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Click this link if you want to start at the beginning of our trip from
South Carolina (where we bought the boat) to Lake Ontario Click this link:

If you want to see the story of our 2 1/2 year project getting
Blowin' Bubbles ready for our life on board click here:
FIRST "REFIT" BLOG ENTRY - March 2011

If you want to start at the beginning of our trip:
START OF TRIP - July 2014
2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019

Monday, October 7, 2019

Vancouver.. Our First Week...

On September 30th we arrived in the heart of Vancouver, British Columbia.  After acquiring an online permit to anchor in False Creek we made our way up the creek and anchored just before the Cambie Street Bridge which is too short for us to get under.


In 24 feet we anchored in some nice soft mud just outside one of the many marinas along the creek. Supposedly you can only anchor for a specified period of time which varies throughout the year, but clearly no one seems to be following the rules as there are boats "anchored" here that have not moved in a very long time!

We, as usual, followed all the rules and will leave before our permit expires later this month.  As you can see from the map (above), there are many places we can safely leave our dinghy as we explore this awesome Canadian city.




  


Our first impression of Vancouver is that there are many people with TONS of money!  Rents here are the highest in Canada and the housing market left the roof behind a long time ago.  We have yet to see a car older than one or two years and people wear more clothing labels than actual clothes!

In contrast we have also seen more homeless people than in any other big city in Canada.  The contrast is very evident to us.  Very sad.

  






The best part of being in Vancouver is that we get to see our youngest daughter who is doing her graduate studies at the University of British Columbia.  Living with her boyfriend, they have a nice apartment near the university and just a short bus ride from where we are anchored.

We have explored just a few places so far and last weekend we took the kids out to Gambier Island where we did some fabulous hiking.
























On Sunday we visited the famous Granville Island Market where local young, upwardly mobile people shop and buy over priced trinkets.  Some things were really beautiful and might have been worth the amount of money they were asking, but much of what we saw looked more like arts and crafts, than expensive art... lol...











I guess we have been away from the first world for much too long... I have to admit I am having some trouble adjusting the this way of life.  The overwhelming consumerism is making us feel somewhat out of place.  For much of the last 6 years we have been with people who have much more of a subsistence lifestyle.  I can't help wonder which way is better or who lives a happier life...

More soon...

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