Fixer-uppers

This has got to be the peak of the vintage Volkswagen bubble.

Saying that this '54 Panel "needs work" is somewhat of an under-statement.

I mean, I know it's rarer than rare, but seriously I think I'd be
embarrassed to advertise this '46 Beetle for sale in exchange
for actual money.

And finally, not to be out-done, I present to you (although "present" that may be too
strong of a word) a 1971 911 Targa, freshly dragged out of a lake (OK, I made
that bit up). 

Can't let the VWs out-shine the Porsches (again, "out-shine" might be a fantasy at this level).

These three examples are firmly in the "master craftsman" realm. A mere backyard garage handyman would be in well over their head. But, if you're feeling adventurous, The Beetle is listed for about $15,000 Cdn (not including transport from Sweden) and the panel van is posted at about $10,000 Cdn. Bargoons at twice the price, obviously (groan). This 911 from Ohio (the rust belt) at least hasn't insulted us by listing a price ("Best Offer"). I know what my best offer would be in a sensible world, but those days are long past.

Vacancy

Sometimes this job is quite interesting. I like gaining access to places most people don't get to see, like vacant buildings.

There's a building in Surrey I've known about for years whose construction just never seems to end; every time I drive down that road, which isn't often anymore sine I moved to Vancouver, it's always seems to be in a state of non-occupancy. I remember years and years ago driving past reasonably often and a making mental note that the place still wasn't finished.

Fast forward to now (i.e., early this week) and there I was conducting a property condition assessment on the place. One thing I learned, which is something that never came to mind driving past in a car is how huge the place really is. Although I suppose any place will feel big when you've got to walk every floor, every parking garage level and the outside perimeter shell. Six hours later I now know every corner in the place.

I've been privileged the last 4 years to cover some large vacant spaces; everything from the former Zellers store in Richmond to a vacant Sears in Kamloops (do I see a department store pattern forming?). I think this is my first vacant office space. Certainly it's my first aged building in which there has never been a tenant.

Dual escalators in the ground floor vaulted ceiling entrance lobby.

The ground floor looks like a suitable candidate for an IKEA photo shoot.

This was a good exercise for my iPhone's panoramic feature.

By the time I reached P2 I was really making a case in my mind for a Segue (you know, those self-centering two-wheeled scooters). Either that or at least roller blades.

Sunflower Festival

An unexpected day off on Friday turned out to be the perfect day to take in the Sunflower Festival in Chilliwack. Upon studying the map I thought the location would be quite a bit closer to Abbotsford, but as it turns out it was located at the same exit we always took when I was a kid when we'd be going to visit my cousin, Jeff.

Leading up the weekend the weather had been hot and smoky, so a dramatic cool-down and decrease in forest fire smoke was a welcome relief. And plus, the admission was almost half price of going on the weekend.

GCVWS 2018

Due to our weekend away in Seattle to see Pearl Jam, I missed the Great Canadian Volkswagen Show this year held for the final time at its present location, the north shore of False Creek, next to BC Place. But I now know who didn't miss it; Jack White of all people. Oh well, we saw his show at Deer Lake park a couple or three years ago, so I guess I can't complain.

I saw this photo of the event in the Vancouver Sun following the show and I immediately wanted to know what the non-VW vehicle was at the end of the line. A bit of internet searching told me it's a Datsun pickup truck with hydraulic suspension.

I don't know why the caption says "2019". 

Again, this was the 2018 show, not 2019.

I hafta say it would have been cool to see Jack in person perusing the cars.

These kids did a bit better than a concert t-shirt.

Blowing Smoke

We've only had this veil of smoke just over a week, but already it seems like it's been all summer. The only bright side I can see is the occasional photo op. I took the photo below on Saturday night around 6 or 7 pm. I caught it just before it sank into a low hanging band of either smoke or clouds or both. Literally minutes later the sun vanished entirely, although it was still fairly high above the horizon.

I like  the"molten" top left corner.

I have really been resisting saying this, but this smoke season is beginning to seem like the new normal.

Four years ago we went on a short mini holiday to Tofino with friends that were visiting from Zurich. I remember the year clearly because it was 2013 when we traveled to Europe to visit them. We had fantastic weather in Tofino for our four days, actually a nice sunny consecutive stretch of days that I've never experienced before in Tofino. Then, on the drive home, just as we passed the Long Beach provincial park we hit the smoke barrier. We drove into it rather unexpectedly and it took a few seconds for me to register that the orange haze was from forest fire smoke, which I later learned was from a big fire near Port Alberni. Later, as the ferry exited Active Pass on the final approach to Tsawwassen ferry terminal, the mainland shore was completely shrouded by smoke, acting as fog.

