 11:14:26 And so, for the third year running, I find myself on my way to Canada. Travelling sucks, doesn't it? It's all a bunch of inconvenient hell to get to some destination somewhere else that hopefully is going to be more fun than just sitting around your house. I mean... as is the flight isn't long enough I still also have to get to the airport in the first place with a zillion pounds of baggage, little or no sleep, to wait around in queues for hours with my shoulder killing me so I can get on the plane and MAYBE be able to sleep because, did I mention my shoulder is killing me? Ever have that feeling where someone is sticking knives of fire into your spine? Oh yah, which reminds me that I have to some how stagger the timing on taking painkillers and valium so as to not overdose on the plane. Yah. This is gonna be great.  11:56:04 This is always a great moment in any vacation, isn't it? This is the moment where you are minutes away from getting rid of your heavy bags and letting the airline take care of them (for better or worse).  13:31:35 And this photo illustrates how bored people get waiting around the departure gate for the flight to leave. That's why they have fish tanks and stuff, I guess. Personally, I was so bored and in excruciating pain that I actually lay on the floor and was so tired that I fell asleep.  15:06:04 Finally the plane arrives. Now we've only got to wait another hour!  09:37:55 I can honestly say that this was one of the worst flights of my life. I am used to sleeping nearly straight through, but with those knives of fire it is impossible to find a position that is even remotely comfortable, so I flop around (or as much flopping as was possible with my girth and the tiny airline seats) and annoy everyone around me. Let's see... where are we now? Greenland?!?? That's it? For god's sake!!!  11:24:04 If thus far I am not making this trip sound very wonderful I blame the excruciating pain. Have I mentioned that yet? But in fairness I should also mention that there's a pretty exciting few weeks ahead and despite all the pain I am looking forward to it. It kind of repeats some stuff from the last two trips, but hopefully we'll see some new places and do some new things. Where are we now? Ok. Finally over Canada. But that doesn't say much since Canada is, of course, pretty big.  14:53:11 It just so happens that I have a map from last year's trip that I can update for this year to give this trip's first map orientation. It's pretty straight-forward. Amsterdam is where we left from and Vancouver is where we are headed.  14:53:11 Somewhere over the cold tundra of Canada's northernmost reaches a kid a few rows ahead pukes. For a few tense minutes it looked like we might get a puke-o-rama on our hands as the smell went around the plane and set off a puking chain reaction (a la that story from Stand By Me), but the gods of puke smile upon us and we were spared that particular scene. This kid REALLY puked though. We all watched in amazement as he wiped the puke from his mouth and shirt and pants and arms and hair and cleaned the puke off his glasses and WATCH! In this picture you see the stewardesses changing the seat covers. Can you believe that?!??? The seat covers! And for a moment my physical pains are forgotten as I revel in the pleasure that is watching someone else suffer intense humiliation.  16:18:29 Rarely have I been so happy to get off an aircraft. And so we arrive in Vancouver.  16:22:34 Here's a part of Vancouver airport that many Vancouverites (even those who fly frequently) often never see.... this little display of native art, complete with a waterfall, is in the arrivals area for international flights and is many visitor's first glimpses of Canada.  17:02:06 Things are looking pretty good by now. Now through customs my friend Landon arrives to very kindly provide ground transportation into the city.  17:08:55 Just outside the terminal and on the way to the parking garage is a nice little park for smokers and their friends to enjoy (and anyone else who feels compelled to stand around OUTSIDE the airport).  17:09:41 It's actually a pretty nice little oasis in the madness of the bustle of air travel. Too bad that normal people never see it because they are safe inside the terminal building away from the toxic smoke.  17:42:43 Ok. Time for Map Orientation once again. So, we've now flown into Vancouver International Airport (conveniently marked on the satellite image as "Airport"). Our final destination for the evening is downtown Vancouver and the YWCA Hotel (also conveniently marked). And along the way, although we don't know it yet, Landon will decide to take us to see Queen Elizabeth Park (once again, conveniently marked).  17:42:43 Ok! So, as promised, here we are at Queen Elizabeth Park... another oasis in the city and one that I don't think I've ever been to before because I am sure that I would remember these bronze tourist statues.  17:43:14 The park affords a nice view of downtown Vancouver and the "North Shore" in the distance. That big white dome you see is BC Place Stadium and is located right across the street from the YWCA Hotel where we shall be staying this evening.  17:55:46 Actually, this really is a nice park. I am a bit paranoid about the flowers all over the place due to my fear of bees, but there don't seem to be many around so I am able to relax a little bit.  17:57:41 Some more views of flowers and stuff.  