Exploring Vancouver, BC

View from my Hostel window.

The street noise with music from various clubs, people talking, and traffic echoed through my open hostel window.  After a bit of rest, the music stopped at 2 AM, I finally managed to get going this morning surprisingly around 7:30 AM.  Spent a little time on the laptop, talking to some of the hostel guests, and then the long walk began South down Granville Street and then West down Davie Street (yes, to the end where Stanley Park begins.).  As I was taking photos of the electric buses, I nearly missed the bicycle rental shop.  A quick bit of paperwork and I was off to explore the park.

Canadian Geese in the park.

Almost 2 hours passed as I worked my way around the park along the sea wall, stopping to take photos along the way of the scenery.  Totem poles, statues, bridges, oil processing plants with their biproduct of sulpher, large ocean freighters, beaches, and just some fun photos.  The ride was exhilerating, however, I was a bit tired afterwards.  Walking briskly back to the hostel to catch the 12:30 Free Walking Tour of the Gastown area.  Several hours of walking later, not to mention many photos of old and new buildings, and I was walking back to the hostel with Hamis, a young man from Germany also staying in the hostel.

Max, our tour guide, little in stature, but loud in voice.

Self photo taken after my bike ride in Stanley Park.

View as I rode my bike in Stanley Park.

By now my feet were sore from all the walking, my body tired, so I laid down on the bunk bed for some rest.  Upon awakening, I realized I had slept passed the 5 pm meeting time with Hamis to visit the Vancouver Museum of Art, which was only taking donations tonight as you could afford.  Missing this, I signed up for Poker here at the hostel.  An hour later and I'm writing the blog, the poker game still in progress nearby.  I've already packed for my earlier departure time for Vancouver Island, staying in Port Hardy, perhaps I should have selected another area, I might check on that now, as I would love to see the Butchart Gardens on the South end of the island.  Well, it is too late to alter my reservation, (I really don't like having a set Itinerary), so I will see when the bus leaves and if I will have time to visit the gardens before I leave.