TCF

My first cruise ship was the Statendam....not the version now...but the one in 1980!

Travelled from Miami down the eastern Caribbean for ten days. It was a wonderful ship and great crew.

Kat in CA....there is an Urban Fair....(very upscale supermarket) about two or three blocks from Canada Place that has a great floral department. It is on the corner of Bute and Cordova.....305 Bute St.

Should be cheaper than a proper florist, but I don't know by how much!

The only Wal Mart I have ever been to is in PV.

First, it is right across the street from the cruise ship pier. An easy walk on nice day.

Second, it has goods that can be picked up in familiar surroundings and it is an ease "lug" back to the ship. I only went there for replacement items...not souvenirs or liquor.

More photo ops....

Gardens...San Yet Sen (Chinatown)...Queen Elizabeth Park (Locals call it Little Mountain...great pans of the city too from this spot.)...Van Dusen Botanical Garden.

Landscapes... Lynn Creek Park....Capilano Suspension Bridge....Clevland Dam... Grouse Mountain....spots all along the Stanley Park Drive.

There are a ton of other places but I have tried to keep in mind the suggestions made by others and the fact you only have one day.

Good luck with the project....and make sure you are on the port side deck on the ship as you leave the harbour....there are some terrific shots to be had as you approach and pass under the Lion's Gate Bridge.

Welcome home Putter....

There is a great Chinese restaurant on the corner of 12th Ave and Commercial called the Chongquing...it is szechuan style.

Then as Putter or Dennis said if you walk down (north) on Commercial to Broadway (9th Ave) you are at the transportation hub for that neighbourhood. You can take a bus across (west) to about two blocks of every nationality of restaurant know to humankind between Cambie Street and Oak Street. Or, you can walk down (north) on Commercial to what the locals call "The Drive" where you also find every nation respresented by a restaurant....cheek to jowl... all the way to Hastings Street....but that is a long walk! Among the best Italian restarants in the city are on "The Drive" but others as well.

It is safe neighbourhood to walk in after dark....but it is also a fun neighboourhood to stroll during the day and just people watch.

I hope you have really good time here.

White Spot is a local dining institution....been around since the 1920's. It is a great place for breakfast...good food....good prices....and literally across the street from the Westin. Mind you the parking lot is in front of the hotel so it is about a half block walk.

BTW sounds like yout tour plans are right on the money.

Enjoy Vancouver.

Thank you for that correction! I'm old and forgetful so I just followed the post in front of me...it's all her fault!!! LOL!!!

We did Ronnie Harrington's excursion last month on our way back from the Amazon.

He offers a very good and diverse excursion providing a broad variety of photographic opportunities. In addition he provides good narration and "stories" about the island and its people.

My wife got some incredible pictures at the stops we made...both inland and on the coast. I would have got better pictures if I had remembered to put the battery back in my camera instead of leaving it in the charger on the ship!!!

Lot's of stops and photo ops...as well as a bus with large window that opened so yu can get shots from the bus. Really enjoyed the stop at the rum shop where I got to sit an chat with the some of the local boys while my wife wandered off to take pictures.

Worth the money.

Statendam 1982 on an Eastern Caribbean itinerary.

Didn't cruise again until 2006...have done four since and leaving on the fifth in ten days.......this time on the Veendam.

Statendam 1982 on an Eastern Caribbean itinerary.

Didn't cruise again until 2006...have done four since and leaving on the fifth in ten days.......this time on the Veendam.

Thanks Ut...I hadn't noticed.

Francine...I checked when I went shopping today and I think Putter is right....it is probably only in the US. None of the packages at sfeway had Splenda on them.

Do I get a freee cruise now that I have over 1K posts!!!!????

Probably not ,eh!

As I sit here gazing at my Diet Coke can through the magnifying glass I note that this can is sweetend with aspartame....now if that is Splenda then I guess you're good to go.....

In any event if you walk out the front door of the hotel and turn right to the corner, turn left across the street.....and walk staright up that 1/2 block street you will see Save-On-Foods....a supermarket that stocks all soft drinks.

Hope you find the right Diet Coke...

For those planning on a pre or post cruise excursion to Whistler in the next five days or so...there was a huge rock slide last night that has blocked the Sea-To- Sky highway to and from Whistler.

They are saying it will be five or more days before they blast out the remaining over-hang and clear the road for travel.

There maybe alternative transportation available...but no one knows for sure what and how much.

Here are some ideas:

Museum of Anthropology at UBC....has a wonderful collection of First Nations artifacts.

Nitobe Memorial Garden...is just down the road from the Museum and is said to be the most pefect Tea Garden outside of Japan in the world.

UBC Botancial Garden...not a great botanical garden but it is just a ways past the Nitobe Garden on Marine Dr.

San Yet Sen Garden...is a traditional Chinese garden right in the heart of China Town...which in itself is a fun walk-around.

Steveston...a fishing community south of Vancouver at the mouth of the Fraser River (south arm). Cannery Museum and some nice restaurants...there are also whale watching excursions from Steveston.

Budhist Temple...on the Steveston Hwy...is a wonderful place to visit. Built in traditional Chinese architecture this is gorgeous building with gardens as well.

Queen Elizabeth Park (caller Little Mountain by the locals) is a gardedn built in an old stone quarry. It has beautiful vistas of vancouver and the mountains....also a conservatory that is most interesting to spend some time in.

Van Dusen Botanical Garden on Oak street.

and...

The Vancouver Museum and Plantetarium...as well as the Maritime Museum which houses the RCMP St. Roch, the first ship to crusie through the North West Passage (one of my favourites).

Hope this gives you some ideas.

On the Cannery....I saw a news story a few weeks ago on CTV that the Cannery is closing/relocating but I can't remember when, so you may want to check before you go.

It's a real shame because it is/was a beautiful restaurant, with really good food, but apparently because it is on Ports Canada land and the Ports Police are all twisted up about security and people have to cross into a 'secure' area they aren't happy with having a restaurant there. Its been there for about 30 years I think.

Groupcruiser makes the point best. If you're expecting it you can do what needs to be done to protect yourself. Right out of the blue is another thing entirely!

Tom