Wandering from Vancouver to Whistler
Our last trip to Fort Lauderdale convinced Cathy and I that upper-end hotels are worth every penny they cost (we spent one night in a real dive, the Wish You Were Here Inn, there). I decided to stay in Richmond last night to avoid rush hour, as I’m picking Cathy up at the Vancouver airport at 10:30 this morning, and got a very good price on the Hilton Vancouver Airport by using Hotwire.
By the time I had checked in I knew it was a good choice, and that feeling has been reinforced many times. I’m in a suite on the 18th floor, with a great view, true high-speed internet access, and my car is in a secure parkade.
I’m going to start by heading down to the fitness room, then the jacuzzi. After a leisurely breakfast I’ll go to the airport and Cathy and I will make the spectacular drive up to Whistler. It’s going to be a particularly fine day. The Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict at Carmichael’s, the hotel restaurant, was exceptionally good.
Whenever I have a bit of time to spare, I drive down to the Coast Guard Station at YVR to see if a particular piece of equipment is there so I can get a photo. This morning I finally got lucky. Back in 1987, the crew of this hovercraft very likely saved my life when I crashed the plane I was flying.
When I picked Cathy up she said that the aquarium was the one thing she wanted to see before driving to Whistler, and it was an excellent choice. The Vancouver Aquarium is a world-class facility, and the 2 ½ hours we spent there was about an hour less than a proper visit should be.
Sea otters are Cathy’s favourite sea mammal.
This year-old beluga whale calf is gray now but will turn white when she matures.
The shark feeding show attracted a huge crowd, but we were there early and had a good viewing spot.
The spectacular Sea to Sky Highway is being upgraded for the 2010 Winter Olympics.
The final photo of the day shows the view from our suite at the Delta Whistler, where we’ll be for 4 nights. That gives us lots of time to explore 🙂
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