On People in Vancouver

After 5 days in Vancouver, I’m fairly certain I can summarize the entire city for you. A friendly city of 2 million, Vancouver is sometimes called Van, Vancity, or Terminal City. This last nickname was originally proposed as the city’s official name because it is the terminal for, well, everything, especially railroads if you’re a 19th century settler.
But the historical facts can be found in any travel guide. You’re here because you want my impressions and judgments. So here they are.
Vancouver is kind of like Philadelphia, just replace every African-American with an Asian-Canadian. Yep, lots of Asians. Makes sense and was expected though I never thought about what it would be like to not see other ethnicities. Everywhere there are white people and Asian people, but very few black or Indian or Middle Eastern. Maybe it’s kind of like being back at Iowa but with an extra splash of Asian grad students. There does seem to be a reasonable Hispanic population though and I saw a number of Mexican restaurants which was exciting for me and my Hispanic heritage. Also, trendy Asians.
Now, putting aside ethnicity, Vancouver-ites (maybe? I should look up what they’re actually called) are slim, athletic people. Not many overweight types to be seen. They all seem to love outdoor activities, from skiing to biking to hiking to beaching to Frisbee golf. This means I have to start doing all those things more, a lot more. Sometimes when they’re outside, they partake in less physical activities. I speak now of marijuana. While, contrary to popular belief, it is not legal, marijuana seems prevalent. I passed a number of coffee shops that wafted the scent of weed out onto the street and young people seem to enjoy the recreational drug frequently. I don’t think I’ll pick this activity up again. One summer in the Netherlands was sufficient.
Along with the outdoor enthusiasts, there is a sizable homeless population. Mostly harmless, though there is a small pocket in downtown that has a bad reputation. Like many other cities, Vancouver’s homeless are often mentally disabled or suffering from addictions. The main concern right now is what to do with them during the Olympics. Apparently Montreal shipped its homeless out on busses to other cities. Maybe Vancouver will do the same because how dare the homeless mar this global event’s image!