Vancouver 2019...

Looking at the calendar, we are already 2/3 of the way through July yet this is the first blog post of the month.  Why, you ask?!  Well we have been busy vacationing with Nana and Papa.  First we spent a few days in Vancouver, then on to a spectacular Alaskan cruise.  Then back home, where we have been SLOW to get back into a routine.

Needless to say, we have a million (and a half) pictures to document our amazing adventures. 

 First up, Vancouver, British Columbia.

We went to Vancouver without really knowing much about it, and quickly fell in love with the charm of the city and all that it has to offer.  Without a car in the city, we used the hop on-hop off bus system to see different parts of the city.  

The bus allowed us to hear a little commentary about the city and the opportunity to explore at our own pace.  We disembarked in China Town, which we learned was the 3rd largest China Town in North America behind New York City and San Fransisco.  

Inside the Chinese Gardens...

We ate at a neat brewery in the artsy, foody part of town called Yaletown...

Sullivan did a little magic at dinner with her silverware...

We explored Gastown...

We saw the Olympic Torch on the waterfront from the 2010 Winter Olympics...

And because it was Canada Day (July 1st), which is their version of our 4th of July, the torch was lit.

We took a boat tour of the bay near downtown where we got to see very pretty sights and several sea planes leave and take off from the "airport".

We visited Granville Island - which had lots of shops and a great public market.  Too bad we didn't find the public market when we were hungry.  There were some tasty things in there!

We spent a great deal of time in Stanley Park, which is a public park that is greater in size than Central Park.  We first visited the Totem Poles...

Then Dead Man's Island...

We drove by North Beach.  This picture doesn't really do it justice, but the beach was PACKED with people.  They were all out there celebrating Canada Day and waiting for the evening fireworks.  I couldn't get over how packed the beach was - you could hardly see sand. 

We went to Queen Elizabeth Park, where there was pretty sights of the whole city and spectacular gardens and flowers.  

Sullivan also managed to squeeze in plenty of time to go swimming too, which was a recurring theme throughout our entire vacation. 

That girl loves her some water (and some selfies!)...

After a couple of long days, we took a water taxi back downtown.  We clocked miles and miles of walking in the couple of days we were in Vancouver and didn't even begin to scratch the surface of things to see and do in the city and area.  It is definitely a place to put on the list to visit again.

All those miles clocked on prepared us for what was to come on our Alaskan Cruise.  

More to come on that amazing adventure soon!