Sensory Overload

I grew up in Portland, spent several years in Minneapolis, but after four years in Anchorage I kind of forget what a big city is really like. The endless traffic lights, streets crammed with pedestrians and stores with hundreds of choices are something I don’t have to deal with in a town of 250,000. So arriving in Vancouver I feel more than a little overwhelmed.

I’m a very visual person. That’s probably why I work in television. On our first day in Vancouver I couldn’t stay focused. There were so many signs to read, people to see and sights to digest. If I had been driving we probably would’ve been in a wreck. I tried to take it all in but there wasn’t enough time.

I was also distracted by the shops. As I passed by Ikea, I daydreamed about filling my house with their furniture. When I saw Tiffany & Co., I thought of all the beautiful jewelry. And then there were the grocery stores, ethnic grocers, mom & pop shops, chains stores and fresh organic markets. I knew that each contained interesting products that we can’t find in the U.S. (like Mike’s favorite: muffin mix in a tube)

Of course what’s in the shops is also overwhelming. If you want a piece of Olympic gear, they’ve got it, but it won’t come cheap. The Olympic logo can be found on purses, jewelry, rain jackets, scarves and of course the usual: mugs, t-shirts and hats. Every store seems to have something different and I can’t seem to look at it enough.

So here’s my advice Alaska, when you visit a big city, let a local drive, bring your camera… and if you’re like me, consider leaving your credit card at home.

-Myrna