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Published: August 2nd 2015
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Our first day in Vancouver. Supposed to be as rainy as Seattle, and it was - which was as rainy as home in Summer. Nary a cloud in the sky. We decided that after yesterday we need to take it easy for a day, so after breakfast we headed down to the beach and took the ferry to Granville Island. The ferry is a tiny boat that looks like a toy in a child's bath tub. But it did get us across the bay.
We wandered around Granville Island for the morning, visiting the geese and ducks at Sutcliffe Park, watching the boats from Ron Basford Park, past the Giants of the cement factory on Johnston street, and back to Granville Market. We wandered around the market, bought some snacks and a bag of fresh cherries, watched a couple street performers, got souvenirs and in general just relaxed. We ate near the ferry dock and I got bombed by a seagull (they say that brings good luck, right?)
We took the ferry back to West Vancouver and walked along Sunset Beach, where there was a fair going on, part of the 25th Vancouver Honda Fireworks competition. We tried our
hand at pitching a baseball and the kids won a baseball hat, but it was a White Sox hat, not a Bluejays (sorry Dad). The kids did get their picture taken in Bluejays outfits though! We also got some free samples of a yogurt snack.
We walked on to English Bay and saw some rocks balanced precariously on each other near the Inukshuk. An inukshuk is an aboriginal structure made of two columns of rocks (usually two rocks each), a large flat rock on both columns and a few more in a column on top. It's supposed to resemble a man.
Anyway, we continued to English Bay, saw the huge barge from where Team Brazil will put on their fireworks display this evening. We finally stopped for a rest just inside Stanley Park and sat on a bench to have a drink and enjoy our cherries. A little while later we heard some squawking from above. Turned out to be a pair of bald eagles sitting high up directly above us in the tree! What an honor! We watched them for a bit before heading back to our room. The kids wanted to get bating suits before we
headed out again for the fireworks.
We had dinner, the kids got ready and we headed back out to English Bay to catch a good spot on the beach. As soon as we did (and we got a great spot, right on the water), the kids were in the water. They had a great, if short time in the water before the lifeguards got everyone out. Don't ask me why they got everyone onto dry land at 7:30 when the fireworks only start at 10!
But there were shows all around, a stage was put up over the changing rooms and a band was playing some blues and rock, giant beach balls were bouncing around over the crowd and everyone was having a good time. A team of Canadian paratroopers from different branches of the military put on a show for the crowds, jumping from their plane in formation with Canadian flag parachutes. Impressive!
Then everyone waited for dark as the band played and the beach balls bounced.
Finally the real show began. Precisely at 10 pm, as promised, the music played up and the fireworks fired in time with the music. All form of fireworks
were shot up into the sky. Reds, yellows, greens, white. Sparkles, golden rain showers and green smileys. Bangs, pops, fizzes, crackles. The Brazilian team put on an incredible show! And when the last pop finally fizzled out they got a well deserved applause from the crowd.
We made our way back to the hotel for a shower and a good night's sleep, but you can watch it all:
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