Entering Canadian Airspace, Saturday April 14th 2018

We opted for a single suitcase each this trip, keeping in mind we would not be staying anywhere for more than 2 nights over the course of the next 8 days. It was an early morning off to the airport and a crowd-less check-in at the airport. It was also crowd-less at the gate. Looking at the monitor, Peg and I were on the list as 1. ANDWA and 2. ANDMA for a first class upgrade (that almost never happens). First class was a special treat given the flight to Vancouver would be over 4 hours long. When our names were called for the upgrade, we were not able to sit next to one another but we didn't care....a hot tasty breakfast was awaiting in row 3.

After landing in Vancouver we made our way to the customs area (did you ever notice how quickly people move after they exit an international flight, knowing they have to go thru customs, and head towards the customs lines)? As Peg would say, there is no dilly-dallying thru the concourse.

After scanning our passports and answering NO to everything at the automated kiosk, we got in line and basically enjoyed the fact there were only 40 or 50 people in front of us. By the time we passed through, our bags were waiting for us and an empty taxi line awaited us at the curb. The cab fare was about $32 CAD to downtown Vancouver and the Sutton Place Hotel where we would call home for 2 nights. After dumping our bags we had plenty of daylight left so we had an appetizer at our hotel bar and headed out to Robson Street (one block away).

Robson street is Vancouver's mecca for retail shopping. The locals claim that brick and mortar will never die on Robson Street. The second largest Victoria Secret store in the world can be found here. When you get near the entrance however, you'll find the retail space was actually the Vancouver Public Library at one time and the sign is still engraved into the storefront. You know you're not in a typical Victoria Secret store when you see the 100 square foot video monitor on the wall showing women walking the runway and modeling the latest fashions.

One more block over from Robson Street there was Gucci, Tiffany's, Louis Vuitton, etc. We made our way to a great chop house and seafood restaurant called Joe Fortes. We learned later Joe Fortes was not the actual owner of the restaurant.  Instead, he was a rather famous home town hero in Vancouver who became famous by helping other people (served as a lifeguard, saving lives and teaching people to swim at a local beach). The locals back then referred to him lovingly as "Old Black Joe" or "English Bay Joe". The stocky, dark-skinned man was a friend and teacher to the children, a guard for the bathers and a hero to people in distress. He has been officially credited with saving 29 lives, yet it is believed that the real number is considerably higher. In any case, Joe Fortes is my #1 recommendation for a great downtown dinner in Vancouver!

After dinner .....and some window shopping, we closed the curtains in our hotel room because it was still daylight outside,  and called it a night. Peg decided she wanted to live on Central Time the whole trip  so it was almost 10PM in our conversations despite what the alarm clock on the bedside table said (and we were exhausted from the day). If I ever referred to the real local time, I was quickly corrected.....