I know last year was a bad year for smoke too, but I'd have to check my 2015 and 2016 photos to confirm we had stretches of smoke cover then (talk about a short memory!), but definitely this year it's returned with a vengeance. Last Sunday we were in Seattle, recovering from the Pearl Jam concert by taking in the Dale Chihuly glass exhibit at the base of the Space Needle (highly recommended!). As we arrived I thought there was mist in the atmosphere that had blown in off Puget Sound. I fully expected that it would have burned off by the time we had to start heading for home in the late afternoon. It was then that I realized that it was indeed smoke from forest fires. By the time we reached Vancouver the north shore mountains were again cloaked and have remained as such right up to now.

It's apparently the worst air quality we've perhaps ever had in this region, a value of 10, whatever that means. I know I'm feeling it in my throat. At times it's been quite acrid smelling. Not as bad as the night I photographed the rise of the full moon in Richmond during the bog fire recently, but pretty bad.

To be fair, I suppose it is payback time. Seems the rest of the world is suffering ill effects from humankind's infatuation with extracting and burning the Earth's natural resources. Why should affluent Southwest Canada be spared any pain? I'm certainly not blameless. I should be bicycle-commuting every day to work but it's rare that I do. I'm riding a motorcycle to and from work this summer, so that's at least a bit less fuel burned per day, but the motorcycle engine is older and less efficient than my car's, so who really knows which one pollutes more.

Pearl Jam Home Shows 2018

Probably about a month ago we went to see a vintage movie at the Rio; "The Song Remains the Same" featuring Led Zeppelin. In recent years I've come to appreciate their music a lot more than I did in high school. Back then I thought only the stoner crowd listened to them, and that's not who I wanted to be associated with. Different story now of course (not to say that now I do want to be associated with the stoner crowd; no. It's just that now I crank up their tunes when I hear them on the radio). We'd already bought tickets for the upcoming Pearl Jam concert in Seattle and I wanted to compare the live experience of decades past against now.

Being rock 'n roll I knew some things would remain the same, especially guitar solos. Although I was honestly hoping there would not be a drum solo. Admittedly John Bonham is a highly regarded expert drummer; however, those solos just aren't my thing.

Pearl Jam was indeed an experience. We got to Safeco Field far too early; about 3 pm. We'd gone to see U2's Joshua Tree tour recently in Vancouver and security was unexpectedly very tight. Well not that unexpectedly I guess, acknowledging the state of the world at the moment. But there were many people that missed the opening act, Mumford and Sons, because they were still in the line-up outside. We didn't want to have made all this effort to see Pearl Jam in their home town only to miss some of it. In the end our line-up was very short and I think were in the stadium by 5:10 pm. Plenty of time to hit up the merch kiosk, having bailed on the 3 hour queue (in the hot afternoon sun) at the tent set up outside.

And again thanks to Shauna scouting out our seat location early, she informed me of a much shorter merch line upstairs, closer to our seats. By 6 pm I had my concert T. Truth be told, I don't usually splurge for a shirt. I guess I figure I'm too old for that scene, but I made an exception for The Tragically Hip's final show a couple of years ago, and somehow this show seemed big enough and important enough (donations and recognition of Seattle's homelessness issue) to warrant tailored proof of attendance.

Evidence was everywhere that this appeared to be the event of the year
in Seattle.

I would have loved to score one of these posters, but
apparently so would everyone in Seattle. At least I
managed to photograph a reasonably complete one.

Here's us in front of the image that I'd wanted on a concert shirt. I still haven't
seen such an example so perhaps they never produced one. 

We did some brainstorming and realized the last time we'd stayed over in Seattle was in 2011. A lot's changed since then; Seattle's Great Wheel for one. Last year in London we rode the London Eye, and I've since learned there's a similar one in Singapore (btw, we saw "Crazy Rich Asians" last night). Prior to our concert weekend I wasn't clearly aware that yet another was erected in Seattle in 2012. The image displayed on so much advertising for Pearl Jam's Home Shows featured the iconic Space Needle, the Seattle Wheel and Mount Rainier. Perfect except for the fact I didn't see it on a t-shirt. Maybe copyright infringements might have been activated, I don't know.

This is how crazy-early we were.

We were early enough to see the retracting of the roof;,which seems to travel at a
walking pace. 

It finally started an hour after the ticket said it would; 8:30 pm.

3-1/2 hours worth of music. Quite unparalleled in my experience. No
opening act.

A sea of "lighters".

And also not unexpectedly, as well as being billed as a fundraiser to combat homelessness in Seattle, other political undertones were present. In quite an emotional tribute, Eddie lead the crowd in a sing-along to Tom Petty's "We Won't Back Down" illuminated by about 45,000 smartphone flashlights.

All in all it was an awesome spectacle to behold, well worth missing the last express bus back to our hotel in Bellevue. The $40 ride in a shared cab with a couple from Philadelphia is another story in itself. Turned out well; let's just say it was entertaining and leave it at that.