Well it's time for another weekly update. It's hard to believe I've been here in Vancouver for five weeks now!
Saturday the 9th of February saw me heading south to Richmond....
I was lucky enough to be able to sit at the front of the Skytrain again (which are driverless - normally...) so now I have been fortunate enough to see the views going out of and into central Vancouver.
Fly pigeon fly!!
Almost at the Main Street/Science world stop!
Note the car sculpture on the right...and of course the North shore mountains. I never get tired of those mountain views.
I took the Skytrain to Waterfront, end of the Expo line and then the Canada Line to the end (Richmond Centre) of that line - it's not a short journey! I joined the Vancouver Venturers Volkssport Club for their group walk of central Richmond. Verni and Connie did the 5 km walk with me and as usual we had fun.
First of all we passed by Richmond City Hall...Richmond is a city within Metro Vancouver that has a population of close to 200,000, the majority of which are of Asian descent.
Here is Minoru; description below. I seem to be taking a lot of pictures of horse sculptures here - and I don't even like horses!
Apparently several years ago they had a "terracotta warrior in the city" exhibition and this was one of them.
First Nations wooden sculpture
Minoru Chapel - now used mainly for weddings.
And we walked past Minoru Lake...it wasn't a wildly exciting walk by any means but I always like seeing more of a place so for me it was interesting.
I met up with my friend Darlene at the mall afterwards and we went back to her place for a sandwich lunch and a delicious chicken dinner that evening - with lots of gabbing in between! (and the usual glass of red thanks to Darlene's hubby Bob)
Sunday morning saw me up early, bright and bushy tailed and ready to head out for more adventure. But first...first, I headed over to White Spot (only the second trip to White Spot in four weeks - I am impressed with myself) for a yummy breakfast sandwich (best I've ever had) and smashed potatoes. I needed to fuel up for another walk! Off downtown and then the 250 bus to Park Royal shopping centre in West Vancouver where I started the eastern loop 5 km walk in Ambleside.
Oh green grass....(not for long!)
Wow, I can't believe I walked across that! (Lions Gate Bridge)
I did a double take when I saw this...and yes, I had a good laugh. Apparently the owner takes his dogs (yes, there was another one in the same outfit; same colour and all) out cross country skiing in these. Okay...but for a romp at the dog beach. It was a crisp sunny day but c'mon it wasn't that cold. West coast wimps!!
I walked out onto the rocks to get this photo - a welcome First Nations figure
I loved this walking path!
You can see the welcoming figure in the distance and behind it, Stanley Park.
About half way through the walk I came across a Middle Eastern shop I had heard about that sold Turkish coffee so I had to stop. Inside the bowl on the right were two turkish delight that came with the coffee. It brought back wonderful memories of Turkey. The owner told me they serve Saffron tea as well so now I must go back again!
As I was finishing up the walk snowflakes started falling - I am so glad I I got out early as by the time I got home the snow was starting to settle...before I left the area I had to have a quick trip to Whole Foods in Park Royal!
And thus began the week of snow that Vancouver has had...
As Monday dawned this was my view....
The only time I left the house was to shovel..and shovel again....Snow doesn't scare me as after all I am from the prairies but I didn't have proper footwear and also I kept seeing reports on TV about how Vancouver was handling the snow. (not well...) The skytrain station I use had people lined up OUTSIDE the station due to people taking public transit instead of driving. (which is a good thing) The driverless Skytrains now have employees monitoring at the front of every train. (still had then yesterday)
Tuesday things calmed down a bit so I headed out to the Burnaby library near Metrotown on the Sky train but well after rush hour! I got myself some books including a "blind date" book for Valentine's day. Of course I couldn't wait for Valentine's day and had to open it when I got back!
I've never even heard of this book - I look forward to reading it.
I wasn't ready to come back here yet so headed off to New Westminster to a Greek restaurant (Stefanos) that someone in my walking group (thanks Sylvia!) told me about. I had perused the menu and decided I was going to order the roast lamb - when I arrived I was told by the server that the roast lamb was on special. Yes!! And it was delicious. She said Wednesday lunch times the pasta is on special so guess where I will be next Wednesday?
Pretty good for ten dollars I'd say.
