Our last day in Vancouver and to be perfectly honest we're both rather glad - the whole trip has been something of a very expensive disappointment.
This morning we are meeting up with the other couple who'd stayed on as it's the Women's Rugby Union World Cup Final at 08:00 and England is playing Canada. We met in an Irish bar just around the corner from our hotel and spent a very nice couple of hours watching the game. As with most rugby matches, the supporters were far less partisan than football ones and generally happy to just be watching a good game - which it was and happily for us England won.
When the match finished we said our goodbyes and went back to the hotel to check out and leave our bags to collect later. Unfortunately it's a grey and drizzly day again but on the basis we won't be back here, we are just going to put our hoods up and explore a bit.
We first walked to Gastown to take a closer look at the Steam Clock and fortunately the repairs were finished and it was actually working, although it seemed to be letting off steam at a rather strange time.
I vaguely thought of asking the women in the pink jacket to move but decided not to bother.
Naively I'd imagined in was quite old (perhaps 18th century) but as we found out from the plaque it's less than 50 years old. But then I got thinking and Vancouver City itself probably isn't very old either compared to UK cities.
Nearby was a souvenir shop and we wanted to get a couple of gifts to take home. This made me chuckle.
The main street through Gastown was touristy, full of people and felt quite safe but as soon as we went away from it the streets felt rather scary with so many unfortunates, down and outs and druggies around.
We walked back to China Town and this picture shows better just how narrow the Sam Kee building is.
By now I was busting for the loo and with public toilets are few and far between we headed to the library in the hope I could use one there.
We then decided to head for False Creek, buy a rover ticket for one of the little boats and spend the last few hours just meandering up and down and getting off if and when we fancied. On the way there we passed the BC Stadium which is the largest in the province and used for multiple sports, rather like Melbourne's "The G".
Outside was this series of statues and I knew instantly who they depicted. I was in my early 20s when I first heard of the awe inspiring Terry Fox who was only a couple of years older than me and who was diagnosed with bone cancer aged 18 resulting in an above the knee amputation of his right leg. Just 3 years later he began his "Marathon of Hope" to raise money for cancer research by running across Canada. He ran nearly a marathon every day for 143
days, covering 5,373 kilometers before the cancer returned and having spread to his lungs he was forced to stop near Thunder Bay, Ontario. He died only 10 months later but his legacy inspired millions and today an annual
Terry Fox Run is held in over 30 countries worldwide, raising more than £500 million for cancer research. I remember so vividly the biopic I watched; the image of Terry running (seemingly) alone in the wilds of Canada with The Hollies "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" playing over and to this day whenever I hear that song I instantly think of Terry. I'm thrilled that such an amazingly courageous young man hasn't been forgotten.
Of no particular interest but this building once housed a casino.
Having got our tickets we waited for the False Creek Ferry to arrive - a closer view of False Creek.
And a few images as we meandered around, with explanation if I can (we did go up and down several times so landmarks might be repeated).
Located at the end of the Creek this is Science World.
Apparently the river police have only recently been given this new boat.
Vancouver's skyline seems very monochrome, especially when it's grey like today, but with so much glass I should imagine it doesn't change much.
Passing Granville Island
Granville Street Bridge in the foreground which we walked over yesterday.
Burrard Bridge
Granville Street Bridge from the other side.
We then headed out to the west side - I think this is North Vancouver's Sunset Beach Park but Google identifies it as English Beach Bay which is the next bay along and just off the top of my map.
Orlock and Sail Wooden Boat Club's jetty on Elsje's Point
We got chatting to one of the guys working on the boat and the conversation turned to the huge homeless/drug problem that Vancouver has. He'd been closely involved with various charitable organisations over the years and confirmed that synthetic opioid drugs like Fentanyl (which is considered 50-100 times more addictive than heroin) being smuggled in from Mexico etc was causing the massive problem and he really couldn't see any solution - depressing.
Just around the corner is Hadden Beach which is much favoured by dog walkers.
We sat on a bench enjoying the peaceful views out to sea.
I've no idea where this chap was heading for but he looks jolly determined.
I wonder if this is the original Yellow Submarine.
Looking back towards the city.
Back in town a fuelling station for False Creek Ferries situated below Burrard Street Bridge.
These look like cormorants sitting on the concrete bridge supports (and to prove why you shouldn't automatically trust Google it identified it as "a section of Pont Jacques Chaban-Delmas, a vertical-lift bridge over the Garonne River in Bordeaux!)
A closer view of The Giants
These floating homes are very sought after and sell from £400,000 upwards. I can't help wondering what effect global warming might have on their viability.
Back near the end of the creek and we came across a Dragon Boat race in progress. Apparently the main one occurs in June but this one seemed very well supported.
We got off on the south of the creek to take a closer look; the area was absolutely heaving with participants and spectators.
Just hoping these haven't been hauled from the creek.
Seemingly you can use a wide variety of things to propel the boats with.
By now it was getting on for mid afternoon and time we went back to pick up our luggage and head for the airport for our evening flight so one last photo taken from a luxury marina near Downtown Vancouver.
Getting to the airport was very simple but the trains really weren't designed for people with luggage as there was no storage space whatsoever and we had to practically sit on the cases. Never mind we duly checked in, found the lounge and began the long journey home.