Cloudy Day Touring Vancouver

Day 6- Sunday, September 9, 2012

Solo was ready for his morning walk bright and early. Bill and I took to the neighborhood with pooch in hand. We explored the grounds across the street. Hastings Park is an expansive greenery with gardens, trails and an awesome skatepark. There's even a racetrack and the former home to the Vancouver "Smucks," the PNE.

A surprisingly delicious hotel breakfast lifted our spirits and set the pace for a lovely morning of touring the sea walk, gaslight district, and west end. A flea market temporarily depressed us as we worked our way through a down-trotted, pee-smelling population selling stuff salvaged from neighborhood garbage cans. Sad sacks, indeed.

We had a relaxing lunch outside at a brew pub, Steamworks, and hit a couple of malls for back-to-school clothes for Will. Everything was very expensive, so we compromised on a hoodie and a pair of shoes and promised more shopping in Olympia, WA.

The big adventure of the day took place on the #14 bus back to the hotel. Crack heads and other sorry looking individuals filed on and off the bus as we sympathetically mused in grateful appreciation for all of our blessings.

We were all pretty tired after the day of walking, but rallied after a respite in the hotel room.
Italian food was on order for dinner. We grabbed a taxi and headed over to Commercial Drive and enjoyed pizza, pasta and a bottle of Chianti at Lombardo's.

A lively dinner discussion ensued over the merits of the accuracy of Zagat's and other rating systems. It started with the observation of a "23" food rating in NYC is not really in the same caliber as a "23" rating for a Vancouver restaurant.

A quick taxi trip back to the hotel, in the rain, and we were snuggled in our beds and off to dreamland in no time at all.

---