Last weekend we hit the Richmond Maritime Festival – a celebration of the history of the local area at the Britannia Historical Shipyards, a national historic site. There were booths from various organizations, most notably conservationists the David Suzuki foundation, psuedo- and real militarists (Scouts and the Navy), and the usual government and arms-length organizations, Vancouver 2010, Parks, and Environment Canada. We heard the lovely and coordinated Navy Band, viewed lots of old boats and hung out in the sun. Very nice.
The next day we went to the Gastown Motorcycle Show N Shine to view lots of really cool bikes. We scored a free pink “Bitchin Gear” cap for the elder daughter from some scantily dressed women dancing to cock rock a la “Coyote Ugly”. We also got some free Harley orange balloons from the Harley Davidson tent. The highlight has got to be the Motorcross tho, trick bikes somersaulting through Gastown – VERY cool. I’ve got to say there was such a strong sense of community, as all kinds of people wandered down Water Street admiring the bikes. From Bikers to Yuppies to tourists to local junkies, we all sure liked those bikes. And we all thrilled to hear the engines roar.
Then on to the Mini Train – a well-kept secret of Burnaby is the Burnaby Central Railway. $2.50 gets you a just-long-enough ride on a mini train run by model train enthusiasts in striped overalls. There’s a variety of model engines including a replica steam engine, a 1940s deco engine and a more modern tram style. Something wonderful happens when you’re balancing on a tiny train rattling through the forest: you can’t help but wave at the other grownups on passing trains, at the perplexed bystanders just discovering the place for the first time, and at the birthday party celebrants in the midst of musical chairs. The amazing thing is that they all wave back.
