Vancouver

 

After an amazing time in Alaska we got to spend a few days in Vancouver.  A tough act to follow but the weather certainly helped as we finally saw sunshine and felt warmth again.

Saw a movie filming.  They were strangely secretive about what film but the selection of old cars was quite something.

 

  

Vancouver is a real foodie town so we got to enjoy some of it.  Lots of focus on barn to bistro so food trucks, small local restaurants and a huge food market on Granville Island.  We could almost see Granville Island from our hotel but the walk was a couple of miles over a bridge to build up our appetite.  The public market there is like a mini Borough Market, or Reading Terminal for our American viewers.

Guess who became Jakki's best pal

We were tired after grazing so got a local cab back.  Views from the cab weren't too shabby

The next day we got straight back on to the foodie tour with a DDD (Diners, Drive-ins and Dives).  The food was great but the ice-cream sandwich the highlight.  Anyone want to guess what flavour?  A hint - if was breakfast time.....Yes, those are beer bottles in the background but we are on holiday!

The best way to see Vancouver is on a bike so we had to join the masses.  Legally you have to wear a helmet so at least it wasn't just us looking geeky. 

We cycled the 6 mile sea wall around Stanley Park and then checked out some other areas.

 

 

 

 

A very cool city and we'll be back one day for a little longer and when we have more energy to do it justice

 

.

Alaska - Critters

 

A selection of the cool critters we spotted on our Alaskan adventure;

Moose;

These two were spooked by the train, on our way between Seward and Anchorage;

 

Just enjoying the sunshine;

 

 

We saw this lady on our way to the Ice Museum near Fairbanks;

 

 

 

And this teen just a couple of miles further down the same road;

 

We chanced upon this young lad as we were leaving Denali and heading for Anchorage;

 

 

Wood Bison;

 

Elk;

 

Caribou;

This herd crossed in-front of our bus in Denali.  Shedding their winter woolies but in this weather they may want to hold on to it for a little longer;

 

Just starting to loose his winter coat;

 

But these seen near Anchorage have already shed their winter coats and their antlers are fully grown;

 

Hoary (Harry) Marmot in Denali;

 

Arctic Ground Squirrels;

 

 

Seals;

Aka shark snacks;

 

 

Lynx;

 

 

Not sure what kind of critter this is;

 

But this one’s saying “hurry up and take the photo, this thing’s heavy”.  I can only imagine the neck ache you must get from having 2 of these;

 

 

Dall Sheep;

A long way away in Denali;

 

 

Bears;

This one proving that it’s not true what’s said about bears and woods or what you shouldn’t do on your own doorstep;

 

This one was fishing in the stream by the Meddenhall Glacier;

 

 

Sushi;

 

 

Salmon;

The reason why the bears are there;

 

Bright red Sockeye Salmon;

 

I think these are Coho Salmon in Ketchikan creek;

 

 

Bald Eagle;

Perched on an ice flow;

 

Soaring over Denali;

 

They were always facing the other way;

 

Just outside Juneau;

 

Loads and loads of wildlife to be seen so just a selection of some of the critters that made Alaska so memorable for us.  We also saw Orca and Humpback whales but the photos are rubbish!

 

.

Alaska - Views

 

Some people have asked us why we liked Alaska so much.  I think these images go some way to answering them (and our poor photography doesn’t tell half the story).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fancy a place in the country for weekends?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It may be a short summer but flowers everywhere for the short season

 

 

 

.