2008 VANCOUVER

Friday 6^th June 2008

Arrived on time in Vancouver but it did take quite a while to ‘detrain’ as they so quaintly say and I was quite amused at the ‘third degree’ about where I was going to stay and who did I know here etc. etc. etc. Sadly my first impression was coloured by the fact that there was not one single person around to point me in the right direction to find a bus to take me to the Hostel. I had to go outside and find a bus for myself and ask the bus driver, who was much more helpful. He told me to hop on and he would drop me off at the right place. Before long I was settled into my room with three other ‘aussies’ for roommates. There was some kind of triathlon happening in Vancouver this weekend which had something to do with Olympic selection so the hostel had almost more bikes than people and it was full to bursting. What a good job I had booked well ahead!

First thing I did was to acquaint myself with my neighbourhood and find out where the supermarket was. Did a bit of shopping and then wandered off towards Granville Island taking some pictures on the way. The sun had arrived by this time making the evening stroll a pleasant change from the past few days of rain. Vancouver seemed to be a city of contradictions with an affluent and a tawdry aspect living almost side by side. I eventually caught up with Tulip and arranged to meet her on Saturday.

THE SUN IS SHINING!

ABOUT A MILE FROM MY HOSTEL

Saturday 7^th June 2008

I spent most of the morning walking around and took the Georgia Viaduct over to China Town then through Skid-row to Gas town following the usual tourist route taken by the tour groups. I have to admit I was shocked by skid-row. From Gas Town I spent some time at Canada Place just drinking in the history and watching the seaplanes land and take off. I thought about going up the Lookout Tower but considering the visibility was so poor I decided against it. I also chose not to visit the Art Gallery as there was quite a hefty entrance fee. I am used to art galleries being free unless there is a special exhibition. Then it was back to the hostel for lunch and to wait for tulip.

UNUSUAL FACADE FOR A LIBRARY!

NOT SURE WHAT THESE TWO BUILDINGS ARE HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL

CHINA TOWN SHOPS

SKID ROW

DIFFERENT MODE OF TRAVEL!

APPROACHING GAS TOWN

THE STEAM CLOCK

EVERYONE WAITS FOR THE HOUR TO STRIKE

CLICK TO ENLARGE

EXAMINING THE CLOCK'S INNARDS

TO VIEW THE CLOCK IN ACTION

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LN3E6Ey3i9U

THIS REMINDED ME OF THE SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE SAILS

HARBOUR OFFICES I THINK

THE MARINE BUILDING OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE WEDDING CAKE TOPPING

http://www.vancouverhistory.ca/archives_marine_building.htm

THE LOOKOUT TOWER

APPROACHING CANADA PLACE

THE FAMOUS FAIRMONT VANCOUVER HOTEL

CLICK HERE FOR HISTORY

http://www.fairmont.com/hotelvancouver/

VANCOUVER ART GALLERY

SHOPPING MALL

Tulip and her friend Susan picked me up and we set off for Granville Island. It was a very interesting place full of off beat things to look at and do. We came across the preparations for “The Plywood Cup”

http://www.progressbc.org/cpc2/plywoodcup.cfm

This looked like a whole lot of fun and we meant to come back after lunch and see how they had progressed but we forgot so you will have to look at the website and find out.

We found a nice spot overlooking the water and had drinks and snacks. After this we wandered around some shops and just as we were coming out of one we found out what had been happening with all the bikes that were in Vancouver this weekend. We took Susan home then went for a walk to Tulip’s favourite beach. It was a lovely area with some magnificent views of Vancouver.

TOO MANY CHOICES

HOUSE BOATS

CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS IS A HOUSE BOAT?

TOOK THIS ONE FOR HOLLYFIZZY!

JUST LOOKING NOT BUYING

TULIP'S FAVOURITE BEACH

On the way back to Granville Island we spotted two policemen on beach buggies which was somewhat strange for me so we followed them as this seems a good chance for a unique cop picture. After speaking to one of them when we were both stopped at the lights arrangements were made for a photo shoot and he told us to follow him to a place where we could take pictures. They really were most obliging and we did feel slightly guilty as we left them under siege by other tourists wanting pictures with them too. It proved to be a most amusing end to a lovely afternoon.

FOLLOW THAT COP!

SWEETLY ASKING PERMISSION

PERMISSION GRANTED!

In the evening we got tickets to a comedy show called "Wily Raiders of the Lost Improv" It was most amusing and a lovely ending to a great day. When I got back to my hostel I found the street closed off. On asking why i was told that they do this every weekend. The theory is that it makes for more room so there is less violence because there is less jostling for personal space. Apparently Granville Street is the night club area and there is often animosity between the 'haves' and the 'have nots' the homeless regard the street as their territory after dark and take up residence in the shop doorways.

Sunday 8th June 2008
Weather looked a bit dismal with light rain falling for most of the morning but never mind I have a raincoat and I had an umbrella for a little while but it folded in the wind so I dumped it. My aim today was to make my way to Stanley Park. The park is truly beautiful with rhododendron bushes everywhere and of course there was a statue of Robert (Rabbie to his friends) Burns. The last time i saw one of those was in Ontario, Canada with Fran. He is a poet much celebrated outside his native Scotland.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Burns
One of the highlights of the morning was meeting the raccoon which calmly walked out from the bushes on to the footpath without so much as a 'by your leave'. I was heading towards the famous Totem Poles and managed to photograph one before my camera's battery died. Stupid of me not to have brought the spare one with me. See below for good pictures.
http://www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/parks/parks/stanley/landmarks.html
http://www.seestanleypark.com/totems/page6totems.html
I was most amused when I came across the statue on the rock called 'the girl in a wet suit'. Apparently they asked the danes permission to call it a mermaid but they refused. Sadly I don't have my own picture of the statue so I went looking on the internet for one.

ROBERT BURNS

LORD STANLEY

MY ONE TOTEM POLE

MORNING TEA

VENTUROUS RACOON

STEVENSON

Met up with Tulip in the afternoon and we went to a fishing village called Steveston. Steveston has ain interesting history which you can access here if you like.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/steveston,_British_Columbia

We had fish and chips for lunch with a local brew and the waiter took a picture of us which turned out very dark *sigh*. After lunch we wandered around and saw an eagle's nest complete with hovering eagle.
Altogether another wonderful day made possible by another wonderful tnetter. I just love meeting all these chatters who turn out to be as nice as they seem in the chat-room. I certainly hope Tulip enjoyed the couple of days as much as I did. For dinner i gave up on the Veggie Delight at Subway because they had stopped serving tomatoes due to a salmonella scare in the USA so i settled instead for fruit and yoghurt and spent the time before bed sorting out my pack for travelling tomorrow to Vancouver Island.