i just finished reading alicia's account of her little holiday in victoria, bc and i'm having the strangest, lump-in-throat, nostalgic reaction to all of her gorgeous photos. it's no secret that i love melbourne, the creativity and activity in this city is unrivaled, not to mention the beaches, the shopping, the parks, the gorgeous spring and autumn weather... but i've never felt more "at home" than i did when i lived in vancouver. something about the west coast just feels so right to me. as soon as i get off the plane and breathe in the slightly humid air, i just feel *good*. perfect. full of possibility somehow. i love the perpetual and almost overwhelming lush green. i love the coastline with it's gorgeous islands and inlets, seals and killer whales. i love the abundance of locally grown fruits and veggies, every variety of berry, mushrooms, you name it. *sigh* i don't know if we'll ever live in canada again but, if we do, i know where. if nothing else, we're going to have to spend a good couple of months on the west coast in a few years so mae can experience all the things i was lucky enough to as a kid in canada - mushroom picking, apple harvesting, clam digging, starfish collecting, trout fishing...
anyone else have a special connection to a place? where and what about it makes it feel like home to you?
alright, mustn't waste any more precious nap time on nostalgia, there is gardening to be done and many sewing piles to tackle : )
Funnily enough (because I am Sydney born and bred), I too have a strong connection with Vancouver and the surrounding area. I only lived there for six months, when I was in my early 20s, but, oh, did I love it. I still dream about watching the sun rise at Kitsilano Beach. Walking the trails over in Cypress and Lynn Canyon. Watching the killer whales from the boat to Victoria. The UBC campus. Bowen Island!
ReplyDeleteAhhh. I would go back in a heartbeat. I loved Alicia's post too. Thanks also for the reminders!
Melbourne. I have a special connection to Melbourne. And yet, here I am back living in Sydney. The family is all here, but still I miss Melbourne so much I could cry!
ReplyDeleteFunnily enough my sister is living in Vancouver at the moment!
ReplyDeleteMy special place, the Blue Mountains in NSW. The area holds many treasured memories and a comforting sense of childhood familiarity and 'home' (does that make sense?).
Having said that I really finally feel Melbourne is where I want to be and where I belong. It's taken 10years though!
i just got back from a trip to boston (wonderful) and new york city (who in their right mind would live here?) and came into vancouver harbour on a float plane. seeing all the gleaming, shiny glass towers of coal harbour, and the first dusting of snow on the lions filled me with this overwhelming sense of happiness and relief that i live somewhere beautiful and full of friendly people.
ReplyDeleteso yes, you definitely have to come back to vancouver, and you can crash in my spare room while you visit.
oh, i can relate! i grew up an hour outside new york city, visited it often throughout my childhood, and then lived there for 13 years before moving out west 9 months ago. i was reading adam gopnik's 'through the children's gate' last night, which is about his return to NYC after having lived with his family in paris for 5 years, and i told my husband that this was going to be a tough read for me because it REALLY makes me want to move back RIGHT NOW. *sigh*
ReplyDeleteon a different note, i still need to get your package in the mail ... but i'm working on it, i promise!!
Vancouver for me too, although a Melbourne girl. I first lived in Canada for a couple of years from 1990 to 1992 and was there again in 1995. For me it's the way the fog hangs over the water. I have so many shots of that, driftwood on a beach in the foreground with that delicious fog hanging over it. It speaks to me of romance, of heightened senses, my associations with that city, the city I'd choose to live in if my husband were posted anywhere for a couple of years. I'd also settle for Seattle or Portland cause you know, they're only a spit away.
ReplyDeleteI live in Vancouver and have all of my life. I have a hard time imagining living anywhere else, it has a very balanced sense of nature even though it is expanding exponentially and becoming very expensive. But I live in the west end, which is right up against Stanley Park. It is a fantastic area to raise my toddler in, the park and the beach are our back yard. I hope you get to visit again.
ReplyDeleteAs far as special places go, I was in Vienna once and my hosts took us for a drive outside of the city, along winding roads spotted with trees, to a vineyard that had picnic tables set up in their yard. There were rabbits roaming around and they served us fresh breads and cheeses, tons of wine, while kids skipped around the yard and their parents sat back. Then when it got dark fireflys flew about. I was in awe. But I also to travel to New Zealand and Iceland and would love to visit Paris.
I moved to Vancouver a couple of months ago - I was born and raised in the Canadian prairies - and it seems like an amazing place to be so far. I love the rain and the fog in the mountains. We have yet to make it to Victoria, or to Seattle, or a number of the other places nearby, and I am excited to see what's to come. As for the special place? The hills in Southern Saskatchewan near where my dad grew up, where his cabin is.
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