Papa and Nana On the Go   GRANDPARENT RAMBLINGS – AS FAR AS THE MONEY WILL TAKE US

The Pender Islands are behind us now.  Somewhere on a trip you might get the feeling that it was not planned like it should have been.  Planning trips is a bit of an art though some would prefer there was no planning at all.  I can’t go that far, though I do like to have some serendipity on a journey.  I worry too much about not having a place to sleep at night.  Too old for winging it on a bed.  Especially when driving out in the middle of nowhere.  But I am actually talking more about trip structure.  So now we are in Vancouver.  There are few urban areas I enjoy more.  Even so, it is hard moving from the more sublime, natural world to the controlled chaos of a large city.

Given the above, it may not be too surprising that we were drawn to those aspects of Vancouver that have a natural component.  Stanley Park is one of the best urban parks anywhere.  Only on one side is it bordered by city, condominiums, businesses, banks and the usual urban offerings,  though in a package that is unique in how it is presented.  On the other borders of the park is water, bays, channels and passages with views to floatplanes taking flight, sailboats, cruise ships, ferries, rowers, kayakers, paddle boarders, and freighters.   On the interior are soaring Douglas fir, ponds, trails, a marvelous aquarium, playgrounds, large art pieces,  historic sites and sights.  Bikes for rental are readily available with trails that extend 15 or so miles around or in the park with extensions around the inner harbor and into the city for many more miles.

A cloudy day, but, hey! it’s the Northwest! Vancouver skyline complete with cruise ships and the sails of Canada Place.

Unfortunately for us, the weather has not been good.  Even so, we managed to enjoy bicycling around the park, enjoying the aquarium, cycling to good restaurants and shopping.  Hope you enjoy some of the experiences we had.