Vancouver B.C. Part Deux

We visited the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden. Peace, harmony, yin, yang - and a photo shoot going on in the background.

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Totem poles in Stanley Park. We learned that "low man on the totem pole" is a misunderstanding; it seems that the bottom figure is the most important one and usually it isn't a man!

In 1888 the park was named after Lord Stanley of Preston, the Governor General of Canada. In 1893 Lord Stanley donated the trophy that became known as hockey's Stanley Cup.

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"A-Mazing Laughter" sculptures by Beijing-based artist Yue Minjun in Morton Park at the edge of English Bay.

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Aboard our ship M/S Volendam heading for Alaska, we say goodbye to Vancouver .

We sailed under the Lion's Gate Bridge, construction of which began in 1937. It was financed primarily by the Guinness family - yes, that Guinness family - providing employment during the Great Depression.

That's Larry in silhouette snapping photos.

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My Nephew Ryan

This is my nephew Ryan when he was just a wee wain. I never got him interested in playing the guitar, but he's ace on piano and drums. He's seventeen years old now and I've never missed an important life event of his - school, church, family - nothing.

Until last week.

I was on a ship in Alaska while a ceremony for Ryan was held. Not just any ceremony, but the Eagle Scout Court of Honor ceremony. This is a regret I'll probably carry with me always.

According to the printing on the invitation, "The Eagle Scout is the highest rank that can be attained by Scouts. Only 4 percent of youth who join Scouting earn this honor."

Ryan has grown up to be a fine human being, trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent. I'm lucky to be his Aunt B.

Ryan with his cousins Rowan and Grant.

Vancouver, B.C.

We spent a half day, a night, and another half day in Vancouver B.C. before boarding our ship, the MS Volendam, for an adventure in Alaska.

We stayed at the Pan Pacific Hotel in Vancouver. Looking out our window way up high we could see downtown where gardens grow on top of buildings.

That evening we went for dinner at Bao Bei, a restaurant that our neighbor Jeffrey in Los Angeles told us we must visit. Two of our favorites on the menu are the Shao Bing (crunchy sesame flatbread with braised pork butt, Asian pear, pickled onion and mustard green) and the Mantou (steamed buns with braised beef shortrib, hoisin, scallions, pickled cucumber and roasted peanuts). There is no doubt that next time we visit Vancouver we will return to Bao Bei.Later we walked over to the Steam Works Brewing Company for a glass of wine for me and a beer for Larry. This place was wonderful with all its framed French posters and interesting nooks and crannies.
The next morning we went on a proper tour. We started out in Vancouver's Chinatown where the street lamps were adorned with mischievous dragons. The fresh-from-the-oven apple tarts at the New Town Bakery were crazy-making.

More photos and notes to follow.

[Photos taken with my iPhone using the Hipstamatic app]