Kilometres: 36.5
Time: not much
Weather:
Sunny, about 22 to 25 C
After breakfast at a nearby Denny’s I had planned to visit Windbell Motorcycles in North Vancouver so I could purchase an air bag vest. But one wrong turn and I wound up going in the opposite direction and over the Lion’s Gate Bridge and into Vancouver. I decided to turn around in Stanley Park, but that is impossible as it once you are in the park (which was the first exit after the bridge) it is a one way street without any turnarounds.
I found my way out of the park and then continued to get lost in downtown Vancouver. After about 20 minutes I finally found my way back tot he park … and again couldn’t find my way to Lion’s Gate Bridge. I finally gave up, pulled over, and turned on my GPS. I was a couple of hundred metres away from the turn onto the bridge. I keyed in the Windbell address and was there ... but now about 45 minutes behind schedule.
I arrived at 10:20 AM and I was supposed to meet my cousin, Sue, at my hotel in 10 minutes. That wasn’t about to happen. Fortunately she phoned me and we made quick arrangements to meet up in an hour.
Meanwhile at Windbell, I was fitted for the vest and then, wearing demonstration vest, the sales person pulled the ripcord and the vest blew up all around me in an instant. I looked like the Michelin tire man. I bought a bright yellow vest with 3M reflective strips on the front, sides, and the back. Everyone at the shop was really great. They even installed the tether for me.
I met Sue back at the hotel and we had a wonderful day together. We went to a couple of the beaches and she showed me around downtown. We also went to Queen Elizabeth Park, which offers a spectacular view of the city as well as West and North Van. (see the two pics.) Soon it was time to meet up with more cousins. We walked around Granville Island and then the five of us went out for dinner together.
After dinner, the family parted ways and my cousin and I went in search of an alcoholic beverage in North Van. Unfortunately, North Van seems to close its doors after dinner and it took quite a while for us to find bar, which we eventually did in West Van. It too seemed like the only business open after 9 PM.
We took our time with our glasses of wine as we had 18 years to catch up one. It was the perfect way to end my first full day in Vancouver.
