fairly civil.
The Downtown Eastside is a sad cesspool of sex trade workers and addicts and
alcoholics, but I've walked there at night with little fear. My biggest fear
was of gang-related crime around the grow ops, which could be anywhere
around you. I suppose it would be like meth houses here (and probably there
now, too).

However, I do go on: it is still a beautiful city and Canadians are a
somewhat civil tribe even now. Except while driving, apparently.

Marguerite

-----Original Message-----
From: grovenet-bounces at rdrop.com [mailto:grovenet-bounces at rdrop.com] On
Behalf Of David Morelli
Sent: Sunday, September 10, 2006 10:03 PM
To: Forest Grove local interests list
Subject: Re: [Grovenet] Sunday greetings

Welcome to the grovenet!

When you go for your walks, you are welcome to say "hi".  We're three  
blocks South of you, in the big foursquare house with the circular  
front driveway.

BTW, visiting B.C. has always been a pleasure.  It appears to be a  
truly civilized place, i.e. it has a civil population.  We spent a  
week there during Expo and loved every minute.  Did I give away my age?

David