First of all, I’d like to wish a very happy Canada Day to all of my fellow Canucks. Our wonderful nation turns 141 years old today. Imagine the candles on that birthday cake!

Today, many people are going to be enjoying some great Canada Day celebrations. This might involve everything from street performers to fireworks displays, outdoor concerts to face painting for the kids (and the kid in all of us). As part of our pre-Canada Day celebrations, Susanne and I decided to kick back with a horseback riding excursion.

Continuing with my dedication to local tourism, this excursion involved a short drive to Paradise Valley, British Columbia. Paradise Valley is located about an hour and a half north of Vancouver, in between Squamish and Whistler. It is there that you will find Sea to Sky Stables.

As you may already know, the drive along the Sea to Sky Highway is already one of the most scenic in the Canada. You wind around the mountains, seeing snow-capped peaks in the distance, glistening waters on the side, and inspiring cliff faces next to you. Exiting off the highway, I continued for about another 10 minutes before arriving at Sea to Sky Stables. I was greeted by the friendly staff and filled out the appropriate waiver form. After a brief refresher lesson, we were on our way.

It was boiling hot on Sunday afternoon, so the horses weren’t as interested in picking up the pace all that much. I can’t blame them. Three hours out in the sun would leave you pretty dehydrated and tired too. A three-hour “adventure trail ride” came to just under $100 with tax (per person). They also have packages for one hour, two hours, and four hours. The video below should give you a good idea of what to expect.

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It’s that time of year again! Although there is officially no Richmond Night Market for 2008, a different promotional group has taken over the same plot of land for Summer Night Market. By and large, the two concepts are pretty much the same. If it wasn’t for the minor name change and a few rumblings on the Internet, most people wouldn’t even know that there is a difference at all between the Summer Night Market in Richmond and the Richmond Night Market that takes place during the summer.

Seeing how I provided guides for Richmond Night Market for both 2007 and 2006, I figured it would only be apt that I provide another guide for Summer Night Market 2008. Whether you are visiting from out of town or you’re doing the local tourist thing, Summer Night Market could be worth an evening or two to you.

1. What is Summer Night Market?

With the growing population of Chinese people in the Metro Vancouver area, the city and surrounding area is really starting to see a lot of Chinese cultural events. Summer Night Market, like Richmond Night Market before it, is designed to mimic the night markets that populate cities like Hong Kong and Taipei.

Street vendors set up a series of stalls where they sell a wide range of products. There is also a section for some terrific “street food” at a very affordable price. The best part is that Summer Night Market takes place in the evenings, so you don’t have to bake in the sun to go bargain-hunting and enjoy some ethnic cuisine.

2. Where is Summer Night Market?

Summer Night Market 2008 occupies the same plot of land that Richmond Night Market has occupied for the last couple of years. The exact address is 12631 Vulcan Way in Richmond, BC. If you know where the IKEA, Future Shop, and Home Depot are near Bridgeport Road and the Knight Street Bridge, then you’re in the right neighbourhood. Just follow the crowd.

In terms of Summer Night Market directions, you will want to take the Knight Street Bridge in from Vancouver. Take the Bridgeport Road West exit toward IKEA. The first traffic light is Sweden Way. You can turn right here and see the crowd. Alternatively, you can continue on Bridgeport Road until you reach No. 5 Road and turn right. Then, turn right on River Road and continue for about a minute until you get to the parking lot entrance.

3. What are the Hours of Operation?

Summer Night Market is open on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings. On Fridays and Saturdays, the hours of operation are from 7:00pm until midnight. On Sundays and holiday Mondays, the hours are from 7:00pm to 11:00pm. Summer Night Market will run until October 5, 2008. These hours are very similar to the ones that the Richmond Night Market had last year.

4. What About the Parking Arrangement?

When I went last weekend, parking was surprisingly plentiful. Do not park in the Home Depot, Future Shop, or IKEA lots, because your car will be towed. There are pay parking lots in and around on Sweden Way and Vulcan Way near the Summer Night Market. These lots typically charge between $4 and $5 for the length of your stay that evening. You may also find some free street parking, but be sure to observe the signs.

The official Summer Night Market parking lot is accessed from River Road. Check the directions that I provide above for how to access this lot. As of last weekend, the parking fee was set at $4. This may or may not change as the summer goes on.

5. What Should I Expect for Food?

A big reason why people go to the night market is for the street food. There are two rows of stalls where vendors sell a wide variety of ethnic food. There appears to be more diversity than in the early years of the Richmond Night Market. There are stands that sell Chinese dim sum items, hot and sour soup, Japanese takoyaki balls, Korean rice rolls, mini donuts, Taiwanese stinky tofu, barbecue skewers, and bubble tea. Most items are available for under five dollars.

6. What Can I Buy at Summer Night Market?

The vendors who rent the stalls at Summer Night Market change over the course of summer. Among the items that you can expect to find available are Vietnamese karaoke DVDs, inexpensive clothing, no name MP3 players, toys and puzzles, trinkets and curios, video games, cell phone accessories, and more. There was also a stand that was selling novelty street signs, as well as one that was selling strapless sandals.

