++ CANADIAN ADVENTURE ++

This is the 27 April 2004 edition of this page

                     Chapter EIGHT

			Vancouver 
                      

11 August 1995 (continued)

AS we got closer to VANCOUVER and entered it, and going via CHINATOWN, we exitted from the coach in GASTOWN for a walk around. I wandered around for about three-quarters of an hour - and bought a hot-dog in another DELI, with the atmosphere of ARBAT STREET, MOSCOW. I witnessed and photod the interesting STEAM CLOCK.



When back on the coach, Robyn drove via COAL HARBOUR, LOST LAGOON and STANLEY PARK (with its TOTEM POLES) before returning to the hotel. There, they had deposited our cases whilst we were in GAS TOWN. I went to my room - the BEST YET with its self-catering kitchen off its Luxury Lounge. I partially unpacked as we are here for three nights with TWO full days sightseeing in VANCOUVER!!

After a while, I went for a walk to investigate the shops, restaurants, cafes etc for the next few days - mainly in ROBSON and BURRARD. Then I returned to my room for 'eats' and TV - before going out again for a BIG WALK and exploration. This time, I also investigated the financial and exchange offices for US-dollar travellers cheques to Canadian Dollars. At last I found one!

Then I walked to the WATERFRONT and watched flying-boats taking off and landing on BURRARD inlet. Shortly, a guy asked me (a stranger in these parts) about the "detail across the water". I said that I believed it to be North VANCOUVER! He and his wife came from OTTAWA - and we three stood and talked for a while before shaking hands and 'moving on'.

I explored the CANADA PLACE PIER on my own - watching the sea-planes, then progressed to try and see the sea-plane terminal. The re-building around the harbour made this very difficult - so I made some massive detours and out-of-the-way walks to the other end of COAL HARBOUR!

After that, I made a long walk back to the hotel via various roads, including more of ROBSON, where I met a 'couple' from our coach (they'd sat directly behind me!)

I then got another ICE-CREAM and listened to some JAZZ in a street - nice, eh!! Back in the hotel, I drank some 'diet pepsi' and watched some of the WORLD ATHLETICS from Sweden on the TV. Following that episode, I experimented with an American 'coffee-making-machine' (not at all easy!!)

This room is SO LARGE and luxurious that I got excited about its 'possibilities' and after I get it 'tidied' the time here should be VERY good!! There is no noisy airconditionner, but a simple FAN that has a scanning and a non-scanning mode. I'm looking forward to breakfast in another venue (here) tomorrow morning!! The right-hand rings of the cooker don't work - but the left-hand ones are POWERFUL!

I settle in for a good night's sleep....

12 August 1995 (Saturday)

It was a 'good night's sleep', with only a few overnight awakenings - just like at home! I re-organised my main-case contents when dressed and shaved.

Then, it was a walk down BURRARD STREET to the "90s Restaurant" for my big breakfast - the 90's breakfast, consisting of 2 pancakes, double eggs, four sausages and syrup, butter and 'coffee galore'! Following that, I went into ROBSON AVENUE for grocery and fruit purchases - for stocking my my 'frig' and cupboards in my 'self-catering apartment' on the 12th Floor (room 1205) of our 30-storey CENTURY PLAZA HOTEL.

I met an English couple (with a London/Essex accent!) between the shops and the hotel - and we discussed our 'findings' to date. I then started my ALL-DAY (on foot) exploration of Western Vancouver.

Avoiding the 'commercial' ROBSON STREET, I took the more 'leavy suburb' type of street to STANLEY PARK (using Nelson Street to Chilco) before finding the 'Lost Lagoon'. I also took various footpaths and grassy walks en route to Stanley Park via an underpass. This way, I avoided cars as much as possible.

Thence, I found attractive ways through the Park - with its flowers, shrubs and the very friendly BLACK SQUIRRELS, photographing each as they 'turned up'.



I found my way to the AQUARIUM and stayed there a LONG while, being interested in the "Killer Whales" (technically dolphins), the Baluga Whales (mother and 3week-old baby) - and all sorts of fishes, star-fishes, octopus, Amazonian fishes in submerged forests (really GIANT fish!), sea otters etc - many of these grabbing my photographic attention!!

I then returned to the LOST LAGOON for food and a walk back to the centre of VANCOUVER.

I watched Sea Planes at CANADA PLACE before returning to the 'Waterfront Centre' for photography - followed by shops in ROBSON and later I went back to the CENTURY PLAZA HOTEL.

There, I partook of a salad for my evening meal - virtually self-made! Then I had miscellaneous refreshments and TV whilst resting my body from the 'six to seven hour tour'!!

In the evening, I made a slow walk to 'Canada Place' and all the way around the 'Restaurant Complex' - before going up BURRARD and PLAZA for the night's stroll.



13 August 1995 (Sunday)

I was woken up by someone's setting on the digital radio alarm 'going off' at 5.55am!! Instead of switching it OFF, as yesterday, I listened to some VERY GOOD 'Easy Listening' music, - very like the UK's Radio2.It turned out to be QMFM 103.5 with good COUNTRY MUSIC and similar styles. Thus I left it ON all the time!

At 7am, I went in for breakfast, at the same place as yesteday's. Unfortunately, it wasn't open - so I walked around the block several times. Then finding it STILL not open, I joined the ranks of the 'confused'. At the nearby shops, initially with a panicking guy, we noticed the sound and smell of police cars!!

For breakfast, I used my own supplies back in my own room, - and later I walked to GRANVILLE ISLAND, along Granville and the Granville Bridge (it then proceeds to 'fly over' the Island.)

On touch-down from the bridge, I then approached the 'island' from the opposite direction.



On finding the market, it proved to 'sell everything', including food which I bought! After much eating and sightseeing, I caught the AQUABUS back to HORNBY STREET on Downtown VANCOUVER ISLAND. There, I rested on Sunset Beach! Thereafter, I continued my walks and 'breaks' along the sea-wall upto and including the ENGLISH BAY BEACH. Then I went up Denman and Comox, passing several 'garage sales', and back to my own hotel room.

There was a viscious HEAT in the afternoon, so I watched TV (channels 2 & 4) for the WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS from Sweden.I followed this by some 'live' MOTOR-RACING from Mid-Ohio (their "Race of Champions"!)

After walking to ROBSON STREET for tomorrow's shopping (and tonight's!), I watched Channel 2's "Country Music" with its 'blue grass' emphasis!! (With thanks to the "Pacific BlueGrass Heritage Society"). Later, there was a discussion programme in the "Town Meeting" series - about American Health Care being dominated by finance, to the patients's detriment! I followed this with a good bath and then a C&W Film "PURE COUNTRY" (on TV in my room) with George Strait singing (Channel 22).

(... to be continued in NEXT chapter!)
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