| from Vancouver (5): Gastown and My Final | | | | Of course I didn't have time to explore Gastown and |
| Explorations | | | | all its stores and restaurants in detail since my plane |
| After my extremely interesting walking tour of the | | | | would be leaving in a few hours and I still wanted to |
| Downtown East Side I decided to round out my | | | | head back to Stanley Park one more time to catch |
| exploration of the city with another bicycling trip. In | | | | another glimpse of this most gorgeous urban |
| my mind, bicycling is just the perfect way to | | | | greenspace. So back I cycled past construction of |
| discover a city, it gives you greater range than | | | | the new convention centre and back on the |
| walking, you don't need to wait around for buses, | | | | waterfront into Stanley Park. Since this was my |
| and you get exercise at the same time -bonus! | | | | second time in the park I caught a few things I |
| I realized that I had not even seen Gastown yet, | | | | missed the first time around: I saw the Girl in a |
| which gave me a perfect excuse for another round | | | | Wetsuit sculpture, created in 1972, which is a life-size |
| of exploring. I went to Spokes Bicycle Rentals again, | | | | bronze statue of a woman in a wetsuit, with flippers |
| talked to Phil who had been so helpful to me on | | | | on her feet and her mask pushed up on her |
| Saturday in my exploration of Stanley Park and off I | | | | forehead, and sits on a large intertidal boulder just |
| went for another few hours, to see just a bit more | | | | offshore of Stanley Park. |
| of Vancouver before I had to leave. I decided to ride | | | | I didn't go all around the park but cut across it after |
| back to the Downtown East Side since I wasn't able | | | | a nice little icecream break at the Lumberman's Arch |
| to take any photos during the walking tour. I rode | | | | concession stand and I rode through the beautiful |
| along the waterfront trail past Canada Place and the | | | | Rose Garden and Shakespeare Garden which form |
| Harbour Centre to the east side of town. | | | | the backbone of the perennial flower beds and |
| I closely retraced my steps from this morning's | | | | ornamental trees and shrubs. Stanley Park is really a |
| walking tour on the bicycle and took some pictures | | | | sight to behold, and it offers so many recreational |
| of some of the buildings along the way. One place | | | | and relaxation opportunities. The park also holds a |
| that definitely stood out was the Sun Tower, a | | | | children's farmyard and miniature train. |
| building created between 1911 and 1912 that used to | | | | My final stop in the park was the Lost Lagoon, a |
| be the headquarters of the Vancouver Sun. I rode | | | | large pond, featuring a fountain at its centre, set |
| through Chinatown again, which still had such an | | | | against a gorgeous backdrop of forests, flowering |
| unusually orderly and organized feel to it. | | | | shrubs, with the mountains towering in the |
| Then I explored Gastown, one of Vancouver's most | | | | background. The amount of visual beauty of this area |
| historic areas. Its founding father was a loquacious | | | | is virtually overwhelming and I was starting to feel a |
| saloon owner: John "Gassy Jack" Deighton, who, in | | | | little sad that I had to end my visit since I had to |
| 1867, built a saloon near the corner of Carrall and | | | | make it back to UBC on the other side of town to |
| Water Streets to profit from the local lumber mill | | | | retrieve my luggage and head off to the airport. |
| workers and gold prospectors on their way to the | | | | I had originally planned to go biking until 5:30 pm, |
| Yukon. By the 1870s, Gastown was a multicultural | | | | considering that my flight wouldn't leave until almost 9 |
| community, complete with saloons, hotels and | | | | pm, but then I realized it's Monday and rush hour |
| grocery stores, brought into town because | | | | would be setting in soon. So I took my bike back |
| Vancouver had been chosen as the Canadian Pacific | | | | early, said my goodbyes to Phil, who's been so |
| Railroad terminus. | | | | helpful all along, and he gave me a few more words |
| By 1886 it had 1,000 buildings and 3,000 residents. | | | | of local advice as to which bus routes to take and |
| Then, in 1886, a blaze broke out and burned the | | | | off I went to catch a bus to Burrard Street. The |
| town to the ground. Although destroying the town, | | | | intersection of Burrard and Georgia was totally nuts, |
| this fire started the biggest building boom in West | | | | since the city was repaving and police were directing |
| Coast history. After an economic decline in the early | | | | traffic manually. I was glad I had taken my bike back |
| part of the 20th century, Gastown became a virtual | | | | early, at least I would make it back to the university |
| backwater from the 1930s to 1950s until a group of | | | | in time for my departure to the airport. Finally the |
| local merchants and property owners put it back on | | | | #44 bus came and I could relax. Actually I was |
| the map in the 1960s by renovating the historic | | | | surprised that it only took me 25 minutes to get |
| buildings and turning them into one of the city's top | | | | back to the University which left me extra time to |
| tourist attractions. | | | | complete some travel reports over the Internet. |
| One of the biggest draws Gastown is the | | | | All in all, Victoria and Vancouver have been an |
| steam-powered clock, the world's first, created by | | | | awesome experience. I had absolutely perfect |
| Raymond Saunders who has a small shop nearby. | | | | weather: 25 degrees with beaming sunshine and |
| Live steam, pumped from a plant that heats more | | | | absolutely no humidity. I had a fabulous reunion in |
| than 100 downtown buildings, operates the | | | | Victoria with my co-worker Clare, two and a half |
| mechanism of the clocks and blows the whistles. At | | | | very interesting days at the Canada-US Servas |
| each quarter hour the clock sounds the Westminster | | | | Conference where I got to know some of the most |
| Chimes while the large whistle announces the hours. | | | | generous and dedicated individuals I have ever had a |
| Gastown's Steam Clock is one of the favourite | | | | chance to meet, and in the time in between I had an |
| photography spots for tourists. Gastown also houses | | | | opportunity to explore Vancouver, a vibrant and |
| another major Vancouver attraction: an innovative | | | | exciting city full of contrasts, set in one of the most |
| educational and cultural experience called Storeyum: | | | | physically stunning locations anywhere on the planet. |
| it's 100,000 square foot indoor venue showcases the | | | | It's been a very short trip, and all I can say - I'll be |
| colourful history of Canada's West Coast in live | | | | back..... |
| reenactments. | | | | |