A Day of Downtown Dawdling

During a family...strategy meeting, if you will...Team WestEnders formulated what seemed to us like a reasonable plan of attack for our Vancouver odyssey: alternate days of "exploring the wilderness" and "touring the city". Following this formula, after yesterday's ramble through nature, today we would remain in the...urban jungle (or what have you). Thus we began with a short drive to Stanley Park, an oasis of green space bordering the downtown area. It offers a plethora of trails--both shaded-forest and harbor-view versions--for walkers, bikers, and inline skaters; lush gardens; recreational opportunities like mini-golf and playgrounds; and historic, artistic, and ecological sites of interest...among other things!

Still dragging a bit from our strenuous hike, we warmed up by strolling along the water, admiring the scenery and trying to soak up some sunshine, since it was actually cool enough for long sleeves, and the breeze, in the shade, caused the...ahem..."less hearty" among us (that would be Riley and me) to even shiver periodically. (Not complaining! It's sooooo nice to be outside enjoying the fresh air and NOT dripping sweat and/or wilting in the humidity. We're loving it...)

Along the way, we passed the formation known as Siwash Rock, a 32-million year old "sea stack" (with an inexplicable tree growing out of it...I have no idea why.). According to Squamish legend, it represents a man who was rewarded for his unselfishness by being transformed--and thus immortalized--as the enduring landmark.

From there, we made our way over to Lost Lagoon, a "biofiltration marsh" and bird sanctuary where the tranquil reeds and lily pads contrast sharply with the skyscrapers surrounding it on all sides. Finally, we wandered amongst the stunning array of gorgeous, brilliantly colored blooms on our way back to the car. We already know we have to go back before the end of our vacation, because there were a number of attractions we just didn't get to this time. So it's only "hasta luego" to Stanley Park for a few days.

Shockingly (not) we'd amused ourselves for long enough that it was now...you guessed it...lunchtime. We decided to search for sustenance at the Granville Public Market, a place we'd all read about in our guidebook, which sounded like someplace that could satisfy all of our cuisine cravings. To get there, you cross a bridge to Granville Island...along with about a million other folks who had the same brilliant idea, apparently. Then you jockey for position on narrow, twisty roads that somehow don't seem made for full-sized cars...and yet have to accommodate everything from cyclists to tour buses. If that weren't daunting enough, finding a parking spot is reminiscent of a shopping mall...at Christmastime. Basically, you circle the block (slowly, carefully) until you happen upon someone leaving their space, so you can swoop in and snap it up.

Ay yi yi. But the...pandemonium...doesn't end there. Because of course once you exit your vehicle, you're faced with the hordes of people who obviously traveled there in all of those other automobiles. Lemme tell ya...crowds are not one of our favorite things. But there was food to be obtained, so we remained on-mission, hitched up our big kid pants, and bravely waded into the chaos. Husband and Derek went one way, desiring fish and chips, while Riley and I had our eye on a place that specialized in veggie bowls and salads. We met up again with our meals in hand, to sit outside, appreciate the vista...and defend our tasty morsels from the marauding seagulls who patrolled the patio with military-like vigilance, ready to snatch bites from unsuspecting or inattentive diners.

After our yummy repast, plus some extra time meandering through the unique emporiums filled with everything from the obligatory souvenirs to handmade crafts and one-of-a-kind works of art, we were both satisfied...and worn out. So we agreed to call it a day, and return to home base for a relaxing evening en casa. That is...until I wanted to step out for one last (theoretically) brief jaunt, and find the pedestrian path our AirBnB hostess had mentioned in her welcome materials. This turned out to be interesting enough that I continued far longer than I'd planned...but I got some nice Vancouver character photos, so it was worth the additional steps...and drained legs.

Now it's really time to give it a rest, because you know what tomorrow brings: more of the Great Outdoors. And with that...goodnight...eh?