After 3.5 hours of driving, we are finally in Vancouver!!! The roads and streets were quiet as people stayed away in anticipation of bad weather. When we arrived, it was only drizzling. The snow at the sides is from a previous storm.
Does this remind you of a famous structure in Rome? The Vancouver Public Library was modelled after it.
We decided to fill our tummies at A&W. I was so disappointed that the menu didn't have curly fries anymore! Also, the hotdog wasn't as good as the ones in my memory.
Our tummies filled, we started on our walking tour and discovered that the rain had turned into sleet. I was super high cos that means it's going to snow soon!!!
As we tried to figure out the direction to take, Kelly pored over a map and led us to Gastown. Vancouver's first downtown, the area is named after "Gassy" Jack Deighton, a gold prospector who arrived in 1867 and opened the first saloon there.
Gastown is presently the third largest city in the nation. Many movies have been filmed in Gastown including The Neverending Story, Catwoman and I,Robot.
It's started snowing!!!
The structure that resembles a spaceship is the Vancouver Lookout, an observation deck. On a clear day, you can see as far as the North Shore mountains and Vancouver Island.
The most famous landmark in Gastown the Steam Clock. The world's first clock powered by steam rising from the city's distributed steam-heating system. Time is noted every 15 mins by Westminister chimes and every hour by a loud whistling.
See how heavy the snow is getting?
The past few days, I had been so focused on capturing beautiful scenery that I didn't take many pics of us. This is the nicest one we have together.
I am glad the town was declared a historical site in 1971. That helped to preserve its heritage buildings. What a pity it would be if all those Late Victorian and Edwardian architectural wonders were torn down.
On the right is a statue of Gassy Jack. On the left is Europe Hotel, easily recognisable for its flat iron shape. It is also Canada's first reinforced concrete structure.
We chanced upon an alleyway with a bloody name. But it was pristine white that day.
Some of the shops had really cute names. Can you guess what they sell?
Kelly being stomped on by a gigantic cowboy boot.
That man was building a big snowball on the streets.
Every major city is sure to have a Chinatown.
We spotted a public worker plowing snow from the roads.
Memorial to the fallen. As we passed Memorial Park, the snow had grown so thick that I couldn't resist packing a snowball and flinging it at Kelly.
It missed him and he retaliated with his own that hit bullseye. Soon, we were having an all out snowfight. While I got hit by all of his balls, none of mine struck him. I demand a re-match!
By this time, the snow had grown so heavy that it wasn't fun walking. So we all headed back to the car and drove to Stanley Park.
Stanley Park is one of the largest urban park in the world and afforded a great view of Downtown.
Spot that blue thing in the middle of the water? That's a self-service floating gas station. Run by Chevron, there is only one in Vancouver in the city and offers gas sans road tax. But it is accessible to tugboats, trawlers and floatplanes only.
If it weren't so cold, this would be a peaceful spot for contemplation.
Compare the first picture to this and see how fast the snow has built up since we arrived. The bad weather marked the end of our little jaunt in Vancouver.
That looks fun! I wish I was that little girl!
