Our final full day in Canada! We breakfasted in the café downstairs then drove north to Canada Place and Gastown. We parked in a multi-storey then headed onto Water Street. Almost immediately we found Storyeum and decided to give it a try. A performance was about to begin... We descended below ground level in a huge lift, then walked through a passageway that actually took us into the basement of another building. We were then given a dramatised story of Vancouver in 8 scenes, from the original native people, the arrival of the Europeans, the gold rush, the building of the CPR, up to the modern day and the future. It was an excellent production, especially on a grey and cloudy morning.
Out on Water Street we walked past the shops and historical buildings of this tree-lined street.
Many of the buildings are being restored, but the original facades re being kept. There was nothing at all behind this front wall!
At the end of the street is the statue of Gassy Jack and the best (apparently) shop for western boots and hats. Despite the salesan's best attempts, we resisted.
Opposite is this extremely narrow building - well, narrow at this end anyway.
Walking back along Water Street the familiar sound of a Bristol VR brought Julian to mind and my camera to action.
Soon afterwards another British classic bus rumbled by (I'm sure Jules will identify it!)
The girls posed by the famous steam-powered clock.
At the top of Water Street you get a view of the Sky Train, the double-decker West Coast Express and a cruise ship, as well as Canada Place with its familiar roofline.
After lunch at Subway, we drove to Chinatown - not very far - and visited Dr Sun Yat Seng chinese gardens.
Then it was back to the hotel for a quick brush up before driving out to the UBC area to visit the family we met at the ranch, where Mark and Cathy, Christine and Danica made us extremely welcome and we had a very relaxed evening - but we forgot to take any photos!
So - stand by for the final instalment... not quite sure when it will get posted...