Vancouver bears and beers.

 We arrived in Vancouver early in the morning and sorry to say we slept through the arrival! Disembarking was a bit chaotic as everyone had to be out of their suite by 8am, but we were not getting off until around 9. The Cafe was standing room only. However, eventually we were off and quickly through customs and immigration.

The day was spent on a terrific tour with Greyline and we were picked up from the cruise terminal to go to Grouse Mountain, Capilano Suspension Bridge, and the trout hatchery. Dave the Driver added a stop at Stanley Park as not all the summer attractions at Grouse Mountain had opened for the season.

Stanley Park and the totem poles

Then a photo op of the harbour and the Silver Nova in the distance before a drive by of Girl in a wetsuit which the artist insists is NOTHING to do with The Little Mermaid.

   

A drive up to Grouse Mountain and a gondala ride up to the top for a walk and lunch

Grinder and Coola had just woken up from their winter naps and were still in their winter enclosure so we were able to see them up close - their summer pen is around 6 hectares

The Twin Sisters, or in language (Squamish) Ch\'ích\'iyúy Elx̱wíḵn are often hidden by cloud. We were lucky and saw both peaks.

Next stop, just around the corner was the Capilano Suspension Bridge. Don't try this if you are afraid of heights and/or bridges that move with every step you take. We also did a treetop walk and saw a barred owl. Final stop was at the salmon hatchery which was surprisingly interesting as you could see the inside of the fish ladder and we did see fish jumping up it!

Post tour we were dropped off right at our hotel. After checking in we induldged in a quintessential Canadian experience - we went to a bar where we watched an ice hockey game (Stanley Cup semi finals apparently) and ate native animals.

Next day dawned dark and overcast. But it cleared up in time for us to wander to False Creek and catch a ferry to Granville Island, saying hi to a harbour seal on the way. Several hours of looking, tasting, exploring, and we managed to visit a brewery for lunch, followed by a distillery and a sake brewer. Didn't stop the feet from hurting when we then walked all the way to Kitsalano where Matt once resided, and then back to the CBD via the Burrard St Bridge.

Hopping off the ferry, they are so little and cute!

Canadian Geese in their natural environment

The bar at Liberty Distilling

Liberty Distilling

The original Vancouver craft brewery

Sake tasting. It was interesting, and the rice is also grown locally.

Kitsilano Beach. Cold, rainy, no surf. But 100s of people chilling.

An evening of bar hopping helped with the sore feet.