HE mamphenybr entree vai i ' ‘ by an Noble News Reporter dan@asnewscom A nondescript three: a storey building sits awkwardly among the office buildings, park ing lots and restaurants of West Esplanade, A wood fens, phic stalrs, plente benely, roses and barhe- cue lend a dlttle character to an area otherwise devoid of that Bm quality, Instde, the rectangular BM block looks like a university student's dream deri, Upon entering the front door, pasta Coke machine, a g photo collage of mainly young people having a good tine greets you, Downstairs, In a room lined with pennants extolling tourist destinations such. as Mount. Rainier, sits a pool table and stereo, On, the second floor, bed- m yous, bathrooms, a kitchen (where Raisin Bran is a popu- lar item) and table lend a homey, if spartan, feeling, Up: the stairs, a mural of a oe spire ate parte omega —aartheear-oriprnmery retameninpr Sharebee tone wet ory tweteerer ‘predictor killer whale breaching dn front Of the Vancouver watertiont overs the wall, The artist wasn't paid, but stayed stayed (ree fora week, That bed-lomart exchange typifies the easy-going style of the Globetrotier’s tin. The “T have laughed more in the last six months than in the last 10 years of my life.” — Manager Terry Vermeulen fan is actually a hostel that welcomes visitors to our shores frany countries such as Australia, New Zeatand, England, France and) Japan, saiv Manager ‘Terry Vermeulen, Vermeulen is a bit ofa trav. eller himself. He was born in New Zealand, moved to the Netherlands and then ta North Vancouver 20 years ago. Vermeulen, a carpenter, manages the building and hos- oy . alle t my ‘ t tel operation for the ‘Taiwanese awner And it sounds Ike he's iy charge ofa dorm at times, He ‘said dooking after the hostel can be a 24 hourea-day job, Peaple have been known to come home drunk (i the mid: dle of the night. He said ‘Thursday night is cheap: beer night in Lower Lonsdale so ler 2 aon it’s “hell night” at the hostel. “But most of the time it’s pretty good,” said Vermeulen, He said he has met quite a cast, of characters since he's been cunning the hostel. “fhave faughed more in the last six months than in the fast 10) years of my life," he sid, Nichola Riggs and her boytriend are typical globe- trotting guests — they aren't Canadian, Aged 20, she is from Pukukohe on New Zealand's north Island and arrived in Vancouver after working four jobs at home, waitressing, in London and meeting a man, “Always a guy involved,” she said, Like many staying at the hostel, Riggs’ boyfriend works, While he works, Riggs relaxes, “This iy my Ite holiday,® she sald, She plang to stay in North Vancouver until September, During the week, she dogs’ do much, But on weekends, the pair travel to places stich as Whistler and the Cariboo, Riggs said that after being in London, she's not. crazy about the bars in the Lower Lonsdale area, So normally, Riggs and her triends pass the evening drink- ing beer and. sitting on the poreh, Still, she said Vancouver is a ; \ : . renee cdihihta itt antinaaierodthentiniedenae dndteeabadia tatacteeenantaediateraetmadticannihemte desnath anak dnarae eiaederen eae eahah Areata cee een TR Er Friday, July 25, 1997 ~ North Shore News ~ 13 good place fora holiday, Lots of places to hike and clase ta the United States, “Sometimes 1 get bored but then 1 go tor a watk, go shopping and sometines [ hetp out here,” Rings sald, “It keeps me occupied, ennifer Brener, 25, is tn Vancouver for a long weekend, She lauded Vancouver's cli+ mate and the views, On one day, Brener’s plans Ineluded a hike on the Grouse Grind and a walk around downtown that night, She hoped to be ona ferry to Victoria the next day, The Portland resident said Ss Globetrotting in N. Van’s Lower Lonsdale there’s a fot to do th Vancouver, Since December, Vermeulen has been remodel. ling the hostel’s rooms, He's down to his last couple of rooms, and still has ta: bring some of them up to fire code. In the early {980s, the building was rin as a hostel, he said, ‘Then it beeame a dorm for a language college across the street. ‘Then, six years ago, it was turned back into a hostel, Judging from the architec ture, Vermeulen believes the building was built in the 1940s or ‘50s. VISIONWORKS JULY BONUS SALE Goud. FREE MATCHING CLIP-ONS! with purchase of selected frames - ~ from Aspex.Eyewear.®. wa Vorre ALL FRAMES* “0 SOFT CONTACT LENSES] Bout? FREE SPARE PAIR! 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