Project 289 - Day 227 (Friday 30 October 2009) : Downtown....Downtown is Waiting For You!

I think I have made it very clear that I love Vancouver. LOVE IT.

One of my favourite parts of this beautiful, relaxed, funky city is the downtown area - a harbour encircling, a stunningly beautiful park at the end of it (Stanley Park), vibrant streets, and great shooping - and today, with my wonderful friend, Sandra, I hit the area hard, including my beloved Robson Street, walking 11km, eating at my fave sushi place, Tsunami Sushi (sushi on boats! Yeah!) and buying chocolate at Rocky Mountain Chocolate Company, before buying my body weight in plush moose toys and moose-themed T-shirts, mouse pads, and knick knacks. Yes the moose addiction continues!

I also had the chance to get back to the gay quarter of West End, where Sandra and I grabbed a latte and a hot chocolate respectively at Blenz, and where I, using my fabulously over zealous use of hand movements, knocked my hot chocolate (made with real Belgian chocolate no less!) all over the table, the floor, and Sandra's shopping bag and her scarf! What a freakin' mess! Thankfully the guy who worked there was so nice and helped clean it all up, and I got a replacement hot chocolate too (which I insisted on paying for given the spillage was my mistake, not theirs). It was a thoroughly unpredictable end to the day and certainly woke us both up after lots of walking and shopping!

The other thing I loved was the grey overcast weather and chilled air - although towards the end of the day not so chilly and a tad more humid thanks to the rain - which for me characterise Vancouver, and when coupled with a light, soothing misting rain, evoke a delightful Wuthering Heights-esque mystique you never get in Sydney...

The day was finished off with yet another trip in the Westcoaster train from Waterfront Station, and pizza and pumpkin carving with Ken and the kids. I had carved pumpkins once before but this was the fitrst time, I'd seen it all from whoa to go and thrust my hand into the heart of the pumpkin and grabbed the guts and pulled them out! Messy but fun, and the look of delight on the kids' faces, and the amazing glow when the tea candles were lit inside them, was worth it all.

I can't wait for Halloween!