Fun in Vancouver

I took the mid-day ferry from Victoria to Vancouver. Once again it was raining and I couldn't see much from the ship. It was also pretty foggy, and I was staring at the fog collecting and gathering on the nearby islands and mountains. It seemed almost like the rain was creating the fog because the mountains were too hot. Seemed like stream or something.

Vancouver felt also like it whirled by. This time there wasn't as much booze and bar hopping, as much as so many things to do and never enough time.  I got there late in the evening and checked in. I went out a grabbed a quick sandwich, and pretty much turned in for the night. I was exhausted! 

This was the first time I didn't feel like a princess in my hotel room. All the hotels I stayed in up until this point were great. The best and biggest one was in Jasper. They gave me so many towels, extra bedding, and all organically made soaps and shampoos. The bedroom there was in the entrance, and it had a separate living room. It was my little luxury palace while I stayed in the mountains.

The hotel in Vancouver was much less expensive, and I could feel it. I had (for the first time since I was ten a single bed. Which was a step up from the couch I had been sleeping on at Simon's. There was just enough room to walk around the single bed, and that was about it. The television was about the size of my computer screen. At first, these things really bothered me. But I got used to them for the couple days I was there. Then Simon gave a get-out-of-jail-free card, and I was "forced" to upgrade my room. He decided to come and chill with me for a couple days in Vancouver. I got a double bed, and the room had a lot more space. At this point, I no longer cared as much as I did when I first arrived there.

My first day in Vancouver I did what I have grown to quite enjoy in a new town. I just wandered. I was staying right in the heart of the shopping downtown. I was surrounded by brand name chain stores, and they were all open late. I was disgustingly happy with this discovery. I also knew, I would probably end up buying a bunch of stuff I would have to figure out a way to get home.

I wandered around downtown checking out different shops. I loved the Chapters, and probably spent about two hours in there. I saw this really cool Sweeny Todd barber type chair in this trendy vintage store.

On my way back to my hotel I stopped by SteamRollers on the recommendation of a friend. He told me to get the Wet burrito, and after reading about the yogurt, and guacamole they put in it, I was sold. I expected this little burrito, and was going to grab dinner a couple hours later. Little, the burrito was NOT. It triple the size of a regular burrito and drenched with these and other delicious sauces on top. It was so mouth-watering I couldn't stop eating. Suffice it to say, I did not grab dinner that evening. I was FULL!

SUNDAY, APRIL 23rd, 2010

Once I had gotten back to Vancouver I sent an e-mail to William asking him if he wanted to hang out, and he did :)

We met up and I took him on a long walk to Gastown. I forgot how cute it looked with it's brick and cobblestone streets. We weren't impressed by the stream clock like all the other tourists were. It's one of Gastown's landmarks, and runs completely on steam. It was interesting the way the steam billowed out of the top. 

We stopped in a cafe and each had a hot chocolate. I love he way William says it, it's a mix between chocolate and the french chocolat. It's like "hot shaw-co-lit". 

We then decided to go to Stanley Park, but walk around the shore to get there. On the way we saw this giant cruise ship.William spoke hopefully about one day going on a cruise and seeing the whole world. He took a lot of pictures of the ship.

We looked across the harbour at how green and beautiful North Vancouver seemed to be. This walk was about two hours or so. We spoke of many things, and saw many interesting things. 

There was this cute water-airport full of planes taking off and landing. We stayed watching the planes for a while, both secretly wishing we could be on them, going to some exotic location. There was also a water-gas station?!! I was so impressed, but yet the questions still looms… how do they get the gas there? I'm sure it's boated over, but it was funny at the time to think of all the silly scenarios.  

The walk was pretty and we encountered many interesting things along the way, like this house on stilts. William took many pictures along the way constantly changing the settings on his camera to better suit the situation.

We also took a break to play leap-frog with some monks. I think Spongy won. 

Then slowly before we realized it… we were in the park. There was a tonne of wildlife and everything was so green and beautiful. We walked through the centre and around Bear lake. We headed over to Ferguson point for the sunset.After the sun had gone we headed back into the city, and back downtown. As we did so, we heard lots of car horns blaring, people singing and screaming. We realized the Canuck's had just won the series. Now they have a series with the Black Hawks for the cup. The streets were such an overwhelming cheer and excitement. William and I couldn't hear one another, and adopted the contagious smiles from the crowd. We grabbed some dinner, and said goodnight around eleven thirty and I walked the happy streets back to my hotel.