18:02:54 There's even a waterfall. That makes the third waterfall we've seen since we got off the plane.  18:03:58 A better view of the waterfall and bridge above.  18:24:15 Ok. So back on the road again we cross the Cambie Bridge into downtown Vancouver.  18:24:23 Using satellite image technology once again (you'll get sick of it pretty soon, I think) we can see a cross-section of downtown Vancouver with some various interesting sites marked for your interest.  18:24:23 This ugly wall of buildings always sort of makes me sad. This is all new to me because when I was a kid this was all warehouses and stuff down in this part of town which is now called Yaletown. This whole area was also the location of the world's fair in 1986 (sigh... Expo 86) and for years after that no one really knew what to do with it. Finally, a few years back, they started building condos and stuff (and continue to do so). I ain't sure that I like it though. And although I understand why people would want to live in this neighbourhood (it's kind of cool now that it's been "revitalised") I do not understand the importance of a "waterfront view" type of building here since all these buildings look in the opposite direction of anything worth looking at (IE the mountains). All they see is the city sort of flatly stretching away to the United States. Maybe if you're on a corner you might see the mountains or ocean or something, but otherwise it's just like more buildings and stuff.  18:29:50 And so we arrive at Cambie Street and Robson Street.  19:23:23 Landon walks down to meet us at the YWCA Hotel so we can go out to dinner.  19:25:02 A view across Beatty Street to the Expo Dome (Science World) in the distance.  19:31:09 Both Landon and I are surprised to see the snow-covered peak of Mount Baker in the distance. (Look carefully.... it was a lot more obvious in real life than it is in this picture.)  19:31:12 I wasn't sure if I liked the previous photo. I wanted to get a good view of the Mark II Skytrain in the picture as well, so I took another photo of the same thing.  19:37:16 You might be better able to see Mount Baker in this picture, through the maze of construction and stuff.  19:49:02 Here we see the "world famous" Gastown steam clock. "The famous Gastown Steam Clock was built by horologist Raymond Saunders, owner of The Gastown Steam Clock Company just opposite the clock. He built it in 1977 based on an 1875 design. "The world's only steam clock is powered by steam from an underground systems of pipes that supply steam to heat many downtown buildings. You can sometimes see steam escaping from vents in the sidewalk - here it is put to good use. "The clock is a favourite photo location for tourists and provides a focal point for a trip to Gastown. The clock sounds its whistles every quarter-hour so you won't have long to wait to see the steam shooting from the vents at the top. Whilst you are waiting, look through the glass panels in the sides of the clock at the internal mechanism - steel balls are raised to the top of the clock under steam power then slowly fall to power it." (www.vancouvertourist.com)  19:49:13 And here we see it whistling at the quarter-hour. (Check out the steam coming out of the top...) Oh god... look at the time. It's only quarter to eight. I am ready to crash already. The painkillers and lack of sleep and disorientation conspire to confuse me so much that I forget to take any pictures of my pasta at the Old Spaghetti Factory, or any other pictures for that matter. I will have to overcompensate for that tomorrow by taking way too many pictures.  After a lovely (but undocumented) meal at the Old Spaghetti Factory we return to the hotel. As usual I had the manager's special thing where you can pick two different pastas: Spaghetti with Meat Sauce and the Spaghetti with Browned Butter & Mizithra Cheese. And so, with that I leave you with a recap of today's travel info, just in case anyone is interested for future reference: Today's Travel Information The Old Spaghetti Factory www.oldspaghettifactory.ca 53 Water Street Vancouver, BC V6B 1A1 (604) 684-1288 The Original Old Spaghetti Factory location is the best one, I think. Right in Vancouver's Gastown district. The Spaghetti Factory is one of my favourite all-time restaurants. They have a sort of all inclusive menu where you get a salad, pasta, ice-cream and coffee or tea all included in the price. I remember the ice-cream distinctly from growing up. YWCA Hotel Vancouver www.ywcahotel.com 733 Beatty Street Vancouver, BC, Canada V6B 2M4 1-800-663-1424 / (604) 895-5830 Double Rate = $88 The YWCA Hotel in Vancouver is a really great place to stay. I highly recommend it. The staff is always really great and even though it's a "Y" it is very much just like a normal hotel. You can get basically just normal hotel rooms at affordable rates, as well as other shared bath options that make the rate even more affordable if that kind of thing doesn't bother you that much. I mean, how much time do you spend in the bathroom anyway? They also have communal television rooms and kitchens on each floor. And the location is really great, for me especially since my friend Landon lives just a block or two away. 
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