Maidei Touches Down in Vancouver, B.C.

Near one of the community outdoor mosaics at Norquay Park, Vancouver, BC. Part of the mosaic art series, “Clean Water Mosaics”. Over 200 volunteers for 20 different mosaic designs, led by artists Yoko Tomita and YarOn Stern 2011.

Maidei continued her world-wind adventures during her TeamEstrogen global cycling relay,  but now in western Canada.  She  boarded on an Air Canada flight from Calgary to Vancouver. She wanted to escape the shenanigans of the annual Calgary Stampede in early July which features bronco horses, chuckwagon races, deep fried foods and nightly drunken partying for

Cyclist heading towards pedestrian steel bridge in a shape of canoe. Olympic and ParaOlympic Village, Vancouver BC 2011

nearly 10 days. Apparently last year there was a steer (a castrated male bull) that broke loose and ran around in the downtown streets before it was caught.

During her first morning in Vancouver, she was led by a local community art team group leader, who talked about the brand-new, pavement art mosaics that were embedded in one of the local parks in East Vancouver, Norquay Park. The series of art mosaics, thematically called, “Clean Water 

Hanging at Olympic and ParaOlympic Village, Vancouver BC.

Mosaics”, were funded by 4 local groups,   including the Parks Board for City of Vancouver.  There are over 20 different mosaic installations in this area— at the park entrance, by the wading and spray pool, park benches and by children’s sandbox area.

Afterwards she whipped over on a folding bike, to see the Olympic and ParaOlympic Athletes’ Village, a legacy of the 2010 Winter Olympics, where she saw

Granville Market, with Burrard Bridge in background, English Bay and North Vancouver mountains. Vancouver, BC 2011

more outdoor art. She saw its pedestrian bridge built like a curved canoe. However, she disagrees with the artist: it looked more closer to a kayak. There was enough cyclists whirling around in this area, even though she was vacationing on a weekday afternoon.

Later a few hours before sunset, she hung out by the waterfront at Granville Market. From there, she could see the Burrard Bridge, an art deco

At a gate shaped like a giant abacus, entrance to some yuppie condos. Chinatown, Vancouver BC

bridge with separated bike lanes; Burrard Inlet flowing into English Bay with the North Shore mountains rising above. Goodness, she even noticed a plume of smoke –hopefully not a forest fire there.

All in all, it was an active day. She awaits for the wonders of Vancouver Island the next 2 days.

 

See Maidei’s earlier adventures in Calgary, Alberta.