Saturday, September 7, 2013...

 

 

Beautiful sunny day to head to Granville Island

Waking up in Surrey, BC around 8:00 AM we headed down to breakfast at the hotel's restaurant, Rockwell.  Our food was delicious, but as our cruise director had pointed out..."there will be prices by each entrée once you leave the cruise ship!"  After programming the GPS, we started down the road to Vancouver's "Granville Island."  After reading about this "funky" former fishing village, we learned that it was  "must" for anyone visiting Vancouver.  We were very thankful for GPS as the entry to the island included confusing looping bridges and one way streets.  We luckily found a parking garage with all day parking for just $15. 

Gigantic Farmers Market on Granville Island

 

 

New Loft Shopping area

Our first stop was a large old building, now called the "Net Loft Shops."  This old fishing net making, repairing and storage building had been converted into a mall with many unique, creative and imaginative shops.  "Ya Paper" had lots of unusual paper products, journals, and ink stamping products.  "Post Card" didn't only offer your typical scenic vacation postcards, but rather images from classic black & white movies, and TV shows, as well as postcard booklets depicting scenes from movies or movie poster collections.  I found post cards for my grandkids of native Canadian animals that could be punched out and put together for a 3-D effect. 

Some of the unique products available in the Net Loft Shops

 

 

One of the many "buskers" entertaining on Granville Island

 

After finally getting Pat out of "Post Card," (we knew at this rate we'd never get to all the other areas of the island), so we decided that we would explore the rest of the island next, and then head back to the areas we really wanted to visit.  Just across from the Net Loft Mall was the gigantic Granville Fresh Market.  Our senses were on overload as we walked through the huge, colorful baskets of fresh produce, and past bakeries with cakes, cookies, tarts, and pies.  There were large cases of meats and seafood, as well as, coffee and tea.  We didn't stop though...we just enjoyed the feast with our eyes, and continued our walk around the island. 

 

 

 

Mmmmm yellow, red, green, orange peppers

How did they stack those cherries so well?

Red raspberries and blackberries

Bakeries offering yummy fruit tarts

More delicious baked goods we had to pass up

 

 

We found many expensive, one-of-a-kind products...silk weaving, felt made rugs, unique handmade pottery, fused glass and of course every type of wood carving and wood working.  There were several native arts stores offering Tinglet masks, totems, and amazing wall hangings. We took a break from our window shopping with some Chai tea and a Power Bar before heading to another area of the island.

 

A model of an Inukshuk, an Arctic People landmark device,
outside one of the Granville Island shops
 

Silk loom at a silk weaving shop

 

There were signs around the island advertising Granville Island Fringe Festival and several people had given us postcards inviting us to attend one of their plays.  We decided to attend a one-man play entitled, "Wolf Trek-Alone in the Woods."  It was a very captivating solo performance written and performed by Kevin Kennedy which told of one man's 3-week long hiking trip over an unmarked trail circumventing the Wood Bison National Park.

One of the "Fringe Festival" offerings

 

Unique sign outside the shop called "make"
which allowed you to create your own
design and then have it added to a t-shirt,
or cap or fabric

"Aquabus" water taxi at Granville Island docks

 

After visiting more unique shops, and picking up a few special souvenirs, we headed to the "Sandbar" restaurant, overlooking the Vancouver skyline, for dinner.  We enjoyed our grilled chicken salad, and then headed back to the Granville Market to check out one of their delicious desserts.  We were greeted by a security guard letting some guests out of the market, because the market had CLOSED at 7:00 PM!  Disappointed, we were at least able to find a coffee shop offering ice cream so we could top off our meal before heading back to the car.

 

 

Great views of Vancouver, as well as, great food

 

 

 

View of Vancouver sky line from Granville Island

Some of the docks at Granville Island

Outdoor dining area with a great view of the harbor

Time to leave Granville Island, as the sun begins to set on the bay

 

 

I programmed the GPS for Surrey and made it off the island.  It had been another beautiful, sunny day to enjoy in Vancouver.  Following a quick stop at the local drug store for me to pick up some cold medicine, we got back to the hotel and I started checking out places to stay in Seattle.  We liked our place in Surrey, but decided we'd like to stay IN town or near downtown, Seattle.  Priceline shared several possibilities, and   we decided on The Mediterranean Inn, near the Space Needle in the Queen Anne Hill district.  That settled, it was time to take some cold medicine and get some rest.