7. Any Tips or Info for Shopping?

Bring cash. None of the vendors take any form of plastic payment, so make sure that you have cash in hand. Also bear in mind that most vendors will not provide you with any proof of purchase, so be sure that you actually want what you are buying. More likely than not, you will be able to get any sort of refund or exchange. Also, the quoted price may not necessarily be the best price you can get. Buy multiple items at a time and you may be able to negotiate for a better bargain.

8. What Else Can You Tell Me?

Is there anything missing from this guide that you would like me to cover? Use the comment form below to ask any questions you may have about Summer Night Market and I will do answer them to the best of my ability. You can also check the official website for information as well.

Now that the kids are out of school for the summer, most families plan to take their vacations around this time of the year. We all need a break, right? Some people may choose to walk the Great Wall of China, whereas others may take shorter jaunts to a summer cottage. Whatever the case, when most people think about a vacation, they instinctively think that they have to leave their hometown.

With gas prices being the way that they are, many families are having a hard time coming up with enough money to fly half-way across the world for a holiday. For a more frugal getaway, don’t forget that there are plenty of tourist attractions right in your backyard. This past Wednesday, for example, I took a 40-minute drive to Aldergrove to visit the Greater Vancouver Zoo.

Think about some of the activities that you do when you go on vacation. When I was in San Diego, I wanted to go to the San Diego Zoo. Even so, it’s been ages since I visited my city’s zoo and I had a 2-for-1 coupon from the Entertainment Book. It was time to pay them another visit.

Be a tourist in your own town and not only can you save a lot of money, you can have just as much fun as when you’re on vacation away from home. You save on accommodation costs, travel insurance, and all those other expenses related to a holiday. And then you can save some more with coupons. You also don’t have to deal with customs and border security.

This summer, try being a local tourist. I know I had a lot of fun at the Greater Vancouver Zoo, checking out the black bear, bald eagle, giraffes, and so much more. Watch the video below to see what it’s like to “step into the wild” at the Greater Vancouver Zoo.

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Prior to my adventure in Las Vegas earlier this year, the only real trade shows that I have attended have been small ones in and around the Vancouver area. Needless to say, a major event like the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is a heck of a lot larger than the rinky-dink shows that usually take place in Vancouver.

Heading into Taipei for this week’s Computex Computer Expo, I had a pretty good idea of what to expect. They say that Computex is the world’s second largest technology trade show, being outdone only by CeBIT in Germany. Yes, it’s pretty massive.

Now that I have been to two of the biggest technology trade shows on the planet, I thought that it would be apt to compare them. Some of the experience has been much the same, while other parts have been completely different.

Who Are These Guys?

Although CES in Las Vegas was absolutely massive, I was familiar with a lot of the brands that I saw on the trade show floor. Booths were set up by companies that are visible to the end user, like D-Link, Belkin, and SanDisk. While some of these firms also set up booths for Computex, a good portion of the trade show floor — which spans several floors of two exhibition halls — is occupied by OEM manufacturers that you probably don’t know about and, unless you’re in their target niche, will never hear about.

Taiwan is home to a lot of these OEM and ODM manufacturers. They build products that are later branded by other companies. Apple MacBooks are not actually “made” by Apple. Furthermore, each of the individual components of a computer or some other electronic device are actually sourced from a number of different companies. There are booths here that highlight nothing the tips of an iPod dock connector for instance. Computex is largely attended by buyers. They’re shopping for manufacturers where they can source these individual components.

Somewhat related to this phenomenon is the language barrier. Some product reps are able to speak English, but a lot of them can communicate only in Mandarin Chinese. Needless to say, this makes asking questions a lot harder than CES in Las Vegas.

Taking Care of the Press

Both Computex and CES have press centers where members of the media can set up camp, uploading pictures and articles for public consumption. These press centers are filled with computers and Wi-Fi access, so there’s really no reason why you can’t stay connected while at one of the giant tech trade shows.

Unlike CES, however, the Computex press centres do not provide meals for the press. While at CES, I was given a series of lunch tickets upon checking in for the first time. At around noon of each day, I could go to the press room and grab a plate of pasta or something. With Computex, this simply does not exist. Instead, they just leave small pastries and a pot of coffee. If you’re lucky, you might find a sandwich.

It’s Time to Party

Checking out all the latest technology is fun and all, but the real fun begins when the trade show floor closes for the day. We get invited to a bunch of parties hosted by these technology companies and most provide us with free food and an open bar. It just wouldn’t be right to turn down free booze.

The quality of the parties seem to vary considerably. We had a lot of lame parties in Las Vegas, but we also had some great ones. The same can be said about Computex in Taipei. The strange thing is that the vast majority of Taiwan parties seem to end by 10pm or so at the latest. After that, it’s time to go back to your hotel room.

