Smile!

Originally uploaded by ms_doyle.

We were at the Vancouver Chinese New Year Parade on Pender and Columbia in Chinatown. This was the most exciting and meaningful parade I have ever attended. Real gravitas. Meaningful in ritual, cultural significance, meaningful in history and the building of a new community.

My son was with us and was enthralled by the spectacle, especially the dragons, but what really enthralled me was the town.

This city put on its shiny clothes, banged the big drums, waved its flags and exorcised the demons of a long wet winter. It felt good to shake it out.