Thoughts on Holidays

This past weekend was the start of the Jewish New Year. For most of us, our families have often been scattered in the wind to many different corners of the earth. Most of us make valiant efforts to be together. Holidays are a magnet for what in the travel business we call VFR-"visiting friends and relatives". It is not the most profitable of markets, since often it is just a car trip and "camping out" at someone's house, eating communal meals and sharing family and religious customs. For many of us, this was our first time we really got to "travel". It did not have to be far, but it was certainly more exciting if we got to bring along a suitcase with pyjamas and party clothes. It truly was about the experience, and not the destination.

Preparing for a family holiday is often mixed with great anticipation and as we get older, sometimes with dread. It is similar to how we we travel, we happily carry(on) our current baggage, yet how we often do we also shlep along our overweight, blown-out-of- proportion childhood perceptions and misconceptions.

Tonight, in reflecting on what this Rosh Hashana meant to me, it really struck me how we use the same word, "holiday" spelled the same way, for two seemingly different experiences, but are they really that different? On first blush, they are opposite..going on holiday, on vacation, means getting away from everything. That often includes work, school, and responsibility. however, celebrating a holiday, a "holy day" whether it is religious or not, implies the same thing. A break from life's routine and most often, it means travelling with (or to) friends or family. We also hope for the same result-a renewal, a fresh perspective, taking time to participate in activities that are meaningful to you-whether it means praying, sleeping till noon,building a school in Nepal or volunteering your skills to improve the lives of others.

The time between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur is traditionally a time of reflection on what we accomplished in the past year, and what we are intending to accomplish in the coming year. We ask for forgiveness and we are expected to forgive. In the past few months, and in the past few years especially, I have been fortunate to have travelled to many corners of the world. I have seen great joy from people living in abject poverty and some of the most unfulfilled people sitting in the midst of great wealth. My eyes and heart have filled with tears of sorrow, having witnessed the aftermath of the useless and senseless destruction of life, property and freedom. They have also overflowed with love and kindness, gratitude and joy in appreciating the simple determination of good people who want to do good things, because they know it is the only thing to do.

When we travel, not as tourists, but as VFR-visiting potential family and friends, means we are making every day a holi-day. Isn't that what life is really all about?

I wish you all a happy, healthy, peaceful and prosperous New Year, and that we should all be inscribed in the book of life.

Yes Virginia, There are Canada Line Police

Tomorrow is my anniversary and we decided to go all the way to the aiport and have dinner at the Fairmont Airport Hotel GlobeYVR restaurant with friends who did not partake of the opening day festivities for Canada Line. Since we did not take the train the entire route as it was closing, today's experience again made us feel even luckier that we live in a city with a rapid transit system like ours. It is part disneyland, with the twists and turns in the tunnels, not unlike space mountain, and then in Richmond, when you come out into the daylight, it is something else again...more like a roller coaster slowly climbing and then dropping into a curve, all the while whisking along the track. Being so high above the city, and with no wall or barrier on the outside of the train- no rail, just a narrow walkway in case of emergency... could be a bit unnerving, but everyone on the train, regardless of age, was having a great time. People were trying to decide where to get off, before getting back on, because the tickets are actually good for several hours in either direction...and after 630pm, it goes to one zone fare regardless of how far you are going.

Our dinner at GlobeYVR was based on their summer 100 mile diet program. The dishes were beautifully put together, albeit a bit on the miniscule portion size, but the flavours popped, Since our friends do not eat some of the ingredients, we were beneficiaries of many assorted tastes. The one damper was that they did not bring out two of the orders without one requested and confirmed ingredient. Since they had already served two of us, they should never have taken away the whole plate for 15 or 20 minutes, leaving half of us to try to dawdle or eat cold food, and never updating us or offering them the other presentations on the same plate. Especially for the price, and how slow the restaurant was, this was unthinkable...but we shared and managed.

On the way back from the airport, we were met by translink staff answering questions and helping as well as watching over ticket purchases. We were pleasantly surprised by the number of fellow passengers, most of which clearly were on a joy ride with no luggage and a few airport staff. There were two young men from Quebec, and when the transit policeman came over for the tickets, apparently one had one and the other either could not find his, or did not have one...taking a 5050 chance I guess. These officers have guns, and the power to insist that they get off the train and they get fingerprinted and the fine (in case you were wondering) is $250!

This definitely generated a lot of discussion on the train, but we think that after scaring them, considering that they were definitely non English speakers and from out of town, they were sent to buy that second ticket...being given a second chance.

So if you are thinking of passing on the ticket purchase, think again!

Once again as the train left the two young men, the officer and the station, we were whisked away into the evening with the white glow of the Olympic rings clearly in sight, and in mind...less than 6 months and counting!