Stanley Park and Granville Island


No visit to Vancouver would be complete without a circuit of the scenic Stanley Park. It is almost fully surrounded by the sea and harbour, and is about half an hour walk from our hotel. The park, with its coyote warnings, green areas and forest is a welcome retreat from the frantic city streets, where Porsche Panamerica's are cruising past dope shops and homeless people living in shop doorways. We passed by a sad group of wasted druggies openly smoking meth from bongs on a busy footpath. Although our problems are minor in comparison, the subject of housing the disadvantaged has cropped up in Oamaru recently too. 



A cannabis shop on every block.



The Totem Pole

The walk around the perimeter of the park is about 8km, the cool sea breeze soothing sweaty brows as the day heated up to 28 degrees C. We had a great lunch in the Teahouse restaurant at the half way mark, before passing the beaches full of sun bathers, paddlers and guy with a metal detector looking for riches.The harbour is busy with bulk freight, container and cruise ships, and there are warning signs saying it is unsafe to swim in the sea.


Piles of sulphur ready to be loaded onboard freighters


"Girl in wetsuit" statue




There are many more EVs on the road compared to home, which must be improving the air quality of the city. The streets are mainly clean here but people seem to prefer their coffee in disposable cups, even when eating inside, in comparison to Wanaka, where they are banned. 



Sculptures celebrating laughter. 

There are lots of breweries.

We don't have time to visit the mountains this time, but on day one they were just a smoky presence in the background. There are heaps of breweries and we have done our best to research as many as possible. No research has been done on the many cannabis outlets.

Heavy rain on day two had us were scurrying from shelter to shelter while visiting the tourist trap of Granville Island.  It was so wet  everyone had the same idea trying to get inside so we couldn't get in to sample the products at Granville Brewing Company; no room! The little aqua bus across False Creek was fun and we were eventually successful finding the legendary Canadian Cinnamon Roll.



Meat prices that might turn you into a vegetarian. 


The rain stopped in the evening prompting us to wander over to Gastown and the busy but welcoming Steamtown Brewing Company. The beer and food were excellent and the whole Gastown area, which used to be very industrial and rundown, had been tastefully renovated. It was teaming with tourists.




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