Day 2 in Vancouver

Friday was yet again cold and rainy so we were in a bit of a dilemma as to how to fill our day as everything we had planned to do was outside (and we are without wet weather gear). We decided to do one of the hop-on/hop-off bus tours as they were half enclosed so if the rain let up we could sit out in the open or if it kept raining we could see the sights from inside. This proved to be quite a good idea as out knowledge of Vancouver is extremely limited so we were able to go to all the sights and have a look. We visited places such as Stanley Park, English Bay, Granville Island, Robson Street and Gastown.

Part of Stanley Park

Entrance to Granville Island

English Bay Beach

At the 'Engagement' sculpture at English Bay

Thankfully, our view of Vancouver has dramatically changed. We love it here and wish we could spend much more time in Canada. It is so pretty with so many nice areas in the city. Saturday is supposed to be sunny so fingers crossed we will get to have a closer look at some of the areas we really liked.

Friday night we had tickets to see Tegan and Sara at Malkin Bowl which is in Stanley Park. It was quite a lot like when there are events at Kings Park only in Australia we don't seem to be stupid enough to book a concert outside in a park in a time we know is most likely going to be raining. So we were rather dreading the night as it was raining and freezing and we didn't have wet weather clothing or jackets. we walked into the fenced off area and about 40% of it was mud (great for my canvas shoes!), there was no sheltered area and umbrella's were not allowed in the venue (fair enough). We had to choose if we wanted to be sheltered a bit from rain under the big trees on the hill or huddled and slightly warmer down the front but in the rain. We chose under the tree as if we got wet, we would be freezing anyway.

Malkin Bowl

So we perched ourselves on some massive roots and sat in the cold waiting (we got there rather early as the hop on hop off stopped right next to the venue so we took the last service they ran but it got us there just as gates were opening). The show was really good but it was a very cold, uncomfortable experience. And I think I may have ranted way too much just now but I want you to really understand how damn cold it was!

Tegan and Sara

Very cold at Tegan and Sara

By the end of the concert we were shaking with the cold, sore from trying to huddle into balls, various body parts were numb and I couldn't feel my toes at all and they stayed numb the entire way back to the hotel (we took a bus and then walked 8 blocks and they were still cold!). To try and warm up, we ducked into Tim Horton's (love) for hot chocolates and doughnuts.

My 'Canada' doughnut

(yes those are little maple leaf candies)