Vancouver Aquarium and Stanley Park

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After a very long flight and a drive that felt equally long, we arrived in Canada! Border control was somewhat less exciting than I had imagined, but I still hadn't been in Canada since I was a little kid. Martin was the only person who had to have his passport checked and stamped. Well, Martin and Weston the dog. They both look like shady characters so I can't really blame those Mounties.

We arrived late the first night and stayed in a nice, but simple Days Inn. Martin and I were amazed by how convenient and friendly the staff made our stay. Such a change from Britain. We ordered room service, which really was supposed to close at 11PM but they made an exception for us and packed up lots of appetizers, beers, and deserts for us too. The food was so much more delicious than any restaurant you can find in Britain that isn't outlandishly expensive. Such a different life style. I couldn't believe how I'd already forgotten. Although, this was the first time I'd been back in the US/North America since moving a year ago. Time really seems to fly, doesn't it? The other remarkable thing we noticed as soon as we set foot on Canadian soil was how warm it was. The summers in England are dreadfully cold and gloomy and even in Canada where they're not exactly known for their heat, it was 75 degrees and sunny. I could actually go out without a jacket on. Unbelievable.

The next morning we wandered around Vancouver and did some shopping. We found loads of small vendors selling art and handmade goods. I found a very nice leather purse that was calling to me, and we bought an Ikebana for our living room. An Ikebana is a Japanese flower vase which has a spikey thing at the bottom where you essentially impale your flowers. This keeps them standing up straight and allows you to make intricate floral arrangements. I liked it because it was pretty and pink.

We also checked out the Vancouver Aquarium, which wasn't as impressive as some I've seen, but the child in me has to go to zoos and aquariums whenever I get the change. Weston, of course, wasn't allowed in so the "adults" stayed outside while Martin and I went in to explore the animals. The most impressive things were the seals and the baby Beluga Whale. I enjoyed myself immensely as I always do when animals, and particularly baby animals, are involved.

After the aquarium we headed to Stanley Park for a nice walk along the bay. It was a beautiful day and I had forgotten how beautiful the Pacific Northwest could be: the pine trees surrounded by snow covered mountains. It was very idillic. We walked along the path for about an hour before realizing that it was getting late and we were hungry. So we picked a path back up the hill toward the car. Once we'd arrived back at the car we ordered some delicious ice cream cones and headed back to the hotel for some more room service and an early night. Martin and I were still feeling the effects of our 8 hour time difference. 7PM was actually 3AM. Ugh.

To view the full set of photos from our Canada and Portland trip see our site on Flickr
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