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On Tuesday, June 11, and not believing that it had not rained on our trip yet, we asked the hotel for a couple of complimentary bicycles and were told that only one was available but the other one should be available soon. So in the meantime we took the aquabus from the foot of Davie Street in Yaletown to the Public Market on Granville Island, False Creek, where a former industrial site was long ago converted into an indoor public market.
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On Monday we spent the whole day in Grouse Mountain.
Getting there is not difficult, but it could definitely be simpler. First we walked up Granville, where we passed a medical marihuana dispensary (“Victorian Pharmacy”), to Canada Place, where we bought the tickets at the tourist office assisted by a very nice old lady. From there we walked to Waterfront Station where we took the SeaBus to North Vancouver. Then the 236 bus at dock 8, that took us all the way up to Grouse Mountain, stopping at several cute residential streets, including Cortell street!
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A very early flight allowed us to see the sunrise over Manhattan’s skyline, perfectly delineated as if drawn by an architect, from Newark Airport.
In Vancouver’s airport they take their indigenous art seriously, with large wood figures and totem poles all over. There you also realize how much of a cruise city it is: cruise lines have their own counters at the airport, to take passengers and luggage directly to their ship.
On May 13th, on my way to a friends apartment, we stumbled upon the set of Ben Stillers new movie right outside the 125th St. subway exit. They were filming in the middle of the street. What struck me the most was that one of the façades of the building had been completely redone (cast, cement, wood, paint… it looked absolutely real and solid) for the film.
Really? No building façade will do?
After a work meeting (and seeing a colorful piano, being fine tuned, in a public space) I took the opportunity to visit Columbia University (it was about time).
The first building I enter is called “The Library at Columbia University”. But, alas, is not a library!
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It ceased to be a library in the late 30s, and now happens to be the Administrative Offices. Across the lawn, where students and visitors were chilling out and enjoying the sunny day, I find one of the many libraries:
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Meaning to go to a Tibetan restaurant which happened to be closed Memorial Day, we ended up in Robataya NY (sister of the great Robatoya Roppongi Hills, Tokyo). Easily one of the finest Japanese restaurants in the city. Cute, fun and delicious.
