Earlier in the month we traveled to Vancouver Canada for a weekend with the plan to fly out of the harbor on a sea plane to see the glaciers up in the mountains. The anticipation of my first water take off and landing made my heart beat just a little faster. But it was not to be. The day of the excursion began with gray clouds pushing in from the Pacific where they hugged the rugged cliffs and mountains tight and occasionally gave up a light rain. Our flight was canceled and could not be rescheduled. I had definitely put too much store in the sea plane trip. Land bound and car-less we opted for a ride on the sea bus over to North Vancouver on the other side of the bay. 

I fully expected the Staten Island ferry. Perhaps because our sea plane adventure had been thwarted I needed something big to take its place. My expectations were, at best, misplaced. There was no gleaming lady beckoning us onward or long sighted vision of massive towering skyscrapers. We shared the water with no one. Of course, there were no sea planes coming and going. No giant container ships nudged their way in and only a single white tiered cruise ship looked lonely at her dock at Canada Place.  The quick ten minute trip gave us a slightly better view of an enormous sulphur pyramid waiting perhaps to be scooped up and shipped overseas and the inside curve of the Stanley Park perimeter seawall. Vancouver herself seemed diminutive even as her new high rise apartments framed the view behind us. They seemed wistful against the cityscape as though yearning more commotion. More life. Where was the hurly burly of this great seaport?

But all was not lost as we wandered through the city and its streets busy with the comings and goings of its young crowd. Vancouver seems bursting with young adventure seekers from every continent mingling in bars and cafes. Besides the street life, our very best excursion was just a fifteen minute walk from downtown to Stanley Park. There in front of the rowing club we caught the free parks and recreation bus that included a chatty driver who told us about skiing on Grouse Mountain in the winter, the history of Vancouver's first families and her amazing connection with the Guinness family of the famous Irish beer. As a suspension bridge poked its way out of the forest, he told how the Guinness family had purchased a large tract of land across the bay and built the Lions Gate bridge in 1938 to connect the City to their land holdings.

As we approached the mid-way point around the island the bus came to a halt. This was the driver's signal to launch into his tale of the winter typhoon that whipped in off the Pacific two Decembers ago and toppled nearly a third of the majestic rain forest all around us. The traffic backup was due to the continuing work to restore the island's infrastructure after the storm. He told how two women joggers on the perimeter seawall were caught unaware and were trapped under gigantic red cedar trees as they came crashing down and how another man was trapped for more than two days under another somewhere in the park. Luckily, all three survived but the story sent a shiver up my spine as we looked at the remains of the devastation. Giant trunks were broken off like match sticks. In some places you could still see how the massive beauties had fallen like pick-up sticks making the clean-up as treacherous to man as the storm itself. To escape the now stuffy bus and traffic we decided to walk the seawall the rest of the way, a distance of about 2.5 miles.

On this day, the weather was benevolent sending us clear sunny skies, punctuated with big cumulus clouds and stirred with warm breezes. As we took off over the stone path, three massive container ships rested at anchor out beyond us in the strait.  Bikers, skate boarders, and joggers streamed across the path. Every once in a while we would come across a sandy beach shared by sun bathers at the water's edge and nap takers spread out under the shade thrown by the big trees. We passed a large community swimming pool crowded with kids playing and adults watching. And, although the water enticed us we kept going preferring our own quiet company. Coming full circle off the peninsula we walked though a waterside garden spiked with red and yellow flowers and then turning left retraced our way back to downtown and our hotel.

Late afternoon found us stretched out on the bed to rest before our evening walk. Laid out on the white goose down comforter, we closed our eyes and let the breeze play across us. This rhythm of activity rest, and more activity suited our tired brains and helped drain the stress from body and spirit.  Dinner at eight found us in a variety of really bad or excellent restaurants. We couldn't find the Asian fusion cuisine we had dreamed about, but great food we did find. At Cin Cin built around an Italian theme and big brick oven we ate the freshest salmon and japanese pork, drank prosecco, and coveted the fresh vegetables from nearby farms. At Fuel, sparer in design and feel but with the same fresh food procured from local and regional purveyors including foie gras hailing from Quebec, we enjoyed more fresh fish, and, of course, indulged in the foie gras so delicate and rich that we couldn't hold back our moans of delight. Later fully sated we slept long and full in our white downy bed as the drizzle fell outside.

On Sunday, we made our way back to the airport under sunny skies and wished that we were heading for the sea planes and glaciers instead of the two hour flight home. But that adventure will have to wait for the next time.

All original content copyright 2008 Mary E. Slocum

First stop: Montreal, for one last taste of Canada before I head to Barcelona, and then onwards to St-Jean-Pied-de-Port where I will begin the Camino de Santiago.

After that, wherever my feet go, I shall follow.

The Bagpiper, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.

At yet another stop in Stanley Park last Saturday, June 21, we encountered this man, in full regalia, who apparently just wanted to come hang out in the park and practice piping. Or, he might have been from a nearby very upscale restaurant where a wedding was obviously about to take place. Either way, he had a nice face and looked good in his outfit.

Siwash Rock, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.

After we got down to beach level and walked briefly on the beach we then ventured around on the path around the edge of the water. This is a photo of Siwash Rock, a famous rock outcropping along the way.

Prospect Point, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.

Another spot in Stanley Park called Prospect Point. We parked near where I took this one and then went on a mini walk about over the hills, through the woods, on the beach, around the bend, and back over the hill. It was gorgeous, every bit of it.

The Harbor, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.

Our next stop on Saturday was Stanley Park. It's the third largest park in North America and it's beautiful. Many places to walk, loads of artists set up and drawing/painting and selling their art, a great aquarium, and fantastic views. We stopped here first. Karen and I took a walk with Weston while Mary and Martin went into the aquarium to have a look around. I loved this shot. Reflection on the water, city on one side, forest on the other. To me this photo is very much about what Vancouver has to offer.

Lunch at the Market, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.

This was lunch at the Granville Market. Chicken pot pie with salad. Actually, this was lunch for Mary and Karen. Martin and I had beef pot pies. All very tasty.

Music Man, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.

We, meaning Karen, Mary, Martin, and I, just got back last night from a mini vacation in Vancouver, Victoria, and Vancouver Island, Canada. We had a splendid time. Our first stop last Saturday (after driving up to pick up M & M at Sea-Tac) was Vancouver, B.C. We really only had a day there so our mission was to do a couple of things in the city we thought might be good. The first of those was a stop at the Granville Market on Granville Island. We found a great coffee place to buy chai for Mary and Karen, a cappuccino for Martin, and an upside down dopio con pana for yours truly. Very tasty. So tasty in fact that I went back for another.

We totally enjoyed the market. Great street musicians, flower vendors, shops all around... very cool.

Stanley Park, Vancouver B.C., originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.

Stanley Park, Prospect Point, Vancouver, B.C.

Taken with the Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT.

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Vista aérea de Vancouver, Canadá

Autor: borderfilms (Doug)
Fotografía tomada el 22 de enero de 2008

Vancouver es una ciudad ubicada en el suroeste de la Columbia Británica, Canadá. La ciudad fue llamada así en honor al capitán George Vancouver, un explorador inglés. Constituye el área metropolitana más grande del oeste canadiense y la tercera en el país después de Toronto y Montreal. La lengua materna de más de la mitad de sus residentes no es el inglés.
Vancouver es considerado como una de las tres ciudades con mejor calidad de vida en el mundo. Y en el 2010 tomará protagonismo ya que es allí junto con la cercana localidad de Whistler donde se celebraran los Juegos Olímpicos.