Day 48. Wednesday 5 October.

Rain forecast today and tomorrow, so today opted for Grouse Mountain (must have been named by an Aussie) as the outlook was marginally better. A good decision.

Caught up with a couple of friends on the way to the bus – a squirrel, a Steller’s Jay and a couple of American Robins. Although threatening darkly occasionally, the day ended in brilliant sunshine. And the Vancouver bus service has continued to impress, with a couple of legs connecting seamlessly. Every journey has had a friendly driver giving greetings & farewells & traveller info.

 

By the time we arrived at Grouse, options for extended (extending?) activities were limited. T was keen to try ziplining, but the only single vacancy (D wasn’t having a bar of it!) wasn’t until 2.30, and we thought, wrongly as it turned out, that our last bus was at 3.10. So we were left with the ride to the top (almost) of the mountain and some free extras.

 

The view from the top (4000 feet) was as spectacular as you’d expect, but pretty much just back over Vancouver and its waterways.

 

 

 

From there, a visit to visit two orphan grizzly bears, saved from being put to death over a decade ago under the policy existing at the time. They have prospered in their new home, and have in fact learned instinctively things their mum would have taught them: hibernation, diet and coming out of hibernation for example. Although these two will never be released into the wild because they have become too familiar with humans, the results of the experience and the opportunity to study them has changed the policy about killing orphans and they are now carefully reared before being released into the wild. Great story. And that was a close as we got to a Grizzly – and that was quite close enough!

 

 

 

 

The Cuddly Bear is probably a lot safer.

 

 

 

 

 

Caught some films, and the one on BASE jumping with wingsuits caught T’s attention – she now fantasises that ziplining is a bit too tame for her. D hasn’t changed his view in the slightest.

 

Then to the last attraction – the lumberjacks. This was classic vaudeville, with double entendres and dad jokes galore. Notwithstanding, the lumberjack skills of the two players were pretty impressive. The only downside was that both T & D sat on a bench with long cracks, holding water, which meant both came away looking like their nappies had leaked.

   

Stayed on the return bus to get to Lonsdale Quay, with a nice, short walk along the waterfront before getting some absolutely divine duck and quanciale salami, with hints of cinnamon (and some brie to accompany the leftover pecorino). Pre-dinner drinks reached new heights. Tonight’s dinner is a humbler fare: pork loin (not $40 per kilo).