Summary
Up and out of the house early for an uneventful flight to Vancouver. We were headed there for the “Rocky Mountaineer”, a train and bus trip through the Canadian Rockies. We arrived around noon and, after dropping our bags at our hotel, had lunch overlooking the harbor. Then took a long walk to and around Canada Place. Did a little grocery shopping for breakfast stuff. Very good Indian food dinner and early to bed.
Details
OK, we’re headed out again. We’ve talked forever about doing that train through the Canadian Rockies and now we’re doing it. Today we fly from Austin to Vancouver. Based on our last air travel nightmares, lord only knows how long it’ll take to get there.
Our flight’s at 9:00 am, but we’ll be gone for a month so we need to ensure the house is locked tight and that we have everything we’ll need. We’re up at 5:15 (3:15 am Vancouver time, shudder). We prep ourselves, our luggage and our house and we take an Uber over to the ABIA airport.
There’s a long line at the airport, for Air Canada. We wait a while and eventually an agent comes and scolds us for not just going over and doing it ourselves using their fancy kiosks. We get out of line and go try it, as do other people. They don’t work for anyone and this same agent confirms. “Just go back and get back in line where you were…”. Grrr.
Going through security I unload all my pockets. I’m wearing the same belt and shoes I always wear. Never any problem with the metal detectors. BUZZ! Sir, do you have a belt on? Yes? Here, let me hold it. BUZZ! Do you have a watch on? Here, let me hold it. BUZZ! I go through a different machine. It turns out to be the metal snaps on my shirt. Whoops.
On approach we’re told we need to complete the necessary paperwork to get into Canada. We’re living in the future so they don’t hand them out, they tell you what to Google to find the forms you need and you fill them out online. Wha?? WiFi is paid, other than for this section of the flight. Free WiFi for everyone! I download the app, create an ID and password. Verify my email and then fill out the form. I use my smartphone to give them a copy of my passport and Karen’s. It’s amazing. No pressure.
Off the plane we breeze through customs, interfacing with a faceless kiosk robot. A little paper is printed out and we hand it to a human. They have to be good for something, right?
Luggage in hand we head outside into the 72 degree sunshine. Yes, this is why we’re here. An Uber takes us to our hotel in the English Bay neighborhood of Vancouver. It’s too early for our room so we leave our luggage and trot off towards the water to find a restaurant for lunch. Lift is the name of where we eat. It’s over the water in the boat basin by Stanley Park.
Before we’re seated they ask if we prefer inside or out. What do you suggest, I ask? Well it’s awfully hot today so maybe inside, unless you can handle the heat. We laugh. It’s 76 degrees by now but still delightful for us.
Satiated we walk along the water down, down, down. Great views. Lots of people walking, too. Bikers as well, in their own lanes. There are informative panels with stories and pictures along the way. Interesting. Lots of “man’s inhumanity to man” stories. Same as it ever was.
By the time we’re walked out we’re at the Pan Pacific Hotel, at Canada Place. This is where the cruise ships depart. There’s a Disney ship in port as well as a slightly fancier one from the Ritz Carlton collection of premium vessels.
We take a bus back to our room and marvel at how many different cultures there are here, between the tourists, French, French Canadians and lots of Asians. It’s a town of young and old.
Finally in our room we check out the impressive, fully stocked kitchen. We head out to a nearby grocery store for ingredients for a good veggie, ham and cheese omelette, coffee, yogurt and fruit.
We walk to dinner a half mile away, to a highly recommended Indian restaurant. It’s truly good and I eat more than I should, especially given how spicy it is. Good wine to go along with the meal. $100 isn’t bad, especially as they’re Canadian dollars. In US terms that’s only $71.
We woke today at 3:15 am local time, so we’re beat. We head off to bed early. Good to be here.
Photos
