Canada pictures, part 2: downtown Vancouver *** dialup warning! ***

[billyskank]

On my second day alone, I ventured downtown. To a quaint little European like me, downtown Vancouver might as well be Manhattan:





After mooching around the Pacific Centre mall and getting some lunch, I worked my way down Thurlow Street to the harbour. Here is Canada Place:



Looking across the Harbour, the sea on my right:



Unfortunately there was a lot of construction going on and much of the place was inaccessible. :(

I tried to take a composite picture of the sea. Doing this really shows up the flaws in my camera (although it's a poor workman who blames his tools, right?)



I saw the float planes taking off:



and this little guy:



The float planes were landing too, of course:



Splash! :D

No idea what this thing is:



This is a nice looking ship:



Cranes for loading and unloading cargo:



Parked up next to me was the Silver Shadow:




I like trains:



Then I wandered into Gas Town, an area full of cafes and tourist shops. I went in one place and found this striking window. I think this would have made a good entry in the 'portals' photograph competition, but alas it was already too late for that:



I had to resist the urge to roll the piano out the window, rock star style. ;) This is a shot from an intersection in Gas Town. yvr girl told me this building was like the Space Needle in Seattle:



After that I ventured into uncharted territory up East Hastings Street, where I had to battle dragons and other monsters. I got a bit lost, and it all got a bit in tents:



This is 'General Motors Place,' apparently:



But eventually I found my way back to civilisation. :)



:hi:

[Call Me Wesley]

1. Great pictures!

:thumbsup: However, Manhattan seems way more crowded with buildings. This looks just like some European city with shiny skyscrapers. Love the old english clock there on the street.

Thanks for sharing them! :hi:

[billyskank]

2. And about 50 times as many Starbucks

Those people drink a lot of coffee! ;)

[Call Me Wesley]

4. You bet.

It's their primary industry ...

[Ediacara]

3. I miss Vancouver so much

it's my home away from home away from home.

[wain]

5. Wonderful slide show. Thanks!

The closest I got to Vancouver was the airport while connecting to Victoria Island. The previous day's flight from Toronto to Vancouver crashed on takeoff in Toronto. I remember reading the newspaper headline just before takeoff. Saw the wreckage at the end of the runway just before becoming airborne!
:)

[billyskank]

7. Holy cow

:scared:

[u4ic]

31. Was that within the past couple of years?

I recall one where everybody came out alive - it was quite amazing, considering the plane erupted into flames....

That must have been quite the sight!

[wain]

35. This was back in the late 70s

On an Air Canada flight. I think the results were the same as the crashed plane never left the ground (I don't recall a fire - the plane just ran off the runway). Strange feeling realizing that if we had left one day earlier....

:)

[graywarrior]

6. Great photos! Beautiful city. Which mountains are those in the

composit set showing the sea?

[billyskank]

8. Coastal Mountains, I think

:hi:

[graywarrior]

10. God I love mountains.

[RevCheesehead]

9. What? No yivver girl pics?

Or did she threaten to pummel you if you showed ~those~ pics? :hi::loveya:

[billyskank]

11. There are no ~those~ pics, sweetie

And yvr girl asked me not to post the picture I do have. :hi:

:loveya:

[RevCheesehead]

13. Good.

That means your heart still belongs to me! :loveya:

[billyskank]

12. Something more...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x5464655

[SeattleGirl]

14. Another fabulous batch of pictures.

The area shown in the 4th picture from the bottom is my favorite part of Vancouver.

[billyskank]

15. Gas Town?

That's where the coffee shops are. ;)

[Kajsa]

16. You take great pictures, Billyskank.

You really captured the essence of the city.

I miss Vancouver, it's a vibrant, fun city and the
people I met are some of the friendliest around.

I'm glad you had a great time.

:hi:

btw; I think the white boat is a ferry.
The Pacific Northwest is full of ferry boats.

[billyskank]

17. Thanks!

Did anybody notice that I posted one picture twice? :blush:

[laheina]

19. Yes, but they are such pretty pictures, so

who cares. :)

Gorgeous!

[bigwillq]

18. Nice pics!

Thanks for sharing! :hi:

[swag]

20. Excellent set.

Thanks for posting.

[billyskank]

21. You're welcome

:)

[yvr girl]

22. That thing you're not sure of is the Seabus

which is part of the local transit system.

[billyskank]

23. Thank you

It did have a utilitarian look to it. Function, not form. :hi:

[Dangerously Amused]

24. Beautiful billy!

And the photography is fabulous as well. It looks like you had a great time. :7


:loveya:

[Joe Fields]

25. Thanks, Billy. You brought back old memories. Vancouver....

is one of my favorite places on earth. Need to get back there soon. It's been a few years. Did you have a chance to take a ferry to Vancouver Island and visit Victoria and the surrounding area?

[CaliforniaPeggy]

26. My dear billyskank!

Wow, sweetie!

These are so beautiful! Thank you........

My husband and I have been there, only once, though.....and we loved the city........

Thanks for posting these........

Great job!

:loveya:

:hug:

[Zhade]

27. Got back from Richmond, just outside Vancouver, a month back.

We're moving up there...somehow.

[barb162]

28. I was there once, it's beautiful. SO many trees

[liberaltrucker]

29. Wow, freakin' WOW!!!!

Beautiful pics and narrative! If I ever have to flee the USA
I'll know where to go!!

Thanks.

[Vidar]

30. nice pix

[u4ic]

32. What great pics!

I would love to get to Vancouver in this lifetime...

I love the dock pictures. I used to love going down to Toronto as a kid and watching the freighters come in...:hi:

[Maestro]

33. Nice pictures.

Everything looks so clean up there.

[AirmensMom]

34. Wow, billy, those are great!

:bounce: Looks like quite an adventure. :woohoo:

:loveya: :hug: :hi:

[El Fuego]

36. Awesome pics!

Thanks for sharing them. :)