Joel and May rolled across the border into Canada around 4:00 PM yesterday, steering an RV into the concrete jungle of Metrotown. Predictably, trying to park a rolling apartment along Kingsway proved to be an exercise in frustration. Where sprawling surface lots once accommodated land yachts, soaring residential towers have sprouted instead. Modern urban density strikes again. Over Whatsapp, Jay thought of a rescue by steering them toward parking space over by Bonsor Recreation Centre.
They had a four-night reservation sorted at an RV park near Cariboo Road, but Metrotown was the designated rendezvous point because May had arranged to meet up with friends from Calgary. Those folks just happened to be in town after disembarking from a Pacific Coastal cruise. While the visitors gave their dogs a much-needed stretch, Jay and I hopped aboard the SkyTrain from New West to join the gathering.
From the station, we cut through the main complex over to the Crystal Mall, Burnaby’s vibrant Asian hub. The choice for the evening was a bustling Chinese restaurant. The food was sensational, though Jay and I were forced into the mildly humiliating ritual of asking the server for forks. To be completely honest, we are genuinely a bit embarrassed about our total incompetence with chopsticks. After living in the Lower Mainland for three decades, failing to master the region's most ubiquitous dining tool feels like a glaring cultural blind spot, but hunger ultimately trumped our wounded pride.
It was wonderful getting to know May, and equally delightful catching up with Joel, whom we had not seen since 2017. The meal was made even sweeter when May generously picked up the entire tab for the table. After full bellies and lively conversation, the gathering dispersed in three directions: May's Calgary friends headed off to stay with pals in Edmonds, Joel and May set out to finally check in at their campsite, and Jay and I caught the SkyTrain back home. With the visitors settled in for a four-night stay, we look forward to properly catching up over the coming days.