I was going to explore New Westminster a bit more and go back to give the market a second chance but the snow was coming down quite hard and the intersections were a mess so I headed back here. No snow coming down here in Burnaby though! I spent the rest of the day reading and watching TV.
Wednesday morning saw me heading over to the Kitsilano area of Vancouver. First of all I visited the Wanderlust store which is mecca for travelers. It's just a pity that everything is so darn expensive. I drooled over the Eagle Creek suitcases that are guaranteed for a lifetime - but for $300? I haven't got that much "lifetime" left in me! I then went on the hunt for a coffee shop and came across Lucky's donuts and hunkered in there for a while working on my journal and gobbling a very delicious "long john" and downing a flat white coffee.
I've never had a flat white presented quite like this before...and with a glass of water. This was lunch!
At 2 p.m. I met Verni and Lois at the Running Room on 4th Avenue and off we went for a 5 km walk around Kitsilano.
The kitties of Kitsilano!
Yes, a very snowy beach!
These chairs are an art installation - definitely not tempted to sit on them today!
Most of the path had been cleared...
Stanley Park on the left and the West End on the right
These are historical boats outside the Maritime Museum
Another art installation - this time a mosque.
Falso Creek and Burrard Bridge
Another welcome statue - a twin to the one "we" saw on Sunday
A crow surveying its kingdom
This part of the trail hadn't been cleared and was slippery in places but I had my walking stick with me so it was all good.
Not tempted one little bit to plant my butt on those benches
It was a great walk with no wind and loads of great fresh sea air!
Today (Thursday) I walked over to the nearby mall to get my hair cut and then had dim sum for lunch at a restaurant near me. I stuck to two dishes I knew; not because I wasn't adventurous but because I couldn't understand what they were saying and was too embarrassed to ask them to repeat it. (I was about one of two non-Chinese there) I cannot manipulate chop sticks to save my life so luckily ordered things I could pick up with my fingers...I know, I know...but needs must. I have a mental block with chop sticks - I tried using them in Hong Kong in my early twenties and was mocked by fellow travelers and I am still recuperating from that trauma - that is my excuse and I am sticking to it.
And that was week five - not as exciting as some of the others thanks to Old Man Winter visiting Vancouver but still better than being at home!
Saturday the 9th of February saw me heading south to Richmond....
I was lucky enough to be able to sit at the front of the Skytrain again (which are driverless - normally...) so now I have been fortunate enough to see the views going out of and into central Vancouver.
Fly pigeon fly!!
Almost at the Main Street/Science world stop!
Note the car sculpture on the right...and of course the North shore mountains. I never get tired of those mountain views.
I took the Skytrain to Waterfront, end of the Expo line and then the Canada Line to the end (Richmond Centre) of that line - it's not a short journey! I joined the Vancouver Venturers Volkssport Club for their group walk of central Richmond. Verni and Connie did the 5 km walk with me and as usual we had fun.
First of all we passed by Richmond City Hall...Richmond is a city within Metro Vancouver that has a population of close to 200,000, the majority of which are of Asian descent.
Here is Minoru; description below. I seem to be taking a lot of pictures of horse sculptures here - and I don't even like horses!
Apparently several years ago they had a "terracotta warrior in the city" exhibition and this was one of them.
First Nations wooden sculpture
Minoru Chapel - now used mainly for weddings.
And we walked past Minoru Lake...it wasn't a wildly exciting walk by any means but I always like seeing more of a place so for me it was interesting.
I met up with my friend Darlene at the mall afterwards and we went back to her place for a sandwich lunch and a delicious chicken dinner that evening - with lots of gabbing in between! (and the usual glass of red thanks to Darlene's hubby Bob)
Sunday morning saw me up early, bright and bushy tailed and ready to head out for more adventure. But first...first, I headed over to White Spot (only the second trip to White Spot in four weeks - I am impressed with myself) for a yummy breakfast sandwich (best I've ever had) and smashed potatoes. I needed to fuel up for another walk! Off downtown and then the 250 bus to Park Royal shopping centre in West Vancouver where I started the eastern loop 5 km walk in Ambleside.
Oh green grass....(not for long!)
