Visiting Vancouver

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After falling asleep in the wee hours of the morning, we barely noticed the 10 x 10 foot size of our hotel room, with an additional 10 x 6 foot bathroom which actually seemed much more spacious in comparison. The morning light barely filtered in through our third floor window which had an excellent view of the neighboring building about ten feet away. Still we managed to drag ourselves down to the Tim Hortons on the corner. The line wasn’t quite out the door; but, we seemed to have a fifteen minute wait. We seemed to be in a bustling part of downtown Vancouver on a Friday morning. Many locals were popping in for a donut and coffee. I ordered the breakfast bagel with bacon and Sharon went with the chocolate chip muffin. I also got the Chocolate Chill which I thought was something akin to a mocha frappe; but, after watching them make it seems closer to a chocolate milkshake. And the honey crueler looked awfully good in the case, so I got one of them as well. The French crueler that we used to get at Jim’s Donuts in Centerville Ohio has long been one of our favorites. The clerk asked if there would be anything else, and I added the hashed brown nuggets. These must have sounded pretty good, because Sharon asked for a second order, which the clerk acknowledged. The clerk asked if she could put the muffin and donut in the same bag, and regretfully, Sharon agreed. Sharon found an outside table for us by the patio railing that separated us from the corner sidewalk. I waited for first my drink, and then my breakfast sandwich. I noticed that there was only one pack of nuggets, and asked about the second. The clerk giving me my order checked her monitor, which showed only one. “I’ll give you the seconds she offered.” Then the order taker came over, and they conferred, and she agreed that there were supposed to be two. She charged me for the second order. I had trouble locating Sharon at first who was hidden by another patron who had just stood at his nearer table. When I came over I saw my crueler sitting on the table and Sharon was saying “I’m sorry, it just fell out of the bag.” I must have looked really depressed, because she said something like, “I’m not going to have grumpy boy today, am I… I’ll get you another one.” I picked up the donut and split it in half and raised it towards my mouth to smell the donut. “Don’t eat it,” she admonished. “It smell’s really good,” I noted. Before I could say anything Sharon was off to replace the donut. The person seated next to us asked if I knew the way to the airport, and I apologized that I’d just gotten in town last night by train and didn’t know my way around. Then an Asian tourist came over, and in heavily accented but very good English asked where the nearest bus stop was. I’d already forgotten about the line, which evidently must have grown since we ordered because I was already done with my sandwich and hashed brown nuggets. I noted that the honey crueler was delicious, and Sharon laughed, “It better be.” Oops, but at least she was laughing about it and I don’t think I’ll be touring Vancouver with “grumpy girl”.



Sharon wanted to go back to the room which suited me because my cargo pants shorts made me feel a bit chilly sitting there on the patio eating breakfast; or, it could have been having a milk shake for breakfast. I changed into some jeans. We asked at the desk where to find the HO-HO bus, and were directed a couple of blocks over by the water and Canada Place. Sharon noted that this was where we would be boarding the Zaandam on Sunday. After making the walk we both agreed that we could manage our bags to the ship without involving a taxi.



Our trolley was awaiting us and we boarded and got our stickers for the day. We boarded the green line “Park” trolley and it took us to Stanley Park. We exited at the totem park where we viewed the several totems in the park. It was nothing like the totems that we’d seen in Alaska; but, the ones that they did have were quite impressive. We also enjoy an impressive panorama view of the Vancouver skyline across the water. Stanley Park was named after Lord Stanley, 16^th Earl of Derby, who had served as the governor general. He is also who the Stanley Cup is named for (if there are any hockey fans out there which I guess we’ll need to look into now that Vegas has a Hockey Team). We had to wait about ten minutes for the next trolley to arrive, which run every 20 to 30 minutes. The guide drove near a 700-year-old live red cedar, and then to a hollowed out cedar where people like to have their picture taken. Someone even took a picture with their VW-bug in there. Alas, this cedar fell over a few years back, and now it only stands with the help of a steel infrastructure. The guide predicted that in a few years the rest of the cedar will wither away and people will still come to have their picture taken with the steel support of where the cedar once stood.



Back at the Canada House we exited the trolley, we returned briefly to the hotel, and then walked around to find a place to eat. We found a local eatery featuring “Smoked Meat” and walked up the steps to enter. All of its offerings we quite unusual with an Asian theme. The only thing that appeared to be Sharon-friendly was the pulled pork sandwich (cumin spiced pulled pork with coleslaw and mayonnaise). We ordered it without that last part. Her sandwich was called “Wilbur”. I ordered the “Billie”, a pork belly sandwich with aioli and salsa. I also ordered the sweet corn chicken soup. I chose a San Pellegrino to drink and Sharon asked for a soda (which they didn’t offer). I suggested the Honey Lemon Ginger drink, and the clerk agreed that that was indeed delicious, and Sharon grudgingly relented. Once she’d tasted it though, and she had that Shirley Smirk on her face, I knew I’d better offer her my mineral water if I wanted to avoid “grumpy girl”. She seemed happy with that, and she enjoyed her sandwich. Fortunately, I had stopped the preparer before they made her sandwich with mayonnaise and slaw. My pork belly sandwich had thin slices of pork and was delicious, as was the honey lemon ginger drink, made with fresh ginger.



We walked back to the Canada House, and this time the red line “CITY” tour trolley was waiting for us. I don’t remember the seats of the first trolley being uncomfortable. We were stuck over the right side rear wheel well, and Sharon was scrunched up and uncomfortable. We moved when people got off a couple of stops later; but, Sharon’s knees had already been stressed. For me, it wasn’t my knees that were hurting, it was my butt. I don’t know why, perhaps the seats were too narrow of a bench. I thought this guide was much better that the previous two that we’d had. He observed all sorts of historical facts and pointed out interesting sights. There was the thinnest building in the world, just under four feet thick. It was actually a two-story structure whose back was next to a larger building. And there was the hotel whose third floor pool had a glass side exposing those swimming to view by those outside in the street. The driver observed “No skinny dipping allowed.” And then he mentioned “Everything looks bigger in the glass pool.” I wonder what he meant by that. And there was the TransAm Totem, a modern sculptural monolith with four cars stacked one atop the other at the top, with the top car being a TransAm. There was also the steam clock that sounds every fifteen minutes in the Gas Town area. Clocks seem to be a popular theme as near Canada Place was a Salvador Dali sculpture with the clock rim in brass and from his melting clock series.



We were both so relieved to find ourselves back at Canada Place and to leave this most uncomfortable of busses on the Red Line of the CITY tour. Back at our hotel we asked about places to eat and they recommended Joey’s or Cactus Club. We went in the direction that he pointed and came across Joey’s. It seemed to be mostly sidewalk dining; but, with some inside dining. We must have looked hopelessly confused because eventually a manager type person asked if he could help us. We were looking to have dinner; but, preferred a normal height table, where most of the patio seating seemed to be bar height. He took us through the restaurant where on a parallel street there was more seating, and he found us an outside table for two that met our needs. The restaurant had just two of them, and we hadn’t been seated five minutes before another couple was seated there, seeking the same thing that we had been looking for. Sharon ordered the prime top sirloin steak. The waitress said that it came with mashed potatoes and vegetables. Sharon seemed pleased to hear the potatoes part. I ordered the prime top sirloin with grilled prawns. I also got the mushroom soup. Sharon got Sprite to drink while I ordered a bottle of San Pellegrino and also ordered the Happy Hour glass of house red blend. The waitress asked me if I wanted the 6 ounce or 9 ounce serving, and I figured as long as I have a choice for my $4 happy hour special I’ll take the 9 ounce serving. I knew that it was too good to be true. The waitress returned and explained that she shouldn’t have asked me about serving size; because, the Happy Hour offering only comes in the 6 ounce size. I said that was fine. Sharon and I both agreed that this was about the best flavored steak that we’d had in quite some time, nicely smoked, extremely tender and a great prime beef taste. My butterflied grilled prawns were large and tasty.





On the way back to the hotel we stopped in a convenience store and picked up some survival needs for our stay in Vancouver. It had been a tiring day and we went to bed fairly early. But Sharon did get all of her daily chores done.

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