100918 Vancouver

Border Crossing – I drove to Blaine so I could cross the border there and see the Peace Arch (and it’s closer to Vancouver). There wasn't any place to stop, so I didn't get a very good look at the Peace Arch. Despite my anxiety, (due to my Victoria Customs experience, I imagine), it was a breeze. I’d been told I could bring across no unpackaged meat, fresh fruit, nor fresh vegetables (and the website even mentioned eggs and dairy). I’d even sacrificed and drunk one of my wine coolers earlier in the week so that I’d be under the liquor limit. :-) I expected them to search my fridge like they did the last time I crossed the Canadian border in my RV. But no inspection. And he didn’t even ask about fruits or alcohol or any of that. Just the usual questions about where was I going, how long was I going to stay, etc. I guess it pays to cross at a busy border station. (The lines were long.) They don’t have time to get too nosy. Whew! That was a relief. I stopped immediately at the Info Center and changed my American dollars for Canadian dollars, and got information about RV camping and RV parks and stuff. The visitor center person said there are no rest areas in BC like they have in the US (they aren't as plentiful as they are in the US, I have seen only three), and you can’t park in parking lots in BC like you can in the US (somewhat true – I’ve seen one Wal-Mart and it said “no overnight parking” but I have seen a semi parked beside the road, apparently overnighting, so I think there are some options).

Harbor Tour – The last one-hour harbor tour of Burrard Inlet was at 2:45 and I just made it. (There were no spots left on the bus tour; I tried that first.) The little bit I saw of Stanley Park as I walked through, looked wonderful [photo above]. Next time I will spend more time there. I enjoyed the harbor tour. I saw some things I’d never seen before (piles of sulphur, piles of salt, container-unloading cranes at the dock, a drydock for a huge ship). The view of Vancouver from the water is unparalleled. I’m glad I did it. It gave me the “lay of the land” so that the layout of the city was clear to me (and I knew exactly where I needed to go). We saw the the building with grass on its roof (Convention Centre),the place where the Olympic torch was lit (Canada One), the building where the Olympic communications center was located (Canada One), and the building that looks like it has white sails on its top that is on all the brochures (Canada One).
Latte – I decided to walk to Café Artigiano’s and get a latte. They are supposed to have the best lattes anywhere, and it was very good. And they have won awards for their latte designs. That gave me a chance to take a look at the city. I did get a latte. It did have a pretty design on its top. It was good. Worth the walk. What looked to me like older buildings from a distance, aren’t. There were a lot of beautiful downtown buildings. All the silver high rises seem to be compliance with some kind of city requirement. And amongst all the new buildings, occasionally there would be a very old one. Like this beautiful Wesley church. I saw lots of high fashion on the streets – both men and women; reminded me of New York City that way. But Vancouver is much cleaner than NYC. I only saw three homeless people – much fewer in Vancouver than in NYC. And there are no taxi’s. Less traffic. Cars are small, like in Europe. Gas is over $1.14 per liter (which is about $4 a gallon). Lots of Japanese around.

False Creek Ferry – I walked to the west end of the peninsula that holds Stanley Park and downtown. I took a 40-minute tour of False Creek that took you to their usual stops (Yaletown, Granville Island, Science World) on one of their little ferries. (Thanks to my motion sickness watch!) I saw the Olympic Village, where all the Olympic competitors were housed. Also saw the new roof they’re putting on their convention center (where the opening ceremonies were held) that looks like a crown. I stopped at Granville Island and checked out some of the shops.

Sunset Beach – I walked along Sunset Beach while the sun set in the west.

Lion's Gate - When I left Stanley Park, I went over Lion’s Gate Bridge. Going over the bridge at night was scary, but, also, with the bridge all lit up, and the city lights on both shores, spectacular! I wish I could have taken pictures (no stopping allowed, and I was driving). :-)

Rain - I’ve learned that forecasts for rain in this part of the world don’t necessarily mean a rainy day, nor rain all day. It often rains in the early morning, or in the late afternoon or evening, with a beautiful sunshiney day in between. That was the case today, as well as the last two days. The sun came out when we were on the harbor tour and turned the gray day into a beautiful, colorful one. And the weather is wonderful here. I wore only my thin, short-sleeved sweater all day and was comfortable. Even after dark. I saw people in T-shirts and shorts, even after dark. Amazing! How can the weather here be so much better than it is in North Dakota, when this is further north? The tempering influence of the ocean, I guess.

So, Vancouver is my favorite Canadian city. So far. :-) Really. I loved it. I definitely want to come back and spend more time here. One day was not near enough.