A snowy kind of May

It was a good time to make a side-trip to the resort town of Banff in the Canadian Rockies. There was snow everywhere - on the rugged mountain slopes, on the ground, on roof tops. I loved the feel of the sun on my face even as I bundled up against the cold cold wind that blew throughout the day.

It was too early for the full invasion of clueless and mindless tourists. I shamelessly and openly gawped at the few out-of-season tourists doing the usual bizarre stuff that clueless and mindless tourists do. Like having their pictures taken standing on thin ice next to the sign that said "Caution - Thin Ice". Like lying on the snow striking a pose that resembled a sit-up.

I walked away from the jarring people, blocking them out of my mind's eye.

I gave myself over to the sheer beauty and majesty of the surrounding rugged mountains and backcountry wilderness.

I want to remember the smell of alpine meadows on a day in May. I want to remember that I was happy and at peace with myself.

Asian Foods of Vancouver

Vancouver is the most Asianized metropolis in North America.

I stayed in Burnaby, an eastern suburb of Vancouver; I could have been in any Chinese city. The place is very Asian. Specifically, it is very Chinese.

The best eats in town is Asian. So, for the few days that I stayed at the Hilton in the Metrotown neighbourhood of Burnaby, it was Asian meals 80% of the time.
Just for you, imp, for asking: here is the obligatory sriracha chilli sauce found in every Asian restaurant in North America.
Our Alaskan King Crab dinner deserves special mention. For starters, this is my first real Alaskan King Crab meal. The monster crab was obscenely huge at 5.5kg. It was served up 3 different ways: we had steamed crab legs, battered and fried crab meat, and egg/crab fried rice.
Definitely, Asian food is the way to go when in Burnaby-Vancouver.