SEPTEMBER 8 - Camels, Ships, Festivals - and Cake!

Because it was my birthday, and we could anything I wanted, Howard decided it would be nice to spend the day at Canada Place. I was just going to add a link to Monday's blog, but in all fairness, we did wander a bit farther and got some different pictures. So this is mainly a pictorial tour of my first day of being 60.

PART 1: AROUND THE CONVENTION CENTRE

A restaurant in the lower level has a really good deal for a couple of eggs, bacon, toast and jam. Yeah, right. Hey, people, go to McDonalds across the street and get a Bacon and Egg McMuffin for one third of that.

Did you know that some smart people way back in the 1800's thought it would be a good idea to bring camels to the gold fields in the Cariboo? I didn't, until recently. Seems like that didn't work out very well, especially for Judge Matthew Begbie. Actually, reading about the camels' bad traits makes me wonder if some of their descendants ride the Sky Train in the mornings.

You may notice the ladylike grip in the shadow on the right. That's my poor arthritic 60-year old fingers trying not to get in front of the lens.

'Giddyap.'
'Mush.'
How do you get a camel to start, anyway? Although I probably would be more concerned about how to get one to stop.

  The Olympic Torch still stands nearby.

PART 2: PARTLY AROUND CANADA PLACE (there are too many stairs to climb to go all the way around)

Ah! Another festival.

 This was a really cool idea, nice to see kids performing.

This young storyteller told Howard and me the story of how the rattlesnake got his fangs. Very believable. He did a great job, although he was very serious before, during and after. I'm not sure if he really wanted to do this today. However, now we know we don't have to worry if we meet a rattlesnake - it will only attack if it feels it's in danger, and I have no intention of getting close enough to get it concerned.

There was a concert with a world-famous, award-winning cellist and native dancer, but the music wasn't really my cup of tea. Each to his (her) own, I always say. I can't listen to this for more than 5 seconds. 

Canada Place was buzzing with people today, and there were two cruise ships in. It's never hard to find some good photo ops here. I made sure Howard had the camera for the ships so nothing would get left out. You can tell the shots I took by their incredible beauty and lack of boats.

 We stepped over Newfoundland.

 Howard saw a seal, and got a better picture than I did on Monday.

PART 3: WALKING UP HOWE STREET
As we walked away from the waterfront, I saw this 'old' building in the middle of a new development and wanted to get a pic. We had to go around the block to get this close, and that's when we discovered there was only this one wall left of the 'old' building. They had steel girders holding it in place so it wouldn't fall down, and in front of it was the huge excavation hole where another modern-day tower would be born.

 Then we came across a Work of Art on the side of another building.

I should send them a poem. Most of mine rhyme and some of them even make sense. They just wouldn't be considered works of art, unfortunately, which means they wouldn't make me any money.

I love Vancouver's buildings. Some are tall enough they can make you dizzy when you look waaaaaay up to take a picture.

 Some are just beautiful because they are older, and not just steel and glass sculptures.

By far, my favourite of the day.

 In front of the Art Gallery, there are huge pillows made from the old roof of the stadium, which I thought was a fantastic idea.

 And that is where we came across the food trucks. My nose led me along the bacon scented trail to this pretty pink one. Bacon. And I know you're all wondering what I ordered - try and guess. Know that the line-up for ordering was so very long, as the food was so very good.

 Well, since you knew the line-up was long, you should know that Howard didn't want to wait in it. So we went to this one, where there was no line-up at all - at that moment

.I ordered two 'bags o' fries', water and a San Pellegrino.

I didn't realize the bag o' fries was as big as a garbage bag. There was no way I could eat even half of them, and the seagull that was watching me was feeling very lucky. Until I said, 'I'd give him some but we'd end up with a hundre.....' and Howard said, 'Don't even think of it.' And I said, 'I'm not.'

 I don't know who he is, and I've never ridden a bull at all, but I have been lulled to sleep lots of times by someone going on with a bunch of bullsh..... well, you know.

After a hot transit ride home, it was time to relax with laundry and litter box maintenance, then a dozey afternoon. Steve, Nikkie and the kids dropped down for a while, and Nikkie brought a delicious Pineapple Upside Cake, which was really appreciated.

I would like to leave you with a couple of gifts, courtesy of Canada Place.

And this one - the more I think about it, the more nervous I feel .....