Monday, June 11, 2007

Vancouver...part 1

What an amazing time we had there. I just thought to take time and sit down and write and link all our experiences for you know what happens if you dont do it while the inspiration is still burning. What totally amazed me is that you have to catch 2 planes to your final destination and it's ALL DOMESTIC! That should give you an idea how huge this wonderful country is. This is Jana and the bear n Calgary Airport. We took Jana with us as her birthday was in the middle of our trip. She turned 6 on Thursday June 7. Jaco and I also have our birthdays in June and so we thought to make it a June baby trip. Tia and Kirstin stayed with very good friends Trent and Shevawn. After we arrived in Vancouver early in the morning with NO breakfast yet (our flight was 06:00) we checked into the hotel and visited GRANVILLE Island which was wonderful and such a great experience. Public transport is very efficient in V and a ride on the bus cost us $2.25 per adult (Jana was free) and the ticket was good for 90 minutes. The buses only took coins so we had a struggle with small change but in the end got that right too! (Jaco and me dislike small change) Granville was a paradise of a sort. the food and fresh market is stuff that calls for a painting! It's a sort of artist village with lots of crafts and a huge fresh food market. Lots of organic stuff too. and cake. and coffee. Our friend Johann needs a stronger propeller for his ski boat and we thought that we had the perfect solution for him. Here is Jaco and Jana trying to "steal" it for him. Jana and Jaco was in fruit heaven and we got some Lichies too which was a great treat for all of us. Oh and I am not meaning to tempt anyone with the cake picture, BUT it was worth a picture!!!








Our next stop was the Vancouver AQUARIUM and although I hate small spaces and reptiles and scary fishes all around me, I LOVED the big fishes and the Belugas. These Japanese sea nettles is amazing to watch. And this blue is my favorite color in the whole wide world. Jana was super excited to see all the sea animals and we pretty much followed her around, just making sure she does not jump in the pool with the sea lions. It was here that I discovered what a wonderful talent this child of mine have to talk to strangers. I prohibited her to take food from them though! No, I am just joking. She loves people and especially little babies ans love to talk and play with them.










So, we spend an hour next to the belugas, drinking coffee and watching mouth open as they performed their tricks. Such clever animals. One has to believe there is a God when one sees such splendor.



Thursday arrived with Jana's birthday and we got up early and ate breakfast in the Holiday Inn. Then we set off to the American Embassy In Pender street to apply for our Visas. This was not the most enjoyable excursion of our trip as we sat there for 2 and a half hours and in the end got the green light to pick up our visas the next day at 3. After our long wait and Jana's infinite patience, we decided to look for a place where we could have CAKE and COFFEE to celebrate. Around the corner we came to Canada place and had coffee at the very fancy Heron restaurant where Jaco and I had New York Cheesecake and Jana had a complementary chocolate Ice cream with Happy Birthday written in chocolate. Fun times. I did not have my camera there as we had to leave all electronic devises in the room (not allowed in the American Consulate) This picture was taken a while later at the Waterfront where we drank Starbucks (there is 100 of them in V) and watched the float planes come and go. we ate dinner at the BOAT HOUSE restaurant and we LOVED the fish (salmon and halibut) we had there, it was totally delicious. The view is also one to enjoy and what can beat the smell of the ocean? Our manner of transportation was the
trolley tour and for a price of $33 per adult it was totally worth it as the trolley (a bus actually) stop at all the mayor sight seeing places. The ticket is valid for 2 days and a complete tour of downtown takes about 2 hours. The bus drivers are totally animated and tells you the most interesting things. Stuff that I am sure a lot of the people staying in V doesn't even know. The people on the bus is mostly foreigners traveling and I was amazed how many languages was spoken!

We also visited the IMAX and saw the Kalahari Lions and Dinosaurs in 3D. Yeah, and I was the one who screamed when the dinosaur almost took my head off with it's tail. What an amazing experience to see a movie in 3 D!! Here is Jana with her little Ferrari! Just a little car for a little girl.

we really made each day into 4 days and only slept 7 hours in our Hotel and the rest of the time we were in the streets! : )


I will tell of the rest of our little holiday later.
Blessings
Wilna
x









9 comments :

Roslyn said...

Wow, Wilna! That sounds like quite the trip!
I used to live in North Delta, just a short way outside of Vancouver and I've been to Granville Island, the aquarium, etc. Wonderful place to visit for sure. Can't wait to hear more!

Sarah Youde said...

Vancouver looks fantastic!

Unknown said...

What cool photos and what a great time you are having! Happy birthdy !

me..... said...

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Jenny said...

Sounds like a great time Wilna, and your photos are lovely. Happy birthday to all three of you

Anonymous said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to all three of you. By the looks of it you guys are having a ball. Lovely pics of V. Havent been there, will someday.Priya

Anonymous said...

cant wait to READ ALL ABOUT IT!

will email you separately
so glad you had FUN!!!

Anonymous said...

Wilna, thanks for the little tour! I've been through Vancouver, but never explored - I live so close, in Seattle, and I, too, am amazed at the variety of nationalities I run into when I go a few hours north.

Anonymous said...

Oh, and a belated happy birthday to Jana - what a special treat for her birthday!!!