A Harbour Cruise

Sunday August 21st.

Nancylee has had some Groupon tickets for a Harbour Cruise for a while now. We're booked in to go today. Nancy's very tired and her knees playing up. She had already decided that this wasn't for her. Nancylee and John collect us early and we cruise into Vancouver to the marina close to Stanley park.

Sailing club at Stanley Park.

Just a few of the many moored boats

Our Paddle steamer is called the Constitution. We board and soon set off. After all the sea trips we've taken in the last three months I didn't think this one would be very interesting but I was wrong. The tour guide, on the tanoy system, kept up a stream of facts about the history and the buildings along the waters edge.

The Constitution.

It's a lovely warm sunny day with a little breeze to keep things from being too hot. For most of the trip 'Himself and I are on the top deck.

three seasoned sea dogs aboard

There are some serious large private yachts moored along here.

This is why Vancouver is called the City of Glass.

The building with the Native Planted roof is the Convention Center

The new extension of the Convention Center has a living roof with a bee colony, seawater heating and cooling, on-site water treatment and fish habitat built into the foundation  making  it one of the "greenest" convention centers in the world.

Another Yacht owned by the seriously rich!

The original Convention Center, Canada Place.

The Celebrity Century

The large Cruise ships dock here either side of the Canada Place. The Ship we sailed up to Alaska is in Dock today. We sail on past all the working Dockyards of Vancouver and turn before the Iron Workers Memorial Second narrows Bridge.

We sail across the harbour and back down along the North shore of North and West Vancouver.

Lonsdale Quay and market.

Looking towards  West Vancouver with Grouse Mountain in the background.

Grouse Mountain and The Lions

and back to the Harbour past Stanley Park.

Seasoned sailors!

with another seasoned sailor.

and yet another. This ones conquered this sea sickness fears to become an 'old hand'

Back on dry land and the city heat has become more intense. A long discussion ensures as to where we will have lunch. Several options are put to us but as we have no knowledge of any of the venues we first decline to give an opinion  but then, we're forced into making a blind decision when someone keeps changing the options. Sciue (pronounced shooie) it is then, an Italian cafe/bar in Yaletown. 

Sitting out in the sun at Sciue's

We look at the food on offer, it all looks appetizing,  so decide to leave it to Nancylee to order a selection of Pizza pieces. John orders some Italian meatballs in tomato sauce to share and a bowl of lentil soup for himself. The coffee comes in extra large cups and is really  good 

Pizza hot and cold.

Foods excellent.

You've gotta try this said the Italian Stallion!

The coffee deserves and extra cup and the Tiramisu is a must.

We need a little shopping so after a lovely lunch cross the road to the Yaletown's urbane residents posh grocery shop called Urban Fare This pack of breakfast cereal really made us laugh.

Pious Cereal?

and who said spaghetti doesn't grow on trees?