Las Vegas being what it is, it’s a lot easier to stay out until past 3 or 4am. I know that when I was there for CES 2008, there were several nights were the parties were followed by hours of poker. That’s the nature of a 24-hour town, I guess, and not necessarily reflective of CES itself.

Booth Babes

There are booth babes at both major computer expos, but the styling is just different. It makes sense, because they have to cater to the target market. Booth babes in Las Vegas are generally Caucasian and more voluptuous, whereas the babes in Taiwan are generally Asian and more petite.

Computex also seems to have more “wandering” booth babes, whereas the girls tend to stick to their booths in Las Vegas. Computex does seem to be more of a spectacle too, because they’ll have dancing booth babe shows and cheerleader demonstrations. They work a lot harder to get your attention.

No Better, No Worse, Just Different

Massive technology trade shows are fun, no matter where you are in the world. The Consumer Electronics Show and Computex Taipei both have their strengths and weaknesses. If you have the opportunity to attend either, particularly as press, I highly recommend it.

Computex Taipei 2008 is the second major technology trade show that I have ever attended. I went to the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January and now I find myself in Taiwan for the world’s second largest computer expo. Fumbling my way through the city with a very minimal understanding of Mandarin has been quite the challenge, but we’ve managed to survive thus far.

While I have been here since last Saturday, Computex didn’t officially start until Tuesday. I fully expect to get flooded with lots of Chingrish and funny knockoff products. Heck, there are even companies like MicroNet above that try to copycat entire organizations. I wonder if MicroNet’s president is named Gill Bates or something.

While on a shuttle bus between locations, I managed to get a good look at the Taipei 101. As of this writing, it is still the tallest building in the world, but it will be usurped next month by some tower in Shanghai and then that will be beat by yet another tower in Dubai. The Taipei landscape is awfully strange, because all the buildings around the Taipei 101, which has 101 floors, are relatively short.

That’s Asus accepting one of the inaugural Computex Design and Innovation Awards. The selection of the winners was conducted by iF, an organization that also hands out design awards at other trade shows like CES.

Although the trade show floor was not officially open yet, Stephen Fung and I decided to give ourselves a bit of a sneak peak. We saw them working on the Asus Eee PC booth, for example, but Stephen couldn’t help himself when he saw a booth set up with Guitar Hero. Too bad he sucked really bad.

A big part of the fun of attending shows like Computex is gawking at the booth babes. Here’s the lovely lady from Choiix, a brand off-shoot from Cooler Master. They’re going to specialize in laptop accessories that are both fashionable and functional.

Unfortunately, not all booth babes are created equal. At the official Asus Eee PC 901 and Eee PC 1000 launch event, they hired one model that probably should have kept her mouth shut. Someone needs to call her an orthodontist.

To conference is glorious. I’m still in the process of trying to accumulate more free swag. Ed Lau, Stephen Fung, and I already have a great idea for a contest giveaway when we come back. Let’s just say that some creativity is needed to win. Stay tuned!

Growing up, I had my fair share of fast food. It was not out of the ordinary for me to pig out on some Church’s Chicken, Burger King, and the almighty golden arches known as McDonald’s. That probably, in part, explained why I wasn’t the skinniest kid in the class either.

While I am all for experimenting with international cuisine, it’s a little hard when you can’t even read the menu. As part of our adventure here in Taiwan, Stephen and I succumbed to the allure of an English menu at a fast food restaurant. We don’t have Mos Burger locations back in Canada, so it’s almost like we’re trying something novel. Some of the stuff on the menu is your normal burger fare, while other items are a little more exotic.

Stephen decided to take the safe route, ordering one of their highly advertised special value meals. It consisted of what appeared to be a chicken burger, a green salad (with corn), and a cold drink. Stephen says that the chicken was crispy, but his overall experience was average at best.

For more of a unique flavor, I decided to create my own Mos Burger special value meal. I got a beef sandwich wherein the regular bun was replaced by a “bun” made of compressed rice. It was a lot smaller than I was expecting, but the beef rice burger was pretty decent in terms of flavor and originality. The rest of my meal consisted of five butterfly shrimp and an iced coffee.

Here’s a closer look at the beef, lettuce, and rice bun. The sandwich had a footprint that wasn’t much bigger than your average cookie. Shame. Maybe I should have ordered two or three instead.

Although Mos Burger is a fast food joint, there is some level of table service. After placing your order, you are given a number on a stand and they bring your food to you when it is ready. We got lucky number 28 (in Cantonese, two-eight sounds very similar to “easy to prosper”), but it seems that the number drew the attention of an undead spirit. I guess she really wanted my beef rice sandwich.

My assumption was that eating in Taipei would be similar in pricing to eating in Hong Kong. The total for our two meals came to 270 NT, which works out to about nine bucks. Considering the small portions, this isn’t all that cheap. Food is probably cheaper at places with no English, no public washrooms, and no health standards.

Our quest for good Taiwanese food will probably pick up when John Chow arrives, because his wife Sarah can actually speak Mandarin! That’ll certainly open some doors for the rest of us.