Picnic Supper at Lorcano Beach

After work, I rode the bus down to join Meris and the kids at Lorcano Beach. We all swam in the Pacific. Sandcastles were built. We saw UBC students playing in a beach volleyball competition and we watched the sunset. A cool way to spend an evening after work.

Granville Island - Saying Au Revior to Dill

Dill met us at Bridges Restaurant once again on his last night before returning to New Berlin. The kids played in the same park as they did five years ago. Does Hannah look any older?

Another day cycling in Stanley Park

We decided to hire bikes once again and peddle around Stanley Park. We had a picnic lunch at a a play area. While the kids played I cycled down to English Beach to get a shot of the Inukshuk (Innuit good luck symbol and direction finder). We then went and looked at the Totem poles again. We then spent an hour or so at the water park where, predictably, the kids got wet once again.

Car #2

This is the kids standing in front of Car #2 - A Ford Fusion. The first rental car was a big ugly Chrysler (although it did have a Born to Run licence plate). Meris has has found driving on right side of the road a breeze. We like this car. It has also attracted the odd envious look due to its sleek sporty lines. The girls are both wearing Kirsten's dresses as Hannah decided to appropriate the one she is wearing from Kirsten's wardrobe.

Dinner at Monk MacQueen's

Heidi was ever so sweet to offer Meris and I a night off from the kids. She took them to see a movie "Ratatoulie" (Sp?). We went with Dill to his old hang out in Leg-in-Boot Square. The meal was fantastic and I got this long exposure shot of downtown Vancouver.

Grouse Mountain

We had a great day out at Grouse Mountain. We took a cable car to the top of the mountain where we took in a fantastic lumberjack show. We then watch a short bird of prey display. Adam was then adamant that we should hike to the very top of the mountain. Hannah, he and I went up the last few hundred feet to drink in a fantastic view of Stanley Park, downtown Vancouver and Victoria Island behind it, while Meris and Kirsten probably took advantage of a half an hour rest. Then we saw two grizzly bears that in a habitat enclosure and then went on a wonderful nature trail where we saw this feasthouse by a blue lake. We watched a short movie and then came down the mountain by cable car again. Some bears (and a moose) followed us home.

Lighthouse Park, Horseshoe Bay and Gastown.

Sunday and we went out for a lovely drive along Marine Drive in West Van (go over Lion Gate Bridge and turn left). At the end of the penisular is Lighthouse Park where we climbed rock formations and had lunch sitting on an outcrop overlooking the lighthouse. We then drove on to Horseshoe Bay where ferries to Nanimo on Victoria Island leave from. It is is a gorgeous setting and we spent a couple of lazy hours there on the beach (see Converse Sneaker Funday below), the docks and the park. We then returned to downtown Vancouver where we ate at the Spaghetti Factory in Gastown. We finished the day by watching the sun set on Lorcano Beach near UBC where some people were still going for a late evening dip.