Canada O Canada

Day 47 - 5 August
Vancouver
Woke up at 7.00 and found that we were already tied up at Canada Place, in the heart of Vancouver.  A bit disappointed that I hadn't woken an hour or so earlier as I had planned to wave to Rohays & Don as we sailed by West Vancouver.  As it turned out, they wouldn't have seen us, although Don did see the Millennium go past about 5.30, before returning to bed.  As we'd been following that ship all the way from Ketchican, I assume we would have been half an hour behind.

We had arranged to meet them at 10.30, so had a leisurely breakfast and then wandered ashore.  The amazing thing was that there was no Canadian Customs or Immigration at all.  We just got off the ship, straight onto the street (well in reality we meandered through the enormous terminal, with little clear signage to the outside).  At the same time, the Millennium was disgorging it's 2,000 odd passengers, who of course had got on in Seward a week ago.  Add to the mix of some 4,000 ship passengers, there was some sort of convention going on with hundreds of young people mostly dressed in film character theme. 

It was with a degree of luck that we spotted Rohays & Don coming down the road, and after a swift, tricky illegal manouver in front of a Police Officer, we jumped aboard and got out of the mayhem!  A trip through memory lane (they looked after us so well just 2 years ago), a coffee at the Yacht Club where mother seal and her baby paid us a visit!  and then over the bridge to their home for lunch.  To say that they looked after us would be an understatement - we had a great time and were so well fed & watered.  The biggest surprise was that we stayed for dinner as well.  Fantastic hosts, who are promising to come to NZ in 2018.

Unfortunately all too soon it became time for us to go back to the ship, arriving about half an hour before departure.  We had joked that if we missed the ship it was pretty easy to get the morning ferry over to Victoria, Vancouver Island.  The weather by the way was absolutely magnificent and I am so pleased I remembered our last visit and wore shorts (last time I had to borrow a pair from Don!)

Day 48 - 6 August
Victoria
Amazing the change in temperature over such a small distance.  Started out wearing clothing similar to yesterday, but as soon as I put a nose outside, decided that it was a long trouser day.  Very keen breeze blowing around the port area particularly.  Our hosts for the day, Don & Charles duly met us at 9.30 and I had the sad job of telling them that our departure had been bought forward to 3.00, meaning we had to be on board by 2.30.  Such a short visit to a lovely place.

Don drove us to Charles' place, about half an hour away, where we were to have lunch.  Much to our surprise, we were the guests of honour (I know that Don is reading this blog) at a luncheon put on at Charles'.  Leaving Charles to organise lunch, Don took us on a sceic drive up to Sidney, which is a booming area. We decided that the area is very much like NZ.  On our way home, we stopped by a lake and picked & ate some local blackberries - no spray here.  The weather has improved and is warm & clear (Charles said it's always like that away from the city ☺).  Lunch was magnificent- salmon & a large ham and an apple & almond tart for dessert.  Great change from the standard Princess fare.  Our hosts have reassured us that NZ is on their list, so looking forward to reciprocating.

It really has been great to have the ability to enjoy home hospitality and friendship over these last 2 days.  Time however waits for no one and we reluctantly took our leave to get back to the ship at 2.20.  At 2.30 the Captain advised that we were 1 passenger missing and that we'd be sailing at 3.00 in any event.  Unfortunately this happened and we left one short!  Although we have a sea day tomorrow, obviously it is imperative that we reach San Francisco on schedule  to get our repairs completed.

Day 49 - 7 August
Sea day and the weather is "average".  A other wine tasting event in the afternoon meant that bridge was "morningfied" again.  Added to this was Ray's ukulele concert and the pop choir, so a busy afternoon topped off with afternoon tea yet again.  Tomorrow we hit San Francisco and the delights of US Homeland Security, yet again.  Interesting to note that as we sailed parallel to the coast of USA, a band of cloud or whatever ran all the way along, partially obscuring the hills in the distance.  No, I did not suggest that it was smog!

Photos:
With Rohays & Don
Mum & baby

With Don & Charles
"Feasting"