Since we were in such relatively close proximity to Canada we decided to spend a couple of days in Vancouver, British Columbia. After some drama at the border patrol (which would take days to explain lol) we made it inside the country! First impressions—-beautiful! Although I must admit it is weird to see people smoking pot so freely….but hey they were harmless!!! We also had some interesting experiences trying to make our American dollars work—that was kind of hit or miss—seeing as how our US dollar is worth less. The first place we visited was Gasstown—kind of like Gaston huh? I really liked this town—there was a really cool steam clock here which actually shot water vapors all over my head! I took that as a “welcome to your town, son.” I had to pose need to sir Gassy Jack himself—now, I know where I get it from—the moniker definitely holds true! This neighborhood was filled with personality and history.
We continued walking through the city—getting up close to the Olympic torch holder, whale sculptures, and mountain views. I do really like how both Vancouver and Seattle are big art cities and public art is spread all over the place. Even the office buildings have quotes and a bit of personality to them. Now its time for more of the downtown area—which was also filled with landmarks like the Orpheum theatre! There was no shortage of cool bars and interesting people watching going on here. There were plenty of great street musicians as well, but I am usually the only person interested in hearing them play.
Many of you may know that I once had a fear of heights. Since I have done more stories on flying in helicopters and small planes…even taking my first flying lesson that has gotten better. One of the main attractions to Vancouver is the Capliano Suspension Bridge—a swinging bridge over a river. Hundreds of feet in the air!!!! It was so cool! I made it across without any incidents! There was also the Cliff Walk which had serpentine climbs and even a glass floor area which allows you to see the massive plunge below. I would also recommend this for you adventure seekers. Its worth it—and you get a certificate at the end.
The next adventure was to find the smiling Buddha statues that I had read about! They were worth the searching for—just look at the photos. They just made you happy being around them.
Finally we stumbled upon Wreck Beach—curious about what a Vancouver beach would look like…we went down—only to find that this is a nude beach. Our clothes stayed on..although there were some enjoying the liberation of nudism. It was a gorgeous beach, get your minds out of the gutter—I found some cool birds perching nearby, and managed some other beauty shots of the area!
The flight home was super early..but it was worth the sights of flying by a gleaming Mt. Ranier—of course the clearest she had been all trip. That just topped it all off…almost like she was wishing me farewell, hoping I would visit again. I plan to.
I have to say that I really enjoyed Vancouver and Seattle. I now have the bug to travel even more—hopefully to California next. Its giving me ideas about the next places on the list to live and work—don’t worry I am not trying to move so far away anytime soon. No matter where you go…the one universal thing I do love is that you can find those elements which connect us all— food, music, art, and conversation. I was happy to experience this and for you all allowing me to share it with you. Until the next trip!
