Last day in BC

We were graced with more clear skies on our final day and it was thrilling to take in the stunning colors of the sunrise.  I can't remember the last time I saw such an amazing sky. 

The Seawall once again

As Seth was conferencing I was walking down Robson St to the West End. 

On my way back to the City Center I caught a really awesome Indy movie from Northern BC called Our Land Beautiful at the Vancouver International Film Center.

The quirky but very cool and modern public library.

Samesun Backpackers... should have stayed at the place across the street instead.

Vancouver

On another rainy day we left Squamish and drove back south along the Sea to Sky highway, dropped off the rental car at the Vancouver airport, then checked into our hostel right in the city center.  Seth met up with some music colleagues and I spent the evening watching some of the final game of the world series over curry at the nearby Indian takeout place; at the moment it was a tie in the 7th between the Cubs and the Indians but due to technical issues I didn't watch the end of the game :o(

The next morning things looked brighter and the sun finally came out!  

Jogging along the Seawall.

The bridge to Granville Island

While Seth spent the morning at the library getting some work done I took a long walk over to Granville Island.  The view from the bridge was so beautiful!  The trees still had their colorful leaves, too.

I was surprised to learn that Vancouver is the city with the fourth highest population density in North America, behind NYC, San Francisco, and Mexico City!  Here we can see why.

I eventually made it over the bridge and to the Granville Island Public Market.  It was really a nice excursion!

The thing I appreciated the most about the market is that it wasn't overly crowded but still lively.

As I was reading the guidebook at that food court I realized I was sitting in the exact spot where the photo in the guidebook was taken!!  Spooky.

Just behind the market were some feisty birds.

I had waited all day to take the mini ferry/aquabus back to downtown.  It was so cute and !  I was a little disappointed, however, that I had to ride the larger minibus (the smallest ones are like tiny little pods that glide over the water).  Also, the trip was too short, probably less than a minute long.

By the evening I met back up with Seth and we walked to Chinatown.  For having the largest Chinese population of any city outside of China, the Vancouver Chinatown actually wasn't all that great when we went.

I guess the highlight of Chinatown was the world's narrowest office building (only 6 feet wide).

Gastown

We spent some time admiring the cobblestones and lights of historic Gastown. It was worth waiting until the top of the hour for the steam clock to play the Westminster Quarters with actual geothermal steam.

Friendly Canadians

Chinatown was a bust, but not to worry--Japanese food in Vancouver is amazing!

Whistler

The next afternoon we found a break in the weather and spent a couple hours scoping one of the premier ski resorts in North America, Whistler. 

The scenic overlook on the way didn't have much to look at.

Whistler

Whistler Olympic Plaza

We were told by the guy at the info center that we could see lots of black bears in the golf course.  I think we were taken for a ride. 

Who would spend so much time building these?

A short hike to Lost Lake from the village

Eagle Run, Squamish

We definitely had a soggy start to the morning.  By the afternoon the rain lifted long enough for us to scurry across town to Eagle Run.  Brackendale is famous for the thousands of eagles that are attracted to its salmon-filled river each winter.  We were just outside the start of the bald eagle migration but still managed to see 7 or 8 in just a small stretch of river. 

The view of The Stawamus Chief from the hostel.  The Chief is the largest granite monolith in North America.  

We got to know the hostel and its people pretty well.  They decorated very nicely for Halloween!

Eagle Run, Brackendale

You can't see them but there are at least a couple bald eagles perched above the river here.

Short walk over to Shannon Falls.

Damp enough for lots of moss!

O Canada, I wish I were still there: North Vancouver

I don't want to get into last night's election results, so all I'll say is I wish I were still in Canada!  A music conference was our 'excuse' for a trip to beautiful British Columbia. 

In general, I didn't take as many people pictures as I would have wanted, completely due to the near constant steady rain.  When it did finally stop raining, however, I took full advantage of the beautiful scenes that appeared.  Our first day was spent jogging and hiking around North Vancouver, and what luck?  No rain!

Our first order of business had us walking down from Cleveland Dam to the Capilano Salmon Hatchery.

Cleveland Dam.  The only time the sun would be in our eyes during the entire trip.

By the hatchery

We saw so many crazy, colorful fish!  This salmon ladder had way more action than the one in Seattle (salmon count in Seattle: 2 sleeping fish, possible dead).

If it weren't a sunny day I'd request to stay here for at least a couple hours.

Seth liked these big leaves (broadleaf maple)

Still fungi season here

A lookout from Cypress Bowl Road in Cypress Provincial Park.  During the drive up here we saw someone cross country skiing/skating up the mountain.  They were fast, too.

Our final hike of the day was in Lighthouse Park

Point Atkinson Lighthouse

??? 

The park is famous for its old growth forest, and these roots are nice.

By the end of the afternoon we were back on the road, heading up the scenic Sea to Sky Highway to stay a couple days in the town of Squamish.