Vancouver

We arrived on this trip with no further planning than the places we'd sleep.  One travel guide had been  stashed away in our suitcase and one walk has not been out anymore.  While I had no detailed memory anymore from Vancouver beside the walk from Canada place to Stanley park or Gastown in the other direction, all the puzzle pieces fell right into place as soon as we arrived in the airport.

aaah, this way from the arrivals to the skytrain (along the rental car place)....direction of downtown towards our hotel.  We struggled hard to stay awake after we checked in and not to sleep off while Kabouter was doing a much needed nap after the long travel we had done.   With some convincing pokes we managed to wake him up again after a while and we set out towards this amazing view.   A nice stroll along the water along parks full of flowers, view on boats and several Canada geese with gosslings, reminded me right why I'd love to live in this city.    The first night we had dinner on Granville island, right next to the local brewery of which we tried some beers....an option we'd repeat quite often again on this vacation. 

On the second day we too the Canada line right towards Waterfront station and we strolled as always from Canada place towards Stanley park.  Memories flashed back  "ah there was that terrace where I posed next to that fountain and then found myself soaking wet"  "ah there, the bench where I posed for a picture with L....can we repeat that picture with Kabouter this time? " "oh right, there is a waterplane airport right here downtown" ...

A visit to the Vancouver aquarium in Stanley Park might not be very orginal, but it is a must stop for me.   I had missed my little otter friends sooooo much!  It was so much fun to see them again. Much to my disappointment the travel mug with the otters was temporarily out of stock while mine at home has really faded colors. :( Oh well, it'll have to do for a couple of more years. 

After a visit to the Aquarium where Kabouter enthousiastically had rearranged the terrace by dragging the chairs around, he could lose some energy by a walk through Stanley Park, after which he could nap in the stroller while we enjoyed the view along English Bay and the West End.

At the end of our vacation we had completed our loop and arrived back at Vancouver. This time we visited the Historic Park of the Gulf of Georgia Cannary in Steveson, south of the city center and the airport and enjoyed some lovely fresh seafood on the docks.