I blame Sony.  If it weren’t for the fact that my Sony DSC-F717 broke on the day before leaving for SHARE, I wouldn’t have had to break the freeze.  So it’s their fault I now have a nice new Nikon D50 D-SLR.  Sorry Susan.  :)

I did a bit of research before I left (about 1am Sunday morning, when I should have been finishing packing), and the Nikon came up trumps in several reviews.  I would like to have stretched to the D70, which has a few improvements that take it out of the “amateur” class compared to the D50, but I really couldn’t justify it given that I’m barely going to use most of the features of the D50 as it is.  I did get the dual-lens rig though — I think I can get use out of a telephoto lens, and it was worth getting the whole setup together rather than going shopping for a tele lens later.

I got a good deal on it too — Nikon has just dropped the price, and with the help of Roger and his uncle at the Chinese-owned camera shop we went to I managed to get a deal that was very competitive.

When the Sony broke, Susan told me that it must have happened for a reason.  I’d like to think that the reason was that it was time for me to start into DSLR photography.  I reckon there’s a chance that Susan’s idea of the reason was to see if I could resist the temptation to buy a new toy while overseas.  Sorry, honey…

What a really nice place Vancouver is!  I’m having a great time and almost beginning to regret that we didn’t plan more time here.  The weather today was just great; sunny all day, more like an early-winter day at home.

Today’s activities saw us at yum-cha (dim-sum here I think, will have to get Roger’s confirmation) with some of Roger’s family and friends this morning, followed by a visit to Stanley Park and Prospect Point (coffee looking over the Lions Gate Bridge), a ride on the SkyTrain from Roger’s uncle’s place back to the city, then a magnificent dinner of Cantonese food (again with Roger’s family).  The friendliness and hospitality is just wonderful (not to mention the food!).

I think my list of favourite places in the world is about to grow by one…  :D