Wow, I can't believe I walked across that! (Lions Gate Bridge)
I did a double take when I saw this...and yes, I had a good laugh. Apparently the owner takes his dogs (yes, there was another one in the same outfit; same colour and all) out cross country skiing in these. Okay...but for a romp at the dog beach. It was a crisp sunny day but c'mon it wasn't that cold. West coast wimps!!
I walked out onto the rocks to get this photo - a welcome First Nations figure
I loved this walking path!
You can see the welcoming figure in the distance and behind it, Stanley Park.
About half way through the walk I came across a Middle Eastern shop I had heard about that sold Turkish coffee so I had to stop. Inside the bowl on the right were two turkish delight that came with the coffee. It brought back wonderful memories of Turkey. The owner told me they serve Saffron tea as well so now I must go back again!
As I was finishing up the walk snowflakes started falling - I am so glad I I got out early as by the time I got home the snow was starting to settle...before I left the area I had to have a quick trip to Whole Foods in Park Royal!
And thus began the week of snow that Vancouver has had...
As Monday dawned this was my view....
The only time I left the house was to shovel..and shovel again....Snow doesn't scare me as after all I am from the prairies but I didn't have proper footwear and also I kept seeing reports on TV about how Vancouver was handling the snow. (not well...) The skytrain station I use had people lined up OUTSIDE the station due to people taking public transit instead of driving. (which is a good thing) The driverless Skytrains now have employees monitoring at the front of every train. (still had then yesterday)
Tuesday things calmed down a bit so I headed out to the Burnaby library near Metrotown on the Sky train but well after rush hour! I got myself some books including a "blind date" book for Valentine's day. Of course I couldn't wait for Valentine's day and had to open it when I got back!
I've never even heard of this book - I look forward to reading it.
I wasn't ready to come back here yet so headed off to New Westminster to a Greek restaurant (Stefanos) that someone in my walking group (thanks Sylvia!) told me about. I had perused the menu and decided I was going to order the roast lamb - when I arrived I was told by the server that the roast lamb was on special. Yes!! And it was delicious. She said Wednesday lunch times the pasta is on special so guess where I will be next Wednesday?
Pretty good for ten dollars I'd say.
I was going to explore New Westminster a bit more and go back to give the market a second chance but the snow was coming down quite hard and the intersections were a mess so I headed back here. No snow coming down here in Burnaby though! I spent the rest of the day reading and watching TV.
Wednesday morning saw me heading over to the Kitsilano area of Vancouver. First of all I visited the Wanderlust store which is mecca for travelers. It's just a pity that everything is so darn expensive. I drooled over the Eagle Creek suitcases that are guaranteed for a lifetime - but for $300? I haven't got that much "lifetime" left in me! I then went on the hunt for a coffee shop and came across Lucky's donuts and hunkered in there for a while working on my journal and gobbling a very delicious "long john" and downing a flat white coffee.
I've never had a flat white presented quite like this before...and with a glass of water. This was lunch!
At 2 p.m. I met Verni and Lois at the Running Room on 4th Avenue and off we went for a 5 km walk around Kitsilano.
The kitties of Kitsilano!
Yes, a very snowy beach!
These chairs are an art installation - definitely not tempted to sit on them today!
Most of the path had been cleared...
Stanley Park on the left and the West End on the right
These are historical boats outside the Maritime Museum
Another art installation - this time a mosque.
Falso Creek and Burrard Bridge
Another welcome statue - a twin to the one "we" saw on Sunday
A crow surveying its kingdom
This part of the trail hadn't been cleared and was slippery in places but I had my walking stick with me so it was all good.
Not tempted one little bit to plant my butt on those benches
It was a great walk with no wind and loads of great fresh sea air!
Today (Thursday) I walked over to the nearby mall to get my hair cut and then had dim sum for lunch at a restaurant near me. I stuck to two dishes I knew; not because I wasn't adventurous but because I couldn't understand what they were saying and was too embarrassed to ask them to repeat it. (I was about one of two non-Chinese there) I cannot manipulate chop sticks to save my life so luckily ordered things I could pick up with my fingers...I know, I know...but needs must. I have a mental block with chop sticks - I tried using them in Hong Kong in my early twenties and was mocked by fellow travelers and I am still recuperating from that trauma - that is my excuse and I am sticking to it.
And that was week five - not as exciting as some of the others thanks to Old Man Winter visiting Vancouver but still better than being at home!
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