Vancouver

Hey all!
Yesterday we flew into Vancouver from Calgary. We arrived around half nine in the morning into pouring rain, and the rain still fell as we drew the curtains for the night. Bit of a washout. We had a quick look 'round the local area and organised our onward travel to Seattle (Move over ex-cons, we're travellin' Greyhound!), but all in all in was a bit miserable and we quickly got bored of getting soaked. This morning looked a little brighter and the forecast said the rain would stop so we planned a full day. Firstly we walked up to Gastown, the old part of Vancouver now famous for the small grid of streets and the Steam Clock. It whistles the Westminster Chimes (Pompey Chimes?!) and has a fancy mechanism on show.

Afterwards we got the SeaBus over to North Vancouver and bus to the Capilino Suspension Bridge. Imagine an Indiana Jones rope bridge, except with steel cables and no missing plank in the middle. It stretches across a canyon and leads into a rainforest of centuries old Firs and Pines, with 'Robin Hood' style rope bridges and platforms stretched between them. Very nice.

We got the Bus and Ferry back and then went to Stanley Park, a large park at the end of Vancouver Island. We saw the Totem Poles there, watched a bit of Cricket (a little unexpected), and watched the seaplanes taking off and landing in the harbour. Plus we were blessed with some sunshine!

During the evening we went South to Granville Island, a little collection of shops and boutiques, a large indoor market and a few restaurants and museums. We ate (very well) and waddled back to the hotel. Now we are sleepy and sat in an internet cafe booking our last few hotels.
Tomorrow we cross back into the States.
Hope everyone is Crackin'
Dave and Sarah XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX