Strolling around a rather “salty” sports bar up a side street in a small town on Mexico’s Pacific Coast recently, it was clear customers from around the globe had patronized this popular watering hole over the decades.
Yoyo Mo’s, in the “curious” oceanside “resort” of Bucerias, is a regular haunt of ex-pats and tourists from Europe, the U.S. and Canada, where the bar’s owner hails from.
They had all left their friendly “dent” on Yoyo Mo’s, marking their territory, so to speak, on the bar’s walls and ceilings with donated jerseys of their beloved sports teams.
From the world of soccer I spotted jerseys from fans of Man. United, Barcelona and, from my native Scotland, Rangers and Celtic.
And the giants of the “good ole game” were proudly festooned around Yoyo’s, as well, with the Flames, Canucks, Blackhawks, Oilers and the Sockeyes taking pride of place.
Yes…“Sockeyes” – of Richmond.
“Really?” I muttered, as my attention arrested during my mini-tour of Yoyo Mo’s walls.
Whose jersey is this? And why’s it up there?
I guess they’re proud of their hometown team and “why not?” I said to the barman — let’s call him Mo.
I remember vaguely (I was on vacation) being asked by Mo what Richmond was like.
“Ehhhhh,” I pondered, wondering how to describe a Canadian city that’s about 70 per cent of Asian ethnicity, with the remainder predominantly Caucasian and South Asian.
“It’s nice,” I replied. I wasn’t sure what to say. I’m certain he didn’t have the time, nor inclination, to hear the full story.
Fast forward a few weeks and I find myself knee-deep in a second, six-hour marathon public meeting in as many weeks at city hall with, for all intents and purposes, predominantly Caucasian urbanites arguing with mostly ethnic, South Asian farmers over the size of houses on farmland.
Hot on its heels was another lengthy, heated, public debate, this time with, for the most part, Richmondites of Asian ethnicity going head-to-head with Caucasian counterparts over how much English there is/could/should be on business signs across the city.
Can you imagine the look on barman Mo’s face if that had all happened before I went to Mexico and he had to listen to my story?
Yes, these subjects are important to everyone who’s immersed in them; but the point is, it’s not a great look for Richmond.
We need to figure out a way to address these “cultural” issues, and fast, or people will get the wrong impression of the city, whether it be a barman in Bucerias or one of the thousands of tourists visiting Richmond.
Until then, I’ll just take a copy of the Richmond News on my return to Yoyo Mo’s.
It’ll be much less painful, for all concerned.
