Dear Liza,
On our last day in this pretty, grey-ish city, we all had different things we wanted to do, so we went our separate ways for a while.
Grandpa Nelson and Auntie Bridgett wanted to return to Granville Island, to see the harbor and buy a color of acrylic paint mixed only here in Vancouver, called Vancouver Grey. Having spent some time here, I think they mixed it perfectly well.
For my own last day, I chose to walk out along the path we had ridden on bikes, back into Stanley Park. I enjoyed being slow and looking at everything from every angle, waiting for the crows to be in just the right position.
I stopped for a good look at memorials and sculptures off the path, like this “is it whale’s ribs or ship’s ribs?” sculpture placed right on the sand. Turns out, it is called “217.5 degrees x 13”, a reference to the curve itself. I like the way it frames different views of the harbor.
This is the AIDS memorial, with hundreds of names cut right through the steel, as well as quotes with living thoughts. There were some small children there with their mother, and she explained that these were people who had died and this was the way their friends chose to remember them, and aren’t the roses pretty? Then she mentioned ‘lunch’, and they dashed away.
Further on, I saw Inukshuk, which was used as the symbol for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. It was, fittingly, accompanied by a seagull.
I found this memorial to Air India Flight 182, which was destroyed by a terrorist bomb in 1985. The stone wall, which symbolizes the interrupted flight path, was engraved with the names of the people killed. It was understated, sad, and lovely.
At that point, I realized that I was hungry as well as sad, and needed lunch. I found the Stanley Park Brewing, which besides dozens of locals beers, offers great lunches! I had a salad with chicken and a delightful hard winter wheat ale.
I continued back into town, found Auntie Bridgett and Grandpa Nelson, and we all hung out until an early bedtime. We had a 4 AM wake-up to catch the train!!
Love,
Grandma Judy
Dear Liza 