The Trials of Traveling - Planning Sightseeing - Vancouver, again

I know, I promised to move on to Toronto, and will very soon, but I realized after I wrapped up the last post, that I hadn't dealt with transportation.

Not everyone can afford private cars or taxis.

We'll be staying at the Hilton Vancouver Metrotown in Burnaby.  From the web, I have discovered it is 20 minutes by Sky Train to Vancouver, and it is not far from Metropolis at Metrotown British Columbia's largest shopping center.

So what is the Sky Train?  

My research tells me this is one of the oldest and longest automated driverless light rapid transit systems in the world and will be something to look forward to, feeding my fascination for traveling all or forms of transport like trains, planes, buses, trams, and ferries.

Our stop is on the Expo Line, and no doubt we will be using it more than once.  It is useful that we will be able to purchase daily passes and they are not expensive.

There is also a SeaBus that goes from Waterfront Station to Lonsdale Quay for a scenic crossing of Burrard Inlet by sea.  Of course, in Winter, we'll have to be on the lookout for stray icebergs!

There are other ferries, but it is likely, in Winter, these might not be running.

And just to add to an already burgeoning tourist list, The Vancouver Police Museum, mainly because it is in the old Toronto Mourgue, no, I'm not that morbid, but I suspect it may be a prop for Murdoch Mysteries, and False Creek, for shopping and food, notably Popina Canteen, and may be accessible by sea ferry.

There's a lot more I found via Lonely Planet so it will be a hard choice when we get there.

The next post will be about Toronto.

I promise!

Venice, ships come and ships go

Through this window, which wasn’t one of those floor to ceiling, walk out onto a balcony type windows, we saw big ships, little ships, small boats, and then huge ocean liners.

And when that wasn’t enough, sunrise and sunset, or just the sight of Venice in the sunshine

The many vaporettos that came and went

It was simply a matter of watching ships go by, or watching the Venetians go about the daily business

Ferries that would arrive in the morning, and leave at night, small

and large

Small ocean liners

Very, very large ocean liners

And everything in between

Hong Kong: from the Grand Harbour Hotel, Kowloon

We were not expecting either the grandeur of the suite we received nor the incredible view of Hong Kong and probably more fascinating, the harbor.

On one side was the passenger ship terminal, which played host to several cruise ships during our stay, but also incredible views of Hong Kong island, day and night.

Quite literally, we did not have to watch TV to be entertained.  There was endless activity right outside the window!



Looking towards the Passenger Liner terminal, and a smaller cruise ship at anchor.



A Chinese junk that crossed our path several times during our stay



The view outside our room window.  At sunup, it was amazing, at sundown, incredible.



We were not sure what this vessel was, though it looked like a car or vehicle ferry, but not once when we saw it did it have any vehicles aboard.



This, we were guessing, was not only a junk, but a passenger ferry of sorts, or perhaps it went on harbour cruises.



A ferry, obvious from the name on the side of the ship

And a smaller cruise ship returning



Housing on the foreshore of Hong Kong island, just across from our room during the day,

and at night.

Moving close to the business section of Hong Kong Island, with a dredge in the foreground.  They finished work the day we left.