Off To The Rockies

We were leaving Vancouver today for our next adventure, but the train wasn't going until tea time, so our host graciously allowed us to leave our gear in the apartment, though we sorted and packed before we went out for the day.

Arrived downtown in time for the eleven o'clock free walking tour. We've made a habit of taking as many free walking tours as we can in the various cities we visit. You tip the guide what you think they were worth, and so they invariably give you a great insight into their city. This one was lived up to our previous experiences.

Today's walking tour was around the Downtown and Olympic precincts. We visited Christ Church in the centre of the city, Vancouver's oldest church, the art deco Port Authority building, and both convention centres to name a few. Heard lot's of stories about the city, and we finished on the waterfront at the Olympic Flame. Seems that when the Olympic flame had it's epic fail in the stadium, Wayne Gretsky hopped into a ute and was driven down to the Olympic Plaza on the waterfront to light the backup flame. They left it there, and now use it to mark special occasions.

After the tour, we found an Aussie Pie vendor, with a rather suspiciously Canadian accent, just in time for lunch. Unfortunately he was out of Kangaroo Pies, but he did have beef pies and chicken pies, and they were very good.

Then it was our turn to wander around the Downtown area. Walked around Canada Place, complete with its trademark white sails, built for the 1986 World Expo that transformed Vancouver from a sleepy, small city to a vibrant world class destination for travelers. Saw this week's Holland America cruise ship in the dock. When we board ours this time next week, this one will be in Alaska loading up for it's return trip. Headed down through Gastown - where the original settlement of Vancouver was, until they decided to relocate the gentry, and leave all of the pubs, brothels and gambling houses behind for the riff-raff. It's a lovely precinct, full of quaint buildings rather than the glass towers of Downtown, and with any luck we might get back there next week to explore some more.

Then it was down to Rogers Arena, which is the home of the ice hockey, and the sporting heart of the city. Next to Rogers is BC Arena which was the site of the Opening and Closing ceremonies. A long walk back to the apartment around the waterfront past all of the beaches.

Collected our gear, and took a bus and a local train out to the main Vancouver Via Rail train station where we were departing from tonight. Checked in our luggage, but were rather disappointed to find that there was no allocated seating for cattle class and, yes, the train is full. O dear. This can only end badly. Went across the road to McDonalds so we could proudly give you the news - the Big Mac index for Canada is AU$8, about 12% more than at home. Anecdotally that seems about right. Most foods seem to be dearer than Australia, but not hugely so. Some are obvious. Relatively cheap things at home like pizza and crepes are much more expensive here, but to balance it, a few of their staples like soft drinks and donuts are cheaper. Coffee is actually cheaper at home, unless you are just after a cup of the bulk brewed stuff.

Back at the station, despite there being a fairly orderly queue, all of the tour groups were boarded first, and they promptly spread themselves out singly at every window. They didn't speak any English, but they got the idea of what was being said to them pretty quickly, and beat a strategic retreat so the rest of us could get on. Pulled out right on time.

The classic sight of the day was the French train attendant trying to give the emergency lecture in Japanese to a tour group of Koreans. Nobody understood a word of it, but you have to give him 'A' for gumption.