Day 9 - Vancouver Downtown

Morning all. Got up and had a tasty breakfast in the Pacific Club lounge, the best cup of tea I have had over here for ages, cereal, fruit, toast, french bread and smoked salmon with a killer view really sets you off nicely for the day.

We go pick the ladies up at the Sutton Place hotel and head off to Granville Island market for a spot of tourism and to drown in the sight of the cake stall.

 As usual the massive selection of fruit, veg, meat etc is worthy of a few photos, a couple of which you can see here. This place is a cross between Billingsgate, Covent Garden, Smithfields, and a top-class food and crafts fair.

We venture outside to stroll around the myriad of clothing and other units where Monica decides it is time to purchase some surfy style winter-wear as they are just approaching that season back in Australia.

 We go to the Blue Parrot cafe for lunch overlooking False Creek and Yaletown.





We find a really strange coloured tulip on one of the flower stalls, check this out.

 This is no joke, it is a real flower.

So next we drive off to find the University of British Columbia, where we
have to find the book shop which sells UBC bears apparently.



Whilst waiting for the ladies to finish their shopping I see a strange animal, well strange for a Brit, it is a dark brown squirrell.

 We really are doing a whole bunch of tourist stuff today, next we head for Stanley Park which is always pleasant if a little chilly today. We spot a heron so it is a good day for spotting local wildlife. They have added another totem pole to the collection since we were here last year.



 Back to our hotel room where we find a bottle of wine on ice and a couple of glasses courtesy of our concierge who is rising by the day in the concierge popularity stakes. We discuss what to do for the rest of the week and decide to try for Canuck's ice hockey tickets for Friday evening, and hey presto, Ticketmaster have just recently opened a block for sale, so we buy four. We think they have become available because there is a lot of disquiet with the Canucks after going 2-1 down in the series and not playing at their best. But hey presto, tonight they come from behind with a blinding third period to win 6-4. So all the locals think we were lucky and clever to get the tickets. We are all really looking forward to it.

The ladies take their leave and Carol and I get ready for our 7 p.m. meal at The Bluewater Cafe.  A short taxi ride and we're there.  Dinner was delicious, a cocktail and G&T to start, Dungeness Crab Cakes for Jim, Smoked Sockeye Salmon Terrine for Carol.  We both choose identical mains - Halibut, new season, fresh off the boat at 3 pm, on the table 4 and a half hours later - cannot be beaten!.  A mix of great green veg and potatoes to go with followed by a lovely hot chocolate pudding with a melted chocolate inside and vanilla bean ice cream.  Coffee and brandy afterwards and then we're poured into a taxi to come home for an early night. Somehow I fear indigestion and strange dreams may occur!