Canada Diary - Day 4
Vancouver - 15 May, Day 4.
Woke at 8, slept in ’til 9, before braving the showers. Two separate knobs that seem to have no relation to the constantly changing stream of boiling hot or sub zero water being sprayed over you. I think it may not be a shower at all, but instead some cunningly disguised instrument of torture, with myself an unwitting contestant on some Japanese game show.
Good hearty breakfast and coffee at the Cambie, cheap with the discount card. Canadians can really make good coffee, offering three different kinds with breakfast.
After breakfast, off to do the tourist thing, see the sights, photograph them, and see what there is to amuse a lone backpacker in these parts.
Walked downtown to Stanley Park, somewhere I’d been before with my family on holiday. Beautiful massive park surrounded by the sea at the tip of central Vancouver. Took some photos of the totem poles. Sat on a bench overlooking North Vancouver and started a poem in response to a book of poetry, entitled ‘Bone Flames’, that I’d picked up in a second hand book shop in Seattle.
Good hearty breakfast and coffee at the Cambie, cheap with the discount card. Canadians can really make good coffee, offering three different kinds with breakfast.
After breakfast, off to do the tourist thing, see the sights, photograph them, and see what there is to amuse a lone backpacker in these parts.
Walked downtown to Stanley Park, somewhere I’d been before with my family on holiday. Beautiful massive park surrounded by the sea at the tip of central Vancouver. Took some photos of the totem poles. Sat on a bench overlooking North Vancouver and started a poem in response to a book of poetry, entitled ‘Bone Flames’, that I’d picked up in a second hand book shop in Seattle.
Linky - just in case you’d like to read it.
Very good intentions to create a poetry/prose book with pieces from the places I visit (obviously unfinished, but several can be found on the Other blog.)
Sat on the grass, enjoying the sunshine and sea breeze with my top, shoes, and socks off. Wanted to tell all the joggers, cyclists, skaters to stop their sweating and take some time to appreciate what’s around them. There’s a lot to be said for just sitting still, and watching, and appreciating the world around you.
Somehow managed to lose my camera, with all my photos from Seattle on. Most vexing. Must have left it on a bench after taking some snaps. Got a minute’s walk away, realised and went back for it. Camera gone, but a very pleased looking tramp walking off into the distance. Called all over seeing if it had been handed in, but no luck. Apparently tramps aren’t that altruistic.
Few beers at the Cambie in the evening, then at the Steamworks. Got talking to another Thomas, this time a kid few years younger than myself from Brazil. Odd guy, very needy, gave me his number. Dropped it in the bin on my way out.
Spent the night relaxing in the dorm with my Irish stoner, watching Dylan Moran on his laptop. Got an earlish night but got rudely awoken by two drunks from the bar who had paid for a bed when they realised they were too drunk to walk home. Both huge fat bastards, both taking the two top bunks. The one above spent an hour masturbating frantically, shaking the whole bed before falling asleep and the other had the worst snore I’ve ever heard. It sounded like a cross between a man chocking to death and someone gargling with jelly. Neither me nor the Irish fella slept a wink and not even kicking the mattress from below could stop the disgusting noise.
Sat on the grass, enjoying the sunshine and sea breeze with my top, shoes, and socks off. Wanted to tell all the joggers, cyclists, skaters to stop their sweating and take some time to appreciate what’s around them. There’s a lot to be said for just sitting still, and watching, and appreciating the world around you.
Somehow managed to lose my camera, with all my photos from Seattle on. Most vexing. Must have left it on a bench after taking some snaps. Got a minute’s walk away, realised and went back for it. Camera gone, but a very pleased looking tramp walking off into the distance. Called all over seeing if it had been handed in, but no luck. Apparently tramps aren’t that altruistic.
Few beers at the Cambie in the evening, then at the Steamworks. Got talking to another Thomas, this time a kid few years younger than myself from Brazil. Odd guy, very needy, gave me his number. Dropped it in the bin on my way out.
Spent the night relaxing in the dorm with my Irish stoner, watching Dylan Moran on his laptop. Got an earlish night but got rudely awoken by two drunks from the bar who had paid for a bed when they realised they were too drunk to walk home. Both huge fat bastards, both taking the two top bunks. The one above spent an hour masturbating frantically, shaking the whole bed before falling asleep and the other had the worst snore I’ve ever heard. It sounded like a cross between a man chocking to death and someone gargling with jelly. Neither me nor the Irish fella slept a wink and not even kicking the mattress from below could stop the disgusting noise.
