Friday, 10 May 2019
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Unbelievable blue sky as I open the curtains on to the harbour. Twenty floors below are two massive cruise ships moored up. A third is moored up on the other side of the cruise terminal pier. It’s only when you see these ships up close and personal that you realise just how big they really are. Quite impressed with the sheer scale of the things.
Off for a recce to see what’s what for Sunday. It’s late morning, just before 12000hrs and there’s 6,000 people checking in for the three ships. Each ship has its own check in hall. By hall, think a massive exhibition hall like the NEC in Birmingham or a large aircraft hangar. This is big business. Long queues for check in. Am told they’re all desperate to embark in time for the buffet lunch on board. It quietens down later. Noted. Like organised chaos. Will check in later on Sunday to avoid the masses. Don’t do queues.
What better way to see Vancouver again than with the hop on hop off bus. You know the sort. Ubiquitous in every city. A big red double decker open topped bus perfect for photography and seeing all the sights as you drive past. Well. Vancouver must be the only city to not have double decker open topped buses. No. It’s a mish mash of enclosed coaches with no AC, so stifling hot, old fashioned trolley buses with hard wooden seats, coaches with big side windows that slide up, if they’re not broken, or a partially open topped singled decker bus. First bus is stifling. And cramped. Make it as far as Stanley Park for some much needed fresh air and lunch.
As I’m eating lunch, just having a pause as I’m chewing, my unfinished plate is nearly whisked away by an exuberant and far too efficient waiter. Hang on, I mumble, through a mouthful. Continue eating and taking another pause as I’m chewing, my unfinished plate is yet again nearly whisked away by another waitress. Another mumble, and grumble, through a mouthful.
Like Central Park in New York, Stanley Park is a vast open space on the edge of downtown with magnificent vistas of the city skyline and plenty of walking and cycling routes. A pleasant reprieve from the hustle and bustle of the city. The totem park has a collection of totem poles carved by the indigenous First Nation people. Each carving having its own meaning.
The main suspension bridge, the Lions Gate Bridge, linking the city to the north of the harbour was built and owned by the Guinness family and is a main route through Stanley Park to the city. At Prospect Point, which has great views of the bridge, am following two young Indian girls to the observation deck, when one of them let’s out a shriek. Takes a few moments to understand why. It’s a set up by her friend. She’s brought her here for a very special reason. Her boyfriend is standing in the middle of the observation deck, surrounded by candles, rose petals sellotaped to the deck, flowers and some music. A sign says, “Will you marry me?”. He goes down on one knee and pops the question. She says yes and the surrounding tourists all clap and cheer. Very romantic. Last time I saw something like that was in Braunschweig, Germany, in 1997. A young lad had set up one of the footbridges over the small river with flowers and candles and had even got some theatre lights to illuminate the bridge at sunset. To pop the question.
Hop on buses come and go, and it’s worth waiting for the next bus if the one that turns up is a hot sticky enclosed coach. Walk around the headland along the beach path into English Bay. Tankers are moored in the bay waiting to enter the harbour. Everyone is out sunbathing along the beach such is the warmth of the day. Having walked some miles along the coast line to Burrard Bridge, decide to catch the bus all the way back. Wait. Wait. And wait some more. No buses turn up. They should be every 10mins. After half an hour…four turn up at once. You know what they say…
There’s only room on the old trolley bus, driven by an old codger who was probably around when trolley buses were modern. At one point, there’s about half a dozen of us left on the bus. Driver sees some Girl Guides selling cookies by the wayside, and excitedly shouts across the PA system, “Girl Guide cookies, Girl Guide cookies.” Stops the bus there and then. Takes some money from his tips jar, jumps out and buys a pack of Girl Guide cookies. Back on board, he opens them and offers us all a cookie. He’s quite excited by these cookies. But they’re just normal, mass produced cookies with a Girl Guide logo on them. Oh well. At least it made him happy.
Drive through the roughest area of Vancouver. East Hastings. Never seen so many homeless line the streets. Every few yards are homeless people camped out on the street, slumped over, drugged up, screwed up and everything else. Not a pretty sight and a reminder that every city and every country has this problem.
Quite late afternoon by the time I return to the hotel and can’t be bothered going out again for dinner. As I’m on the Club Floor, there’s complimentary hors d’oeuvres until 1900hrs in the 23rd floor Club Lounge. And a view to die for. The free snacks can be made into a light meal, with a bit of creativity, and the paid honesty bar allows you to pour your own G&T, glass of wine etc for an extra amount per standard measure. The standard measure for a glass of wine is 125ml. I know what you’re thinking. Same as me. That’s just the first sip. Hand might have got the shakes a bit as I poured out the gin and the bottle of red wine might have slipped in my hand as the glass was being filled.
Ahem.
Dinner with the most amazing view of the sun setting over the harbour and the snow capped mountains.
And a very large glass of wine.
