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Realizing that Canadians are sometimes thought to lack a sense of humor, the Expo planners have tried to counter that dour image by deploying strolling performers, robot minstrels and pockets of whimsy. "We wanted to be sure that people were entertained," says Jim Patterson, spokesman for the Canada pavilion. On a nice day there are almost certain to be gobs of children cavorting in a playground sea of plastic orange balls or in UFO H20, a humorous collection of splashing fountains made to look like alien space objects. The Land Plaza, with everything from a Singapore trishaw and a Philippine jeepney to a Hong Kong double-decker bus, provides comparable delights. Children, and more than a few adults, climb all over the extravagantly colored vehicles and honk their horns as if they had never heard such sounds before.
Squeals of excitement can be heard just about everywhere, from the diabolical stomach-churning Scream Machine roller coaster to the Space Drop, which simulates free fall from a height of 236 ft. "There are a few scary seconds while you're waiting for the parachute to open," admits one man who ventured up, and down, in a tiny capsule. "But it's a lot of fun."
Expo's main audience seems sure to be families. According to the local tabloid, the Province, Vancouver prostitutes are disappointed by the lack of swingers. 'SEXPO' BIG FLOP FOR GIRLS, headlined the paper. Shoppers are not lacking for other wares, however, from hot-weather Guayabera shirts at the Cuban exhibit to cold-weather Eskimo parkas and beautiful hand-knitted sweaters at the various Canadian exhibits. Because of a favorable exchange rate (the Canadian dollar is now worth 73 cents), prices are relatively cheap for Americans and even cheaper for foreigners equipped with superstrong currencies like the yen.
Adventurous eaters can nibble on everything from bangers and mash (Britain) to buffalo steak and caribou stew (Northwest Territories). To sip with the caribou, there is clear water from an 8,000-year-old Canadian glacier. For those who wander through Vancouver itself--and everyone should--there is wide culinary variety, everything from Afghan to Mexican. On Granville Island, a yuppie heaven of high-priced condominiums and boutiques, several good restaurants on the water top coffee and dessert with a view of the 10 o'clock fireworks display, which signals the fair's nightly closing.
The only real problem Expo 86 seems to face is overpopularity. Lines are already long and tedious, and despite the SkyTrain, the best way to get around --often the only way--is on foot. You heard it here first: take comfortable shoes and plenty of patience.