Fun Day strolling through the Couv’

Up early and off to Starbucks for a decaf and a pastry to start the day. Weather is going to be very nice today, 75F and clear.  Got a cup of decaf and a sandwich for me, coffee, and a croissant for the Misses. That pretty much hit our card limit for the day so we decide to walk instead of the hop-on / hop-off bus. We had heard that Gastown was a neat part of Vancouver that’s not to be missed. Big attraction in Gastown, the Steam Clock. Yep, seems an enterprising young man named Ray Saunders built a clock based on a 1875 design that actually runs on steam. Although the home version didn’t sell well, this one is a real draw. Every 15 minutes, the stem clock blows the tune “Westminster Chimes.”

Another attraction here is the train station. Not quite as elaborate as the train station in Porto, Portugal (see Portugal for more info), but a nice station in its own right. Built in 1910 in neoclassical style, this station has been instrumental in bringing British Columbia into the fold of the Confederation. (Not the Confederation of United States). But wait, how the hell did Gastown get its name? Glad you asked, Gastown was named after its founding father ”Gassy Jack” (John Deighton) who reportedly was able to exude a certain “sound” for 1.6 minutes, at any time.  I just made that up, Gassy Jack was named so due to his storytelling abilities. It was when he opened the first saloon in “Gastown” that this became his claim to fame. I think he had recently moved from Beantown and history was made, but Collette didn’t think that was very funny.

Other sites include the Hudson Trading Company building, built in 1894 in Romanesque style, where you can meet Paws” the bear and “Melvin” the moose; the Lamplighter pub, named after John Clough who was the only lamplighter at the time, and the first pub to serve women in Vancouver (previously you could only buy women at a retail store); the Olde Spaghetti Factory (a tourist site based on ghost stories); and finally, BC’s Western Boot Headquarters where Collette got up close and personal with Clint, and I stared down the Duke! It’s said that this boot company has a boot for everyone, cowhide, bullhide, deer skin, elk, crazy horse (wait a minute, really?), python, rattlesnake, ostrich, shark, walrus, and stingray. Sorry, no Naugahyde.

Staring down the Duke

Mom-bear and Clint

Wow, after that we needed a fika (see Norway). Collette found this amazing pastry shop just about 5 minutes from where we were. Off to PureBread! Just across from Victory Park was this little shop loaded with hand-made pastries just right for a fika. Grabbed a coffee and two pastries and watched the World go by.

Fully energized and rested, time for the big hike. We’re off to Stanley Park to see the totem pole display, the 9-O’clock gun, lighthouse and a great view of the Vancouver skyline. For those of you familiar with personal fitness accessory, Collette’s Samsung watch tracks how many step she (and I) take. In Germany last year we found it takes about 2,200 steps to equal 1 mile. This hike should give us about 8 miles to add to our already 2.5 miles of walking this morning. Good hiking day and enough to burn off that creamer in our coffee!

Because today is Friday, beautiful weather and really warm, all of Vancouver is at Stanley Park. What a herd! Between bicyclers, skaters, scooter riders, runners, walkers and the occasional tour bus, this is a real obstacle course. Good thing I have the little woman with me and her ex-Navy Seal reflexes.

Aw, baby geese, so cute!

Made it around a third of the seawall walk around the park and saw the sites on this side. That was enough for us, time to head back and find a place for dinner, day is coming to an end. We decided to go back to Gastown for dinner at the Lamplighter only to find they had no outside seating. Too nice of an evening to eat inside so we opted for The Water Street Café. Ordered up a hamburger / fries and Collette got a salmon burger (ugh!) and fries with a couple of gin & tonics. AND, we were right across the street from the steam clock!!! Yep, every 15 minutes this amazing invention shot off bursts of steam to the tune of Westminster Chimes. The novelty wore off rather quickly but it did provide for good people watching, especially those who clapped when the time chimes was over. (Really lacking in the ole entertainment department)

All done for the day. Made our way back to the hotel to get ready for the boarding of our cruise ship in the morning. More to follow…