Vancouver - Gastown

This morning we awoke to a soft rain, as was forecast. After breakfast we packed and checked out but left all our bags at the hotel while we went to have a last morning exploring Vancouver. We walked back to Gastown, as we only saw it briefly yesterday, and to be honest I found the drug addicts lining that one street a bit upsetting so we did not hang around for long.

Gastown was named after a British mariner and saloon keeper whose talkative nature earned him the title of 'gassy Jack'.The original Gastown settlement formed the nucleus for the City of Vancouver and is now a National Historic Site. It has a well known whistling steam clock, which toots and lets off steam every 15 minutes - see extra.

We then went to meet the Canadian family for our last get together. We had a casual lunch at Cactus Club where I had the best poke bowl I have ever eaten! After lunch it was drizzling lightly but was very warm and pleasant to wander along the seawall. Finally it was time to say goodbye, everyone felt very sad as we had so enjoyed reconnecting with family again. Hopefully we will be back to visit them in Vancouver again some time in the future. The boys said they could move here in an instant! The cousins got on so well and had such laughs together.

Luke and Meriel are not flying home with us, they are flying to New York for a few days before going home to London. Shortly after Luke gets back to the UK he will be starting his new job so this is a good opportunity for him to have his last long holiday. 

We are now sitting at the airport waiting to board our flight. We depart at around 8pm, its a 9 hour flight back to London and we arrive at around 5am although this will be 2pm in the UK. Hello jet lag once again...

I am so looking forward to seeing Xena again. She has been so well looked after by L the dog sitter, she has had such a social time with doggy playdates arranged nearly every day, spoilt with home made doggy ice lollies and I am sure she will probably be sad to say goodbye to L. I had received many photos and videos of her every day.