It is my first inclusion in the Post-Secondary Visit trips. I shall be along to meet our funded students in Nanaimo and Vancouver. The rest of the group, my co-workers and Board Directors have traveled out by ferry and driven down island. As I had other obligations I flew out yesterday to Vancouver, shuttled over to the main terminal and picked up my rental car, a cute Hyundai Accent. It is practical and economical but has terrible blind spots compared to anything I drive, not the best in the city. It was a spectacular sunny and warm day so the flight was a treat. I drove through the beautiful neighbourhoods of South Vancouver, heading into downtown, soaking up the history and the changes. Upon check-in I remembered how friendly the staff were at the Pinnacle Hotel. The parking is a bit convoluted to deal with but the rooms are lovely and well appointed.
I dropped my gear, sent a few email for work and then headed for the Pacific Coliseum where I was to join an old friend and her family to watch the Vancouver Giants against the Kamloops Blazers. It was fun to hang with Tilly, her daughter and grandbabies. And the Giants won, Yay!
I stopped at the Waldorf on the way back, picked up some cold ones and soaked in the atmosphere of this iconic institution.
When I returned to my room I spent some time just staring out at the city. I have a view predominantly filled with other towers but that is visually stimulating to me having lived for nearly a year now in Bella Bella where nothing is over two stories. I couldn’t help but observe that the tower across the street was also a hotel and that people were unaware of the lack of privacy provided by the sheer drapes. It was oddly titillating to be a voyeur, as if I were watching some odd TV program. I found myself making up little back stories for the characters I was watching. Suddenly I realized this was a terrible invasion of privacy and closed my own black out drapes to watch the real TV for a while.
I did so want to sleep late as I didn’t have to leave until 11 this morning to catch the ferry to Nanaimo but I have a room with an adjoining door between me and the next one. As it happens these are sound transporter doorways…. sigh.
It is a beautiful day again and I look forward to the ferry ride.
ciao….
triumphgal 