WHAT A BEAUTIFUL DAY!

Don't get too envious, yes it is very sunny, however as other photos will show, it was also very windy, and that wind was cold.

We woke around 7am to a wonderful morning, so to make the best of it we were out and parked up in Stanley Park before 10.15. As soon as we had walked across the grass toward the seawall walk the wind hit us. Thankfully by now we are expecting to have to wrap up and were suitably attired, however the hats went on too at this point.

It took a while to walk around this lovely part of the park as we stopped so often to take photos! We walked towards False Creek around English Bay. This was the place we had sat to watch the magnificent firework display on our first visit to Vancouver, then I nearly fell off the log while waiting for the start because we were so tired after our 48hr day/9hr flight, but were determined to join in with the 250,000 others to watch the spectacle.

Today there were plenty of people walking, very few sitting. One thing the Vancouver people seem to love is walking, whatever the weather or level of capability, they walk, and enjoy it as a social activity.

The Inukshuk statue stood proud against the sunshine marking the way just as it is meant to, we past the small marina across from Granville Island eventually stopping at Starbucks for a well deserved cup of coffee and fruit slice.

We headed back into the Downtown area walking up Davie street, the grid system of roads made it easier to cut across town to get back to English Bay and then 10min back to the car. All in all around 5mile we think.

We were to return the hire car to the airport, then collect another from downtown (long story) so drove the 35 min over to the airport, dropped off the car and very easily, found a bus to take us back again. The fare was 3.75 dollars each, this was fine except that they only took coins. The friendly driver told us to sit down sort out our pocket full of change and then go back and pay. Typically a Canadian lady came to our rescue as we were just under 2 dollars short and exchanged 2 of her prepaid tickets for our 5dollar note, to which we added coins and paid the driver.

We changed buses at the airport station, one bus in the other straight out. As the journey progressed the guy sitting next to Robert set up conversation with us and we all got so engrossed in exchanging info/routes and contact details we nearly missed our stop downtown. This is what we have come to expect from Canadian life and people, genuine friendliness and a desire to help.

We got off the bus near the Canada Place Convention Centre, so, decided to have a walk around the observation terrace. This overlooks the stretch of water where the seaplanes land and take off, for a short while it was very busy, at one point there were 6 or 7 planes in arrival and departure positions. To add to that a bald eagle decided the marker light was a good resting place to sit and watch for his tea!

We headed off as the sun started to go behind the buildings and the temperature began to fall, picking up our car from Budget in W.Georgia Street. Again we fell into conversation, this time with a young Australian girl called Michelle who works in the office there helping to pay for her year in Canada, swapping info and stories again on a different level, both of us being from outside Canada.

It was 5pm when we finally got back to West Vancouver, ready for tea and a sit down, tomorrow they forecast rain again but if (please) we can just have a day every now and again like today.......is that asking too